Not an easy read. Took me a comparatively long time to get through. And I can see why some might not enjoy it - minimal action, and nearly no fancy futuristic tech. But the book does a thing that I usually enjoy in my science fiction: changes a thing from our world, and follows it to see what happens. This time it isn't, I dunno, developing instantaneous transportation. It's social (well, a social situation addressed with some science).

I was never clamoring to pick the book up, but I never wanted to stop while I was reading it (but I got tired). I liked following Shevek around. His ideas, and the questions that he and his worlds brought up were very interesting. So far the best of the "new-to-me joint Hugo and Nebula winners" that I've read this year, and the only one that I'd consider rereading. I think this is one that I'd get more out of the second time around. (My edition had a study guide at the end, and unlike most, I found it interesting!)