More sprawling and epic in scope than Heinlein's other famous social commentaries like Starship Troopers or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

It loses a bit of steam near the end but man, especially for the first half, Heinlein's storytelling skill is out in full force - few create a page-turner like he does.

The hippie commentary is generally what I expected, but it all comes off as sort of toothless when

the magic/abilities of Mike are mixed in. For example, he can't really comment on how this new system of sexual freedom screws over older women (like it would in real life) because the older women like Patty literally de-age themselves. Same thing with Mike's infinite money.

It's interesting how Heinlein himself says in the end that

this isn't a sustainable way to actually set up a society, that what we see with the Inner Circle is the tiniest sliver of people