My ecofiction book club selected this 1986 feminist sci fi classic. I had a little trouble getting into it at first–the writing style of the era is so different from what I’m used to–but we found it a really rich and interesting text to discuss. In this story, most of the planets and moons in the galaxy have been assimilated into a Space Empire (with a heavy dose of Space Capitalism, emphasis on metals and gems). Traders have only recently made contact with the ocean moon Shora, populated by the all-female, purple-tinged, web-fingered Sharers, but now the Space Empire is interested in mining this moon for its scientific knowledge more than its herbs and silks. Sharer language and culture is reflexive and cooperative: they carefully steward the sea resources they use for food and floating habitats, they have no leader, and every action implies its equal and opposite reaction (if you hit, you are hit; if you deceive, you are deceived; and so on). It’s not a perfect femtopia–there are disagreements, conflicts, and losses in the challenging ocean environment–but it was really interesting to read this shortly after seeing the Barbie movie, and considering how each woman-led society subverts what we take for granted in patriarchal capitalism. We also were really interested in the depiction of nonviolent resistance and disruption, even when confronting a Space Empire with so little regard for sentient life.