This book holds up the test of time! It is a blend of sci fi and fantasy, which is fun, and it has a girl protagonist, which was super rare for sci fi books when it was published! I thought a lot about the Cold War and how that could have been influencing the book as I read it- it has strong themes of the importance of individuality/nonconformity and the dangers of the surveillance state.

The thing that stuck out to me was a that the hero was deeply flawed and, in many ways, unremarkable. But it was in her flaws that she could become the hero. The three main characters also read as neurodivergent for me, and I think neurodivergent kids would have a lot to relate to with them. (For example, I think the protagonist, Meg, has ADHD.)

Overall, with all the fantastical and sci fi elements, the core of this story is about what it means to be human, and it is extra cool to read something about humanity that still rings true over 50 years later!