This one is hard to rate because on a first read it’s a bit of a struggle to get a grasp on. There’s so much terminology that doesn’t always get explained and it takes a while to even figure out what’s going on with the alternating pov chapters. It seems like the kind of novel that would have fantastic reread value knowing the path it takes and also having more familiarity with the world.

However I do think you have to take into consideration the genius of what Le Guin has done with a book written in the late 60s. It reads (almost) as if it could’ve been written today (the only difference being the main pronoun usage which has been widely critiqued and which Le Guin even recognized is not ideal). Hypothesizing a gender neutral world is even more relevant today. This books asks a lot of questions and also asks the reader to subvert their own preconceived notions about society and I think it’s done brilliantly. The more analysis and discussion I read/watch about this book really makes sense why it’s a classic and probably always will be.