Ooh, this is a really nice review. I struggled to summarize the book and explain what I liked about it without spoilers, and I'm impressed that you found the balance here. I'm pleased about you enjoying my recs, too!

I felt uncomfortable with the Kinunu arc myself; I suspect that comes under the heading of the kind of gender thing that's changed enough in 40 years that even progressive for the era books look awful to a modern audience.