In 2010 fantasy writer Jo Walton described it as "a remarkably sophisticated novel for 1950" and wrote that "This book is so much more than the sum of its tropes that it's possible to read it and re-read it without realising that they are standard tropes."
The reviewer's high praise suggests that the novel's complexity and depth are notable, implying that it surpasses expectations. The idea is that the book's themes and ideas are more profound than their common or expected forms.