Can a sci-fi novel make for a good book club book? We find out with The Left-Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin – did Laura's book club, mostly sci-fi newbies, like it or loathe it? From fantasy dystopias to the real world, we also tackle Second-Hand Time, Svetlana Alexievich's history of life in Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, an emotionally challenging read on a difficult subject. But did Kate's book club think it worth the effort?