Talent and passion. An otherwise-average woman who can, for example, play an instrument or write or dance beautifully sort of immediately becomes a 10/10 for me.
I've not actually read Annihilation but if it's anything like Mount Char I'm in, as that's one of my favorite books period.
The Library at Mount Char is a bit like what you're describing - quite intimate in getting to know the characters but as the story develops there's a huge "holy shit" awe to it for me.
I also second the Ursula le Guin recommendation.
@llamapocalypse
@lemmy.world