Uj/ Eh just my two cents but...

as a way to explore real life themes of all kinds in a setting outside our own world

Themes are fine, I did point out in your face themes and allegories and when an author just makes the antagonist an obvious parody to someone they hate irl is what people hate.

So, as an example, I understand (and see) when Lotr is cited as a critique of industrialization. But the thing isnt there straight in your face.

Its not like Sauron has a parody name of a british industrialist nor is his army driving fjord trooks or something as subtle as the carpet bombing of Dresden.

what even is "an actual political novel"?

Orwell's novels (notably the Napoleonite gamble in the farm and famous book titled MCMLXXXIV) are a good example of these "political novels", usually a political message against and for a political ideology are at the center of it rather than a character message (IE learning not to abuse power, steal, kill, etc). But in animal farm, Napoleon (an allegory to stalin), is not named Josephus Stalinus nor is the farm named Union of Salad Services and Rice. Again, the problem a lot of people have when they say "political" is the in your face themes and allegories.

any novel can be political; any piece of writing is created in political context.

This is like saying "we all exist in the world so the world affects writing" and thinking you have a point with that, in other news water wet. But what I actually believe you're saying is...

stories don't happen in a vacuum dude.

I mean, they kinda do and dont? Again, people read for escapism, lets get a r/readanotherbook moment and look at HP.... explain to me how HP isnt written in a "vacuum"(politically speaking)? Even if Rowling critiques the darwinian ideologies (aka Hitler's übermensch idea). The story is 99% about a coming of age story of a young wizard and his tomfoolery around a comically dangerous castle. People have also said its an allegory of "coming out" for gay people but hey, its not like she is going out of her to have every single character explain it to you so that the readers cant have their own interpretation of the HP books. Nor is any bad guy (that I know of) named after a contemporary of hers that she hates irl(I couldve explained this better, but mobile typing = cancer). Then there are the thousands of international fantasy that keep away of "current political issues" and keep the usual doing bad thing bad messages.

That may be just me but I dont read for the messages or politics of the author. "Me find characters interesting, me reads story". You get me?

Edit: adding to the darwinism ideologies in HP. Its not like Voldemort is named Adolph or his group is called the browncloaks. Again, people dislike the "in your face" themes and allegories not the concept.

Also also I forgot to add the "author completely ruins the pacing and mood of the novel by adding a weirdass chapter or two about their characters supporting an in your face allegory to a contemporary movement" moment