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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Rough
The pace of this book worked better for me than the first entry in the series, perhaps because the worldbuilding investment made in book 1 starts to payoff and the unconventional narration is more familiar by book 2. I'd say 4.5/5 stars.
The world of the Radchaai gives me far-future scifi Downton Abbey vibes. Subtle politics, friction between classes and cultures, vast quantities of tea, a long history of violent colonization happening with a thin facade of "propriety & civilization"... Can't help but hear screams of the British empire. The AI narration, bioengineering/cyborg/corpse soldier stuff, and the exploration of the role of gender (or lack there of) in a culture add fascinating conceptual layers. After book 1 I wasn't sure if I'd finish the series but I'm glad I read on and I'll finish the trilogy.
The world of the Radchaai gives me far-future scifi Downton Abbey vibes. Subtle politics, friction between classes and cultures, vast quantities of tea, a long history of violent colonization happening with a thin facade of "propriety & civilization"... Can't help but hear screams of the British empire. The AI narration, bioengineering/cyborg/corpse soldier stuff, and the exploration of the role of gender (or lack there of) in a culture add fascinating conceptual layers. After book 1 I wasn't sure if I'd finish the series but I'm glad I read on and I'll finish the trilogy.
Although I enjoyed this book quite a bit, it was still a bit disappointing compared to Ancillary Justice. The writing was great and I loved the characters but the story was just less interesting unfortunately.
I'm having a bit of a hard time right now, cause, while I can really justify a 4 star rating, giving this book 3 starts feels a little too low.
I'm having a bit of a hard time right now, cause, while I can really justify a 4 star rating, giving this book 3 starts feels a little too low.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Quite dull and a bit of a disappointment after Ancillary Justice. To me there wasn’t much development in the overarching tensions and political dilemmas, nor in the characters of the MC (Breq) and others.
Ancillary Sword turns out to be a slow detective story more than science fiction, except most notably for Breq’s far-reaching intelligence-gathering abilities, which in fact cause the plot difficulty of her not solving the puzzle too readily. This is counteracted by the plot device of her taking time out planet-side to partake in a mourning period, one that is oddly artificial as Breq scarcely knows the deceased personally.
Just below the surface, the novel feels a bit preachy: Breq comes across as a person with the social conscience of a 21st century, idealistic do-gooder instead of some sort of alien, futurist AI-enabled “segment”. And even more than in the first novel, Breq uses the feminine pronoun even when clearly incorrect (e.g., for a grandfather), which simply became an eye-rolling irritant to this reader.
On the other hand, there are a few good passages of action and the of soul-searching, too, particularly towards the end of the book. For example, from a secondary character:
Ancillary Sword turns out to be a slow detective story more than science fiction, except most notably for Breq’s far-reaching intelligence-gathering abilities, which in fact cause the plot difficulty of her not solving the puzzle too readily. This is counteracted by the plot device of her taking time out planet-side to partake in a mourning period, one that is oddly artificial as Breq scarcely knows the deceased personally.
Just below the surface, the novel feels a bit preachy: Breq comes across as a person with the social conscience of a 21st century, idealistic do-gooder instead of some sort of alien, futurist AI-enabled “segment”. And even more than in the first novel, Breq uses the feminine pronoun even when clearly incorrect (e.g., for a grandfather), which simply became an eye-rolling irritant to this reader.
On the other hand, there are a few good passages of action and the of soul-searching, too, particularly towards the end of the book. For example, from a secondary character:
“I’m fine.” And then, “Mostly. I think. To be honest […] I feel like … like everything I thought I could depend on has disappeared, like none of it was ever true to begin with and I’ve only just realized it, and now, I don’t know. I mean, I thought I was safe, I thought I knew who everyone was. And I was wrong.” (Chapter 21)
It’s a pity the author couldn’t have created a great deal more around this sense of disorientation – psychologically, politically and philosophically.
Still a worthwhile read, but just don’t expect too much.
Still a worthwhile read, but just don’t expect too much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Slavery, Violence, Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, Cultural appropriation
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I can't really separate out this book from the third in the series, as I am reading them in a fugue state of WORDS but distracted by anxiety and other life.
Basically: Breq is delightful, and I appreciate their personhood and their movement through the world. I especially like them coming to Atheok station and throwing their weight around for good. I don't love how grounded in reality this series feels (given that it is pretty hard sci-fi), with the racism, and the classism, and the xenophobia.
Highlights: Translator Dulique, the take down of the petty, evil, local bad guy; Breq's incessant humming.
Basically: Breq is delightful, and I appreciate their personhood and their movement through the world. I especially like them coming to Atheok station and throwing their weight around for good. I don't love how grounded in reality this series feels (given that it is pretty hard sci-fi), with the racism, and the classism, and the xenophobia.
Highlights: Translator Dulique, the take down of the petty, evil, local bad guy; Breq's incessant humming.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book is VERY different to the first one, and I think that's a big strength. It avoids Middle Book Syndrome by introducing us to a lot of new and interesting characters in a completely new setting that the characters really get to interact with.