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michaelcattigan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Genocide, Xenophobia, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Gore
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This was a sequel that really delivered. The weaving stories of Mahit (and her indigo Yskandr) and the various Texcalaanlitzlim of this world was fascinating.
This book drew together a lot within its pages - predominantly it’s the story of first contact with aliens that the humans here cannot understand. It’s about trying to broker peace when the other side doesn’t see you even as a person because it cannot understand the way you communicate as language.
But this duology is also about colonization of the mind and heart, culture as it pertains to identity, what constitutes personhood, and sometimes how identity is informed by how wide your definition of “you” is. It’s also about loyalty, memory, political machinations, and the line between treason and doing the right thing.
Also, the prose is beautifully crafted. Each POV feels unique, the poetry of the prose itself, but also the poetics of how certain words and actions felt so purposeful and thematic… gosh Martine is an astounding writer.
If you are a fan of political sci-fi, this is a must read.
This book drew together a lot within its pages - predominantly it’s the story of first contact with aliens that the humans here cannot understand. It’s about trying to broker peace when the other side doesn’t see you even as a person because it cannot understand the way you communicate as language.
But this duology is also about colonization of the mind and heart, culture as it pertains to identity, what constitutes personhood, and sometimes how identity is informed by how wide your definition of “you” is. It’s also about loyalty, memory, political machinations, and the line between treason and doing the right thing.
Also, the prose is beautifully crafted. Each POV feels unique, the poetry of the prose itself, but also the poetics of how certain words and actions felt so purposeful and thematic… gosh Martine is an astounding writer.
If you are a fan of political sci-fi, this is a must read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Genocide
peregrinwho's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Death
Minor: Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Medical content
benji_dw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Epic conclusion to the doulogy Arkady Martine began with A Memory called Empire.
Really cool how threads from the first book come to matter as the futuristic Mayan Empire in space confronts an enemy it can't communicate with.
Really cool how threads from the first book come to matter as the futuristic Mayan Empire in space confronts an enemy it can't communicate with.
Content Warnings
Minor: Xenophobia
nixwithapen's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual content, Genocide, Gore, and Death
Minor: Suicide and Vomit
compassrosa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Xenophobia and War
madscientistcat's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, and War
Minor: Genocide
alisonvh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first book in this series was so good I couldn’t wait to read the sequel, and it did not disappoint! It’s as full of humor and great dialogue and political intrigue with just as much pondering the nature of empire and colonialism. Cannot recommend highly enough⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Death, and Murder
Minor: Alcohol
illtakethenightshiftx's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I absolutely loved the world building and new characters that were introduced in this novel, especially Eight Antidote. His insights were fresh and wise beyond his years. I found everyone’s individual story compelling and what their role is in this political war in alien space.
This novel expanded on the themes explored in A Memory Called Empire, but with ‘aliens,’ a first contact situation, and spies. I really enjoyed the first contact scenes and the subsequent events and fallout from various alliances and decisions made by characters both back in the City and on the spaceships.
This series also explores hive minds, AI, and algorithms and how they run the City, which is something I find extremely interesting, especially since we live in an age where algorithms (and soon AI) control almost everything we come into contact with in digital spaces.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Xenophobia
yruss972's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Gore, and Xenophobia