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northisnotup's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Body horror, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Medical content, Colonisation, Blood, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
None of these tags are shocking or out of place, given the plot and themes of the novel, nor do any of them come as a surprise or are used strickly for shock value. The content warnings are appropriate, and not to be used as reasons why not to read this novel.nhollie's review
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book is very…slow. The pacing doesn’t really speed up until the last hundred or so pages, but for me, the slowness of the narrative worked. I looked at some more critical reviews after finishing “A Memory Called Empire” because I was curious what others thought. I didn't really finish the novel with strong feelings, but more of an overall pleasant feeling that I had read a book with a plot I enjoyed. I doubt people who enjoy faster, very character driven books will like this one.
I agree with the reviews that the imperial nature of the Teixcalaan isn’t discussed at length nor the xenophobia the main character faces. Those elements being discussed would have strengthened the sense of the world and Mahit's own interior world. It's alluded to in some ways, but it's a point that appears so much that it warranted more engagement. When I googled the author, I saw she had a PhD in Byzantine Studies, so I’m interested perhaps in how that particular Late Antiquity orientation of her own research perhaps influenced those omissions within her own work (and the pace, depth, and worldbuilding).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Medical content
allegrahistory's review
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Racism, Blood, Medical trauma, Body horror, and Xenophobia
girlinthegarden's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Minor: Body horror
rlinnyc's review
adventurous
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? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Gaslighting, Violence, Body horror, Alcohol, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Medical content, and War
thoughtsontomes's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
While this did take me a bit to get into, I ultimately found the mystery of this very enjoyable, particularly with the ending and what it explored. I do think I'll like the second book more with how this left off, and now that I feel more acclimated to the world. The one thing holding it back a bit was besides our main character and a few of the side characters, many of the characters seemed very similar and some of the character interactions and trust don't make sense given that this book takes place over 2 weeks. But otherwise, a well written exploration of cultures and political intrigue.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Colonisation, and Violence
Moderate: Body horror, Xenophobia, Murder, Medical content, and Gun violence
Minor: Police brutality
emilyplun's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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: Blood, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Medical content, and Body horror
Minor: Alcohol, Police brutality, and Sexual content
hanarama's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
The Good:
- Creative, intriguing world-building.
- Insightful, in-depth study of main character.
- Political intrigue.
- Solid themes of otherness.
The Bad:
- Mystery feels less important at the end.
- Not enough information on the political factions.
You Might Like this Book if You Like:
- Creative sci-fi settings.
- Political stories told by an outsider.
- Fish out of water stories.
- Growing tension.
Mahit Dzmar is the newly appointed ambassador of Lsel, an independent mining station. She is sent to the heart of the Teixcalaanli Empire, equipped with an imago machine, a memory recording implant, of her predecessor. She has no idea why a new ambassador was requested so urgently, but soon comes to learn that it was due to the untimely death of her predecessor. The sudden revelation causes her imago machine to short circuit, leaving Mahit feeling anchorless and alone in a city hostile to outsiders.
With little other choice, Mahit places her trust in her Teixcalaani assistant Three Seagrass, and together they seek to uncover why the previous ambassador died. Mahit has to rely on her intuition and ingenuity to maneuver the Teixcalaani court, make allies, and protect the interests of her home.
Martine uses her immensely creative setting to explore the effects of colonialism. Mahit's status as an outsider draws repeated comparisons to her and the native Teixcalaani citizens, illustrating her otherness and the strangeness of the empire. Martine really captures the feeling of being an outsider and uses it to great effect in building tension and mystery in her world.
Despite this, I feel that some areas could have been explored in greater detail. There are several political factions introduced and most of the information concerning them feels very surface level. I can understand if this was done to further highlight Mahit as an outsider, but I would have liked to know a bit more as the reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Racism, and Self harm
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