1.24k reviews for:

Provenance

Ann Leckie

3.87 AVERAGE

johnrw2000's review against another edition

2.25

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

A side book from a full series, this one was pretty slow and predictable. Lots of explanation of what the main character was thinking at every step of the way; just slow and not very sci-fi-y. 

twelve_thistle's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional mysterious 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: Complicated

timvdalen's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

I liked it a lot, but for some reason this was less of a page-turner than others in the series.

coffeedog14's review against another edition

3.5

challenging funny informative mysterious 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: Yes

---

Fun, if perhaps overloaded, mystery story with a main character who spends about half the novel being led around by the nose due to being largely incompetent and terrified. The story really kicks into gear in the latter half in my opinion, which still leaves you 200 pages of kinda futzing around with buildup. 

Not as good as the Imperial Radch Trilogy. But it is a fun view of the world outside the Radch, and hear about the events of that trilogy from the outside as well.

gothamballer39's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I didnt read it right after the Imperial Radch series. It's set in the same universe, but the tone is so completely different that it feels almost like an homage to the world than another entry in it. Ingray is a rough protagonist to root for because she is incredibly self-deprecating and lacks any confidence or sense of self for the majority of the book. I will acknowledge that as a follow-up to Breq, though, anyone would fall short. Leckie once again described fascinating alien cultures and interactions and I loved those aspects. (Ambassador Geck was by far my favorite part of the book.) 

crofteereader's review against another edition

1.0

---

Perhaps it's because I didn't read any of her other books, but I was very unimpressed with Provenance. But before I get into all the bad things, I'd really like to say how much I appreciate the use of non-binary pronouns for humans and aliens alike - and the wide and varied use of them - as well as same-sex relationships being not only commonplace but totally casual.

But... The protagonist Ingray was a wet blanket whose spiraling and self-deprecating thoughts about herself and her plans and her place in the world(s) took up such a vast portion of the book that I couldn't tell if there was supposed to be a plot or if things just casually... happened for no real reason. It wasn't until 87% of the way through the book that the protagonist actually did something worth rooting for.

I'm curious about the books which have won Ann Leckie so many awards when this one was so... uninspiring, but I'll be honest and say I wouldn't spend any money to find out.

space_gaudet's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous mysterious 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

mydoglovedthisbook's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging funny 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: Complicated

forgottenwitch's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous 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: Yes

---

It was so much fun getting to see more of this universe! I love that we got to see both humans outside of Radch space (and how they felt about the Radch) as well as the Geck. It was also fun to see just how many pronouns are in use across the galaxy. Breq was struggling with just distinguishing between he/him and she/her, wait till she finds out about e/em 🤭

swordrager's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous emotional mysterious tense 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: Yes