Reviews

Un souvenir nommé Empire by Arkady Martine

ale_samayoa's review against another edition

adventurous challenging 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? No

5.0

lenaoknihach's review against another edition

3.0

Po pár měsících jsem opět chtěla sáhnout po sci-fi, která by mi připomenula, abych tento žánr četla častěji. Vsadila jsem na Vzpomínku zvanou říše od Arkady Martine, kde mě zlákaly pozitivní ohlasy a ocenění, jež první díl série získal.

Mahit Dzmare se vydává jako velvyslankyně do centra mezihvězdné Teixkalánské říše. Hned po příjezdu zjistí, co se stalo jejímu předchůdci a je očividné, že jeho smrt nebyla náhodná. Mahit pátrá po viníkovi, zároveň je vhozená do úplně cizí kultury a musí si dávat pozor, komu důvěřuje.

Začátek mi připomínal Kostičas. A to teď vůbec nemyslím děj, ale to, jak vás autor rovnou hodí do děje, do nového světa a vy se v tom zorientujte. Bylo to náročné? Ano. Ale mně se to všechno tak moc líbilo, i když jsem to vůbec nechápala, že jsem prostě musela číst dál a dál. Bohužel to nadále nepokračovalo jako s Kostičasem, kdy jsem se do příběhu zamilovala.

Vzpomínka zvaná říše mě začala nudit. Nová kultura byla skvělá, o tom žádná. Třeba ta jména? Šesterý Směr, Devaterý Kukuřice, Jeden Blesk, Osmerý Protijed... boží. Nejlepší slovo je rozhodně infofišenka. Na konci je slovníček osob, míst a věcí, díky kterým budete mít aspoň trochu o cizích výrazech přehled.
Jenže se děj ubíral jiným směrem, než by mě bavilo. Je tu hodně politiky a intrikaření a nesedlo mi to tolik, jak bych si přála.

guillaume_rho's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

dantalion_xi's review against another edition

5.0

These are lucky years for me. I have been reading a lot of good sci-fi, mostly modern classics.

A Memory Called Empire is the brilliant contemporary exception.
Arkady Martine writes so intensely, you can only detect she's writing a novel for the first time from the slightest hints. I love her characters, and I feel like I have accompanied Mahit, Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea in their adventures myself. But what sticks with me, is the cultural background she's come up with as a setting. The Teixcalaan Empire is nothing short of incredible in the way it's been imagined, and prompted me to go read actual Byzantine novel to discover where she had got her inspiration from. And even after that experience, I must say that Martine has been absolutely original and clever.

An absolute page turner.

elizabethmalousek's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

ajkessel's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

laurasauras's review against another edition

5.0

Such an interesting book! The sci fi world is very detailed and manages to be unapologetically alien (making you keep up with all the unfamiliar terminology and names) and very familiar. I loved the personal relationships that revolve around Mahit and her struggles to identify who is on her side--or even just who isn't *against* her. Really looking forward to reading the sequel.

koalacupcake's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

caitblg's review against another edition

funny 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? It's complicated

4.25

nyailrac's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad 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

4.25