Reviews with content warning for War - Vzpomínka zvaná říše

A Memory Called Empire follows Mahit, an ambassador from one of the last independent stations in her system to the center of the universe - the Teixcalaanli Empire. This novel explores insular cultures, the dangers of “empire,” and what it means to be a stranger in a strange land. OH - there is also a murder mystery situation and multi-layered political implications to every interaction Mahit has with every Teixcalaanli citizen.

I really enjoyed this novel! I found Mahit, Three Seagrass, and Twelve Azalea to be extremely compelling and I loved seeing their relationships grow throughout the story. I’ve been craving a novel like this since I finished the A Song of Ice and Fire series a few years ago and this scratched that itch.

I’m so grateful that the author included a glossary and character list at the end of the novel. It was really helpful in keeping all of the characters, political affiliations, and Teixcalaanli cultural terms straight.

Can’t wait to read the next one!!

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sauvageloup's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

a fascinating space opera, not usually my genre but really enjoyed it.

pros:
- cool and innovative world building, very original. loved the details of the technology, the poetry culture, the complicated politics, the empire and its colonialism, the naming structure, the way they have clones more than kids it seem , etc.
- Mahit's love and hate relationship with the empire's culture and people, and how she desperately wants to be part of it, but sees its flaws and loves her own people.

I loved the ending where she decides to go back home while she still wants to. really shows her growth in character and the complicated nature of her relationship with the empire

- the writing was lovely, super evocative and descriptive, very visual.
- the romance

between mahit and three seagrass at the end

was not focused on but a sweet moment too.
- loved the relationships and the details of the side characters. and the gently mentioned queerness that wasnt a big point but quietly there and no bigotry or question was raised about it.
- also loved the turns in plot, always surprising

especially the big reveal at the end about the new emperor, which fixed a lot of problems and worked so well. and Mahit managing to get her mental guy back again.
- it also left more to be explored, with the imminent threat of aliens, Mahit heading back home and facing the woman who sabotaged her mind thing, and I want to hear more about the emperor's 90% clone and if he'll really turn out like his "father". </spoilers>

cons:
- I was losing track of the characters a fair bit. partly bc of their unusual names I think, and bc of the sheer no. tho I did take a break in the middle too. But I didnt realise there was a character and word glossary at the back which I should've checked.
- I did find it slightly sad that we didnt get to see more of Mahits mental guy, since she missed him so much but we barely knew him so I didnt relate much.

and when he did come back, I didnt love him that much, bc he'd sold out this info and wasnt as likeable as Mahit, or we didnt see as much of him

- I did just generally find it a bit of a slow read, but I think that's just the genre and it isnt rly a criticism. it definitely really got going in the 2nd half too, it didnt drag at all.

so overall, a really good read and I plan to read the 2nd book when the library gets it for me :) thanks to @deadlypapercut for getting it for me.

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kate_arts's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging mysterious reflective 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? Yes

3.75

I really enjoyed the exploration of colonialism throughout this book and how it affects everything it touches. Not sure that I loved the ending. I wish we got to see more of Yskandr and Mahit and saw the effects of the imago machine rather then just being told about it. Super queer and loved how it wasn’t a big deal who you loved. I liked the exploration of an outsider in a new foreign culture and the isolation that entails.

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bergha1998's review against another edition

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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? No

4.0

This is not an easy book to get into, imho. But once you do it is a poignant indictment of western culture’s thefts from other cultures. At least that was my take away.

“Imagining what they might do and not actually having to do it.”

“Everything she had ever wanted when she was fifteen. Right here. She thought it should probably have made her feel happy, instead of abruptly unreal. Disconnected—depersonalized. Like she was happening to someone else.”

“Poetry is for the desperate, and for people who have grown old enough to have something to say.”

“I will always be measuring the distance between myself and a person who remained in the heart of the world; between the person I would have been had I stayed and the person I have become.”

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fraxisle's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.5

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lybarron's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? No

5.0

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