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cleot's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual violence, Confinement, Transphobia, Xenophobia, and Gore
Minor: Child abuse and Genocide
Not the author's fault but the narrator for the audiobook mispronounces the neopronoun "hir" as "her" quite frequently.woweewhoa's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Blood
Moderate: Torture, Police brutality, Confinement, Racism, Violence, Genocide, Death, and Sexual assault
Minor: War
greymalkin's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I was not a big fan of Provenance but I LOVED Translation State. I'd give it a full five stars except for the large amount of body horror and gore, which makes it a bit harder to want to re-read it many times. I enjoyed the characters and even found the romance convincing and enjoyable. I enjoy seeing the view of politics outside of Radch space.
While I admire the use of neo-pronouns, the use of pronouns as a plot point felt a bit clunky. I guess it was an important contrast to the Radchii mis-gendering almost everyone, but I guess I wanted the identity of being human tied to something other than feeling strongly gendered. I also felt like the character who insisted that their pronoun is "e" but then following it immediately with "a princex in disguise" made it feel less about an issue of pronouns and more like a full identity as a "princex in disguise". They didn't say "e just like Reet's parent" or just "e". And I found the "princex in disguise" aspect interesting and wanted more follow up on that. But no one commented on it. Shouldn't it mean something that a juvenile Presger Translator identifies with a powerful royal in hiding?
I also really liked Enae but it seems like sie was more of a plot point for Reet and Qven. Once they met up, Enae sort of disappeared except as an epilogue narrator, which is disappointing. I wanted more of hir story. Reet and Qven were so unformed and childlike, I was less interested in their story. I wanted to see Enae bloom more. I wanted to see hir on a date with hir cousin. I wanted to see hir really stretch hir wings and discover more about hirself. Oh well.
I also really liked Enae but it seems like sie was more of a plot point for Reet and Qven. Once they met up, Enae sort of disappeared except as an epilogue narrator, which is disappointing. I wanted more of hir story. Reet and Qven were so unformed and childlike, I was less interested in their story. I wanted to see Enae bloom more. I wanted to see hir on a date with hir cousin. I wanted to see hir really stretch hir wings and discover more about hirself. Oh well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Violence and Murder
Minor: Genocide and War
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