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veronica_chamaedrys's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
4.5
New friends and a murder mystery
I was absolutely confused during many parts of the book but I absolutely love seeing how different cultures come together or how they differ. I have a feeling that I want to read this as a physical book as well since I did bookmark a lot of places where I would have enjoyed going a bit further in and reread parts. But that’s something that I almost never do when I listen to audio. However, I liked this one so much that I’m absolutely going to read the next one and this is also going to be put on my list of “Read, loved, want to buy”
I was absolutely confused during many parts of the book but I absolutely love seeing how different cultures come together or how they differ. I have a feeling that I want to read this as a physical book as well since I did bookmark a lot of places where I would have enjoyed going a bit further in and reread parts. But that’s something that I almost never do when I listen to audio. However, I liked this one so much that I’m absolutely going to read the next one and this is also going to be put on my list of “Read, loved, want to buy”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Gore
Moderate: Medical content and Suicide
Minor: Self harm
fluffyinsect's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Its not that simple getting into this big complicated universe, but once you are into it, it doesn't let you go! Gripping and fascinating. A sci-fi epos!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
Minor: Violence, War, Suicide, and Vomit
emilyokkay's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Self harm
booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
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? Yes
5.0
A MEMORY CALLED EMPIRE is a political drama sparked by a murder mystery which asks whether the safety of secrecy is worth its weight in blood.
Mahit is the main character but she's not only herself (at least, that's the plan). She's supposed to have a technologically-enabled memory of her predecessor, Yskandr, the most recent ambassador to Texicalaan. It's fifteen years out of date but she's making do until a plot thing happens and she's alone in her head for much of the narrative. As an ambassador she's trying to make choices which will preserve her people's way of life, but increasingly she finds that her predecessor may have had different aims and made other promises.
Mahit forms her own connections (especially but not only with Three Seagrass), but she also has to contend with the remnants of relationships formed by Yskandr. His death is the catalyst for her arrival, but she doesn't know what promises he made (or broke). I enjoyed the webs of politics so much partly because Three Seagrass and Mahit are able to communicate well about the structure of what certain moves matter. I love the rapport between Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea, beginning with but not limited to their nicknames for each other ("Reed" and "Petal", respectively).
The worldbuilding is excellent, colored with small details about ordinary objects and spaces, specifically how Mahit relates to them. Mahit's outsider status provides ample opportunity for in-universe explanations, but her training before arriving in Teixcalaan means that she doesn't need explanations for the simple stuff which would bog down the narrative even if a genuinely new visitor might benefit from the tutorial. Much of the active worldbuilding is through discussions about language and culture, filtering other characters' explanations and descriptions through Mahit's background as a Stationer. I particularly enjoyed the ways that foods are described, since generally I recognize the foods, but her way of describing them excellently conveyed what they are even though she didn't have the terms or the specific cultural context in Teixcalaan.
The plot centers around a murder mystery of sorts and the politics of imperial succession. It's emboldened and complicated by the aims of an empire whose people think of themselves as the only ones who matter, and their uncertain language around describing others while still letting their very words recognize humans outside Teixcalaan as people. I enjoyed the mystery, the "murder" portion of the mystery is just one part of a very fascinating whole. Mahit and Three Seagrass are players in an ongoing conversation about what it means to be a person, and how the language one uses changes the thoughts they'll have. This plays out gradually, where the discussion is given room to breathe amidst the more hectic parts of the plot.
I love this and I'm planning to keep reading the series, this is an excellent start and I'm eager to see where it goes.
Mahit is the main character but she's not only herself (at least, that's the plan). She's supposed to have a technologically-enabled memory of her predecessor, Yskandr, the most recent ambassador to Texicalaan. It's fifteen years out of date but she's making do until a plot thing happens and she's alone in her head for much of the narrative. As an ambassador she's trying to make choices which will preserve her people's way of life, but increasingly she finds that her predecessor may have had different aims and made other promises.
Mahit forms her own connections (especially but not only with Three Seagrass), but she also has to contend with the remnants of relationships formed by Yskandr. His death is the catalyst for her arrival, but she doesn't know what promises he made (or broke). I enjoyed the webs of politics so much partly because Three Seagrass and Mahit are able to communicate well about the structure of what certain moves matter. I love the rapport between Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea, beginning with but not limited to their nicknames for each other ("Reed" and "Petal", respectively).
The worldbuilding is excellent, colored with small details about ordinary objects and spaces, specifically how Mahit relates to them. Mahit's outsider status provides ample opportunity for in-universe explanations, but her training before arriving in Teixcalaan means that she doesn't need explanations for the simple stuff which would bog down the narrative even if a genuinely new visitor might benefit from the tutorial. Much of the active worldbuilding is through discussions about language and culture, filtering other characters' explanations and descriptions through Mahit's background as a Stationer. I particularly enjoyed the ways that foods are described, since generally I recognize the foods, but her way of describing them excellently conveyed what they are even though she didn't have the terms or the specific cultural context in Teixcalaan.
The plot centers around a murder mystery of sorts and the politics of imperial succession. It's emboldened and complicated by the aims of an empire whose people think of themselves as the only ones who matter, and their uncertain language around describing others while still letting their very words recognize humans outside Teixcalaan as people. I enjoyed the mystery, the "murder" portion of the mystery is just one part of a very fascinating whole. Mahit and Three Seagrass are players in an ongoing conversation about what it means to be a person, and how the language one uses changes the thoughts they'll have. This plays out gradually, where the discussion is given room to breathe amidst the more hectic parts of the plot.
I love this and I'm planning to keep reading the series, this is an excellent start and I'm eager to see where it goes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Murder, Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Suicide
Moderate: Grief, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Self harm
Minor: Pregnancy and Ableism
winter_light's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Self harm, Blood, and Colonisation
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
hanarama's review against another edition
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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