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A review by ketreads
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
5.0
I am beyond, not only relieved, but excited that I loved this book so much.
I have heard, seen, and been told such fantastic things about this book (and series) but had reservations towards it after hearing how complex and overwhelming some readers found it. Don't get me wrong, this book does an outstanding job of creating such a rich world with cultures you feel on the verge of understanding but not being quite there. This book is heavy on it's sci-fi political drama but it also extends into the realm of space opera so where some elements are purposefully confusing, others are so easy to empathise with at a human level that I never found myself lost. Among all of this you're able to relate even more strongly to our protagonist of Mahit who, while more well studied than us, is also being thrown head-first into a culture she was not bought up within.
Our story follows our Mahit is sent to the capital of a massive multi-system empire, called the Teixcalaanli, as she is chosen to be the new ambassador for her small mining station after her predecessor has died. Now, in a new city, culture, and among strangers she must advocate not only for her small home-town, but also discover the mystery behind the previous ambassadors death.
Martine's ability to weave such complex sets of emotions and alliances between our main-stay characters is done to marvellous effect. Our main character of Mahit is constantly having to navigate a nexus of political intrigue, while having to determine who she can truly trust after the death of her predecessor (this detail is in the blurb). I came to love how Martine writes such nuanced relationships between a wide variety of characters. This helps to reinforce just how lived-in this setting feels.
I have heard, seen, and been told such fantastic things about this book (and series) but had reservations towards it after hearing how complex and overwhelming some readers found it. Don't get me wrong, this book does an outstanding job of creating such a rich world with cultures you feel on the verge of understanding but not being quite there. This book is heavy on it's sci-fi political drama but it also extends into the realm of space opera so where some elements are purposefully confusing, others are so easy to empathise with at a human level that I never found myself lost. Among all of this you're able to relate even more strongly to our protagonist of Mahit who, while more well studied than us, is also being thrown head-first into a culture she was not bought up within.
Our story follows our Mahit is sent to the capital of a massive multi-system empire, called the Teixcalaanli, as she is chosen to be the new ambassador for her small mining station after her predecessor has died. Now, in a new city, culture, and among strangers she must advocate not only for her small home-town, but also discover the mystery behind the previous ambassadors death.
Martine's ability to weave such complex sets of emotions and alliances between our main-stay characters is done to marvellous effect. Our main character of Mahit is constantly having to navigate a nexus of political intrigue, while having to determine who she can truly trust after the death of her predecessor (this detail is in the blurb). I came to love how Martine writes such nuanced relationships between a wide variety of characters. This helps to reinforce just how lived-in this setting feels.