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A review by manuphoto
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
adventurous
emotional
sad
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
4.0
Palace intrigues, a fish out of water, all set in a society with remarkably advanced technology, but that still uses physical mail.
Hum... let's have a deeper look.
It's basically a political thriller with a space opera background. It has funny characters, although they often correspond to some clichés. The plot itself is good, but a bit light given the length of the novel, and it shows, especially around the mid-mark. The first third and last third of the book are actually better.
This is also Martine's first novel, and it shows. She definitely can write, she has talent, and obviously knows her craft. But sometimes, she doesn't know which level of language to use, which tone or pace. It can get a bit messy, a bit muddy, mixed with moments of literary brilliance.
Honestly, for a first novel, it's quite an achievement. Most I've read have many repetitions, or are too inspired by other novels (although this one reminded me a lot of the Vorkosigan series by Bujold). But here, Martine manages to avoid lots of traps. She still has work to do to find her own real voice, but that's an excellent start, and I suspect that the sequel is even better written.
The characters are well-defined, thankfully, since the naming conventions can be... confusing. There is a logic to it, though, so at least one can find solace in that. But it does feel a bit pushed on the reader: "Look, here's a society that chooses its names completely differently from us! But does everything else like we do..." Again, I'll allow it; it's a first novel, and the author had to find some particularities to embellish her story.
As I've said, the plot can feel a bit thin at times, although just enough happens that we are never bored and actually want to read more. Some characters are very forgettable, while others are more nuanced, and I found myself interested in their stories.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this, and I was impressed by the tightness of the whole experience, given that it's a first novel. It's a mid-ranking Hugo winner, but it's a solid read nonetheless. Now, on to the sequel!
Hum... let's have a deeper look.
It's basically a political thriller with a space opera background. It has funny characters, although they often correspond to some clichés. The plot itself is good, but a bit light given the length of the novel, and it shows, especially around the mid-mark. The first third and last third of the book are actually better.
This is also Martine's first novel, and it shows. She definitely can write, she has talent, and obviously knows her craft. But sometimes, she doesn't know which level of language to use, which tone or pace. It can get a bit messy, a bit muddy, mixed with moments of literary brilliance.
Honestly, for a first novel, it's quite an achievement. Most I've read have many repetitions, or are too inspired by other novels (although this one reminded me a lot of the Vorkosigan series by Bujold). But here, Martine manages to avoid lots of traps. She still has work to do to find her own real voice, but that's an excellent start, and I suspect that the sequel is even better written.
The characters are well-defined, thankfully, since the naming conventions can be... confusing. There is a logic to it, though, so at least one can find solace in that. But it does feel a bit pushed on the reader: "Look, here's a society that chooses its names completely differently from us! But does everything else like we do..." Again, I'll allow it; it's a first novel, and the author had to find some particularities to embellish her story.
As I've said, the plot can feel a bit thin at times, although just enough happens that we are never bored and actually want to read more. Some characters are very forgettable, while others are more nuanced, and I found myself interested in their stories.
Overall, I quite enjoyed this, and I was impressed by the tightness of the whole experience, given that it's a first novel. It's a mid-ranking Hugo winner, but it's a solid read nonetheless. Now, on to the sequel!