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A review by alexiacambaling
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
5.0
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books.
A Memory Called Empire is absolutely brilliant and if you like science fiction and space operas, I highly encourage you to pick this book up- especially if you like a ton of political intrigue, diplomacy, and a whole lot of poetry. I suppose it goes without saying that I liked this book. A lot. I loved it. It blew my mind and once again made me crave more space opera books. I’ll admit I’ve never been a big science fiction reader and I only recently started reading more, but A Memory Called Empire is certainly up there with the best that I have read and I suspect it’ll remain there for some time.
This book stars Ambassador Mahit Dzmare from Lsel Station who’s sent to the City, the Jewel of the World and the center of the vast Teixcalaanli Empire after the death of her predecessor. The problem? He might have been murdered and his imago- basically his consciousness uploaded into her brain is very outdated. She would have to survive with the help of newfound friends Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea.
I loved the characters and character relationships in this book. No one can really be said to be plain or what they seem at first glance. Everyone has an agenda and they may be either invested in working with Mahit or against her. Mahit herself undergoes strong character development as she adjusts to her life as ambassador and navigating the treacherous waters of court politics. I liked how she becomes friends with Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea and how their friendship grows after some initial distrust.
I’ll admit this book can be rather slow at first and maybe even a little bit daunting. Still, once you get past that, the payoff is very rewarding. Arkady Martine succeeds in making a truly unique culture with the Teixcalaanlitzim and it’s only later that I realized that they might actually be human- or at least very close to it. Teixcalaan seemed to me as very alien, but later I realized how very human it can also be.
One of the things I enjoyed the most was the clever use of language. The way the Teixcalaanlitzim use language is very elegant and it permeated every inch of their culture and society. The buildings of their City are described in epic poems and poetry is used to send subtle and coded messages. It was very fascinating and plays a very big part in the plot. Also, Mahit is very much a fan of Teixcalaanli language and literature so much so that she dreams in it and prides herself in her knowledge- and yet, she remains loyal to her Station and would do all that she can to preserve its independence and somewhat represent its interests.
If you love court intrigue, this book is for you. This book is laced with court intrigue- it’s everywhere and Mahit cannot escape it. She basically had to learn quickly within days of arriving in the City and we the readers struggle with her to keep up. Interestingly enough, the unique technology her Station has developed and safeguarded for generations is at the center of this intrigue and can save her or doom her and her Station.
A Memory Called Empire was masterfully written and if I had gone into it without knowing anything about it or the author, I’d have a hard time believing it was a debut. As far as debut novels go, this one really goes all out on ambition. The prose can be fast-paced or slower as the scene demands or plain and flowery. Arkady Martine is a wonderful writer and I highly enjoyed reading her writing.
Overall, if you like science fiction, space, poetry, and court intrigue, please pick this book up. I promise you won’t regret it.
This review is also on The Bookworm Daydreamer
A Memory Called Empire is absolutely brilliant and if you like science fiction and space operas, I highly encourage you to pick this book up- especially if you like a ton of political intrigue, diplomacy, and a whole lot of poetry. I suppose it goes without saying that I liked this book. A lot. I loved it. It blew my mind and once again made me crave more space opera books. I’ll admit I’ve never been a big science fiction reader and I only recently started reading more, but A Memory Called Empire is certainly up there with the best that I have read and I suspect it’ll remain there for some time.
This book stars Ambassador Mahit Dzmare from Lsel Station who’s sent to the City, the Jewel of the World and the center of the vast Teixcalaanli Empire after the death of her predecessor. The problem? He might have been murdered and his imago- basically his consciousness uploaded into her brain is very outdated. She would have to survive with the help of newfound friends Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea.
I loved the characters and character relationships in this book. No one can really be said to be plain or what they seem at first glance. Everyone has an agenda and they may be either invested in working with Mahit or against her. Mahit herself undergoes strong character development as she adjusts to her life as ambassador and navigating the treacherous waters of court politics. I liked how she becomes friends with Three Seagrass and Twelve Azalea and how their friendship grows after some initial distrust.
I’ll admit this book can be rather slow at first and maybe even a little bit daunting. Still, once you get past that, the payoff is very rewarding. Arkady Martine succeeds in making a truly unique culture with the Teixcalaanlitzim and it’s only later that I realized that they might actually be human- or at least very close to it. Teixcalaan seemed to me as very alien, but later I realized how very human it can also be.
One of the things I enjoyed the most was the clever use of language. The way the Teixcalaanlitzim use language is very elegant and it permeated every inch of their culture and society. The buildings of their City are described in epic poems and poetry is used to send subtle and coded messages. It was very fascinating and plays a very big part in the plot. Also, Mahit is very much a fan of Teixcalaanli language and literature so much so that she dreams in it and prides herself in her knowledge- and yet, she remains loyal to her Station and would do all that she can to preserve its independence and somewhat represent its interests.
If you love court intrigue, this book is for you. This book is laced with court intrigue- it’s everywhere and Mahit cannot escape it. She basically had to learn quickly within days of arriving in the City and we the readers struggle with her to keep up. Interestingly enough, the unique technology her Station has developed and safeguarded for generations is at the center of this intrigue and can save her or doom her and her Station.
A Memory Called Empire was masterfully written and if I had gone into it without knowing anything about it or the author, I’d have a hard time believing it was a debut. As far as debut novels go, this one really goes all out on ambition. The prose can be fast-paced or slower as the scene demands or plain and flowery. Arkady Martine is a wonderful writer and I highly enjoyed reading her writing.
Overall, if you like science fiction, space, poetry, and court intrigue, please pick this book up. I promise you won’t regret it.
This review is also on The Bookworm Daydreamer