A Memory Called Empire
★★★★★
The Teixcalaanli empire is on the cusp of civil war as Mahit takes over as ambassador from her assassinated predecessor and tries to navigate court politics to protect her home from annexation without meeting the same end herself.
Reminiscent of Ann Leckie’s Imperial Radch, with a richness of history, rituals, traditions and the obligatory unpronounceable names, we’re immersed in imperial culture and palace intrigue as Mahit gets to grips with the mess she’s been handed, whilst also navigating the formality of court language, floral symbolism, and poetic cyphers. Mahit herself is perfectly written - a newbie ambassador with real talent who, whilst relatively powerless and gripped by imposter syndrome, marshals her wits and diplomacy to uncover the layered mystery behind her situation. You get a real sense of her cultural isolation as a barbarian noncitizen in a situation that’s always just beyond her ability to control. The tension doesn’t let up the whole book as the political situation builds to a glorious crescendo.
More a personal drama about belonging than a deep critique of empire and colonialism, this is a worthy winner of the 2020 Hugo. Martine’s characters are engaging and real, her world-building is rich and beautiful, and her plotting is gripping and snappy. I can’t wait to spend more time in her universe.
