elusivity's review against another edition
4.0
A thoroughly interesting novel exploring the nature of language, thought, truth and reality. On a colony planet, humans live on the good graces of the Ariekei, whose Language must be literally true in order to have validity and be understood. As is inevitable, change must occur, and does, to devastating results.
While reading, I was reminded of SNOW CRASH by Neal Stephenson, which explored some similar themes about the power of language to affect thought, and thereby the entire structure of a society. However, Miéville's using the alien Ariekei as basis for the effect of language removes an element of doubt I carried while reading SNOW CRASH (human mind programmable as machinery--hm?!), so that I am able to immerse myself in the intellectual exploration.
As typical, Miéville throws a metric ton of new ideas and world-building details at us. I am fascinated by bioengineering--animals that release different energy depending what they are fed, as walking batteries; houses that are alive... some truly mind-bendingly fascinating stuff, but organically integrated into the story so that they are a part of an intricate, plausible background rather than bits of "hey, look at this amazing new thing I just thought up" from the author.
Highly recommended!
While reading, I was reminded of SNOW CRASH by Neal Stephenson, which explored some similar themes about the power of language to affect thought, and thereby the entire structure of a society. However, Miéville's using the alien Ariekei as basis for the effect of language removes an element of doubt I carried while reading SNOW CRASH (human mind programmable as machinery--hm?!), so that I am able to immerse myself in the intellectual exploration.
As typical, Miéville throws a metric ton of new ideas and world-building details at us. I am fascinated by bioengineering--animals that release different energy depending what they are fed, as walking batteries; houses that are alive... some truly mind-bendingly fascinating stuff, but organically integrated into the story so that they are a part of an intricate, plausible background rather than bits of "hey, look at this amazing new thing I just thought up" from the author.
Highly recommended!
mlklein1's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this very smart novel about an off Earth colony in the distant future. I read some science fiction, but not a lot. So many of the elements I really enjoyed may be old hat to regular SF readers, but I really liked them.
For example, the issue of age. Here on Earth we measure age in years and months. But since one year is equal to one trip around the sun for us...the unit of measurement is meaningless on a planet so far from Earth and the Milky Way. And the measurement is even meaningless amongst the planets in close proximity to each other. Mieville covers this in an ingenuous way that explains everyone's age relative to each other, and gives us Earthikins a sense of their "Earth-equivalent age." (As I said, regular SF readers may find this obvious.)
The novel is about political intrigue and language and diplomacy and it reminded me somewhat of the film "The Arrival" in that human-alien communication is a central theme. (And yes, in this novel it is the humans who are actually the aliens, since it's their world and we're guests in...Embassytown.)
Anyway, this was a really nice novel with big themes and exciting action and great, complex characters. And a very nuanced, deep, compelling female protagonist, for what it's worth.
(I also enjoyed this book because it was the first real novel recommended to me by my 20-year-old daughter! #RaisedRight)
For example, the issue of age. Here on Earth we measure age in years and months. But since one year is equal to one trip around the sun for us...the unit of measurement is meaningless on a planet so far from Earth and the Milky Way. And the measurement is even meaningless amongst the planets in close proximity to each other. Mieville covers this in an ingenuous way that explains everyone's age relative to each other, and gives us Earthikins a sense of their "Earth-equivalent age." (As I said, regular SF readers may find this obvious.)
The novel is about political intrigue and language and diplomacy and it reminded me somewhat of the film "The Arrival" in that human-alien communication is a central theme. (And yes, in this novel it is the humans who are actually the aliens, since it's their world and we're guests in...Embassytown.)
Anyway, this was a really nice novel with big themes and exciting action and great, complex characters. And a very nuanced, deep, compelling female protagonist, for what it's worth.
(I also enjoyed this book because it was the first real novel recommended to me by my 20-year-old daughter! #RaisedRight)
spiralnode's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I've heard a lot about Miéville's association with the New Weird, I knew a bit about his political opinions and in general I think he's an interesting person with interesting ideas. So I was really looking forward to this book which makes the disappointment all the more bitter to have found something that set itself up for success, but fail so much in execution for me.
One of my biggest passions is language, from learning new ones, to understanding how they shape culture, how they engage the body in producing sound, they're so fun, and I've thoroughly enjoyed recent fantasy books on this topic, such as 'Babel' or 'Vita Nostra'. Between the reputation of the author and the theme, what could go wrong?
The story focuses on the relationship between the Terre (think of them as humans, perhaps with robot-like additions) and the Hosts, the 'aliens' whose planet they inhabit. But the Hosts' language is polyphonic, relying on two simultaneous voices rather than one, making learning it impossible for the regular person, and even for two regular persons, because it comes from one source, one consciousness. The humans try first finding people who might be so to speak on the same wavelength, they try twins, but nothing found in nature works. They intervene by adding a physical link between twins, and educating them as Ambassadors. While imperfect, it facilitates communication well enough.
Now these ideas are genuinely amazing. Super creative, unheard of. From the split consciousness, to the intricacies of this language, to the relationship with the indigenous, it's extremely intriguing. I was also curious about the sociological aspects, could one have more personal relationships between the races? How is the land governed, by whom, is a joint government needed? There was some detail added to the language, and the one that I found was especially original is the sort of inference from word to word, one word flowing from another, which seems to be the reason why this species also has difficulty telling a lie. They also cannot refer directly to things, like 'this cup of coffee', or 'that cup of coffee over there'. It's more of a 'the container holding coffee placed on the second shelf of the white bookcase in the North-Western corner'.
But I didn't think this context really amounted to much. I found the pacing to be very awkward - the beginning is slow, while the universe is established, and in fact tension and the actual plotline (the Hosts learning to lie and having an odd reaction to the speech of an Ambassador) only appears maybe after 100 pages. But in the last 100 pages the rhythm is amped up so much, it's all action. I hardly follow the political implications of what's going on, who has what motive, what are the potential consequences, it's just go go go on attacks and infiltrations.
I also thought that there were several events that weren't fully developed, they were dedicated a lot of space on the page, but were never relevant. And this is especially the case with the main character we follow, Avice. She is described as an immerser, and she tells us how she discovered her predilection for it, and the travels she has been on as a result of this occupation. She is described by other characters as talented and well-connected, but we never see anything that would confirm it. I also throughout the story wished we were following someone else. She has no bearing on the mystery we are uncovering, she's pretty much a civilian in this situation. This is a trope I find very unengaging in mysteries too, when a case is resolved by someone just stumbling onto a case or someone with too much time on their hands.
Avice is also meant to be part of language by being a simile. She underwent a procedure as a child, described as painful, to introduce her into the Hosts' language. I didn't understand neither the importance of this procedure or the mechanics, nor what being part of the language actually meant. Sure, she is invited to ceremonies, people oogle her, admire her, she is highly regarded. But beyond being an inspiration towards an idea, what is the reason of having this pain inflicted upon her?
All in all, I wish this idea was explored more slowly, and properly explored and dived into than acting as a backdrop for a revolution-based action story.
One of my biggest passions is language, from learning new ones, to understanding how they shape culture, how they engage the body in producing sound, they're so fun, and I've thoroughly enjoyed recent fantasy books on this topic, such as 'Babel' or 'Vita Nostra'. Between the reputation of the author and the theme, what could go wrong?
The story focuses on the relationship between the Terre (think of them as humans, perhaps with robot-like additions) and the Hosts, the 'aliens' whose planet they inhabit. But the Hosts' language is polyphonic, relying on two simultaneous voices rather than one, making learning it impossible for the regular person, and even for two regular persons, because it comes from one source, one consciousness. The humans try first finding people who might be so to speak on the same wavelength, they try twins, but nothing found in nature works. They intervene by adding a physical link between twins, and educating them as Ambassadors. While imperfect, it facilitates communication well enough.
Now these ideas are genuinely amazing. Super creative, unheard of. From the split consciousness, to the intricacies of this language, to the relationship with the indigenous, it's extremely intriguing. I was also curious about the sociological aspects, could one have more personal relationships between the races? How is the land governed, by whom, is a joint government needed? There was some detail added to the language, and the one that I found was especially original is the sort of inference from word to word, one word flowing from another, which seems to be the reason why this species also has difficulty telling a lie. They also cannot refer directly to things, like 'this cup of coffee', or 'that cup of coffee over there'. It's more of a 'the container holding coffee placed on the second shelf of the white bookcase in the North-Western corner'.
But I didn't think this context really amounted to much. I found the pacing to be very awkward - the beginning is slow, while the universe is established, and in fact tension and the actual plotline (the Hosts learning to lie and having an odd reaction to the speech of an Ambassador) only appears maybe after 100 pages. But in the last 100 pages the rhythm is amped up so much, it's all action. I hardly follow the political implications of what's going on, who has what motive, what are the potential consequences, it's just go go go on attacks and infiltrations.
I also thought that there were several events that weren't fully developed, they were dedicated a lot of space on the page, but were never relevant. And this is especially the case with the main character we follow, Avice. She is described as an immerser, and she tells us how she discovered her predilection for it, and the travels she has been on as a result of this occupation. She is described by other characters as talented and well-connected, but we never see anything that would confirm it. I also throughout the story wished we were following someone else. She has no bearing on the mystery we are uncovering, she's pretty much a civilian in this situation. This is a trope I find very unengaging in mysteries too, when a case is resolved by someone just stumbling onto a case or someone with too much time on their hands.
Avice is also meant to be part of language by being a simile. She underwent a procedure as a child, described as painful, to introduce her into the Hosts' language. I didn't understand neither the importance of this procedure or the mechanics, nor what being part of the language actually meant. Sure, she is invited to ceremonies, people oogle her, admire her, she is highly regarded. But beyond being an inspiration towards an idea, what is the reason of having this pain inflicted upon her?
All in all, I wish this idea was explored more slowly, and properly explored and dived into than acting as a backdrop for a revolution-based action story.
pine's review
5.0
Every chapter or so, something new would be introduced that would drastically shake up my understanding of everything. Very fun.
mschlat's review against another edition
4.0
Embassytown is the story of Avice Benner Cho, who grows up a girl in the town, leaves for other planetary systems, and returns as a married women. The town is aptly named --- it is the point of contact between the humans on the planet Arieka and its native species (referred to as the Hosts by the residents of Embassytown). What sets the Hosts apart, besides bioengineering skills, is the difficulty of their language. I am not going to divulge too much here, but for humans to speak the Hosts' language requires more than just translation software, it requires a special type of human speakers.
Note that if you have any interest in linguistics and science fiction, this is a must read. The Language of the Hosts (and, yes, both are capitalized) is a fascinating concept about the connections between what we think and what we say. If you've liked the works of [a:Mary Doria Russell|4007|Mary Doria Russell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1236919634p2/4007.jpg] or [a:Janet Kagan|127081|Janet Kagan|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s [b:Hellspark|14981811|Hellspark|Janet Kagan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387701988s/14981811.jpg|1042756], this book hits some of the same appeal factors (although with the requisite Mieville weirdness).
The first portion of the book reads like science fiction literary fiction --- think of [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg] or [a:Doris Lessing|7728|Doris Lessing|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1256020901p2/7728.jpg]. The emphasis is on personal relationships that amplify and mediate the assumptions of the different societies. However, about halfway through the book, the plot speeds up, turns from the personal to the global, and takes a dark, horrifying turn. I found it compelling, but not a pleasant read.
Note that if you have any interest in linguistics and science fiction, this is a must read. The Language of the Hosts (and, yes, both are capitalized) is a fascinating concept about the connections between what we think and what we say. If you've liked the works of [a:Mary Doria Russell|4007|Mary Doria Russell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1236919634p2/4007.jpg] or [a:Janet Kagan|127081|Janet Kagan|https://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]'s [b:Hellspark|14981811|Hellspark|Janet Kagan|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387701988s/14981811.jpg|1042756], this book hits some of the same appeal factors (although with the requisite Mieville weirdness).
The first portion of the book reads like science fiction literary fiction --- think of [a:Ursula K. Le Guin|874602|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1244291425p2/874602.jpg] or [a:Doris Lessing|7728|Doris Lessing|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1256020901p2/7728.jpg]. The emphasis is on personal relationships that amplify and mediate the assumptions of the different societies. However, about halfway through the book, the plot speeds up, turns from the personal to the global, and takes a dark, horrifying turn. I found it compelling, but not a pleasant read.
Spoiler
Two comments for those who have read the book. One, as I have seen elsewhere, you can easily read the work as a meditation on the Fall myth, although clearly Mieville sees the result of the Hosts' fall as somewhat positive and clearly a necessary adaptation. The Hosts without the Fall are far too susceptible to those who use language to both convey and conceal. Two, this is a zombie novel. Not in the ending, but Mieville's Hosts become (for a while) unreasoning monsters with strange biological powers. In their own minds, the Absurd become non-sentient. Mieville even tips his cap to early zombie movies which the humans watch during the novel. And --- if I have to read a zombie novel --- I'd much prefer to read Mieville's version.amandatastic's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning of this book gets a 2.5, but the ending gets a 4.
The plot is super unique and I really enjoyed that aspect... but only about halfway through, where I really started to understand what was going on.
The beginning seemed needlessly convoluted and basic concepts of the world were explained poorly. It seemed very much like the author was trying too hard (to make the book “smart” or to make things seem “alien”, maybe?).
But then, when [important plot point redacted], the action starts unfolding, and things start making a lot more sense. That’s where I really started to enjoy the book. From there to the end I was invested.
The characters were kind of weak overall. Avice Benner Cho (aka ABC) is a passive protagonist, until about 2/3 if the way through. Some characters were brought up as important and then just didn’t really appear again except for a cursory mention (Ersuhl). I don’t understand anything about ABC and Scile. Not at all.
The language (or Language, rather) is the focus of this book. There are some issues linguistically, but these I can suspend my disbelief for more than the characters.
I think the most interesting concept to me was of the Ambassadors, and two people being one person. But they’re also obviously still individuals. Of course, this concept by the end of the book seemed to be disappearing. I also thought that the immer was interesting, but that was brought up like it would be important for ABC and then other than cursory mentions was never brought up again.
I don’t really have a conclusion so... there are my spoiler-free thoughts.
The plot is super unique and I really enjoyed that aspect... but only about halfway through, where I really started to understand what was going on.
The beginning seemed needlessly convoluted and basic concepts of the world were explained poorly. It seemed very much like the author was trying too hard (to make the book “smart” or to make things seem “alien”, maybe?).
But then, when [important plot point redacted], the action starts unfolding, and things start making a lot more sense. That’s where I really started to enjoy the book. From there to the end I was invested.
The characters were kind of weak overall. Avice Benner Cho (aka ABC) is a passive protagonist, until about 2/3 if the way through. Some characters were brought up as important and then just didn’t really appear again except for a cursory mention (Ersuhl). I don’t understand anything about ABC and Scile. Not at all.
The language (or Language, rather) is the focus of this book. There are some issues linguistically, but these I can suspend my disbelief for more than the characters.
I think the most interesting concept to me was of the Ambassadors, and two people being one person. But they’re also obviously still individuals. Of course, this concept by the end of the book seemed to be disappearing. I also thought that the immer was interesting, but that was brought up like it would be important for ABC and then other than cursory mentions was never brought up again.
I don’t really have a conclusion so... there are my spoiler-free thoughts.
hannah8ball's review against another edition
4.0
Until about 20% of the way into this book, I felt really overwhelmed with the world. Mieville uses plenty of world-related jargon and slang that apparently everyone in this world would know, but that the narrator doesn't actually take time to explain or even use alternate words to help improve understanding. I very nearly gave up on the book.
However, I'm so glad I stuck with it! As a lover of language and philosophy and philosophy of language, this book had me humming. So many interesting ideas put into play. And eventually you start caring about the characters and their place in the world. By the end, I was staying up late to read more, which is a good sign.
I would definitely read more written in this world, but I'm not 100% sold on this author yet.
However, I'm so glad I stuck with it! As a lover of language and philosophy and philosophy of language, this book had me humming. So many interesting ideas put into play. And eventually you start caring about the characters and their place in the world. By the end, I was staying up late to read more, which is a good sign.
I would definitely read more written in this world, but I'm not 100% sold on this author yet.
thisotherbookaccount's review against another edition
5.0
With Embassytown, I am convinced that China Miéville has tapped the ether somehow, or sold his soul to Cthulhu. As if it was not enough to have cornered the New Weird market, with his off-the-wall take on urban fantasy, Miéville then decides to take on the science fiction genre this time. And, in a true Miéville move, of course it is not enough that Embassytown features space ships, distant planets and aliens. Instead, this book is a meditation on language — the power of language.
When I was a child, I remember asking my mother how come Bob Saget could speak Mandarin when it's called AMERICA's Funniest Home Videos. "It's the dubbing," my mother replied, before going right back to ironing my pyjamas. Imagine my surprise when I watched the original version of the show and couldn't understand a word Saget said on screen.
Embassytown is a little like that. You cannot write about the alienness of an extraterrestrial species without delving into their language — or lack of language, in some cases. Even as a child, I knew it was ridiculous — though understandable — for aliens in Star Wars and Star Trek to be proficient in English. For some reason, it was never the other way around. Embassytown goes to great lengths to show just how monumentally difficult it is to communicate with a species that has evolved on a different planet altogether, and how far we are willing to go to bridge those linguistic differences.
A large part of this book is also about how language shapes the way we perceive the world. If you have read Stories of our Lives by Ted Chiang (or watched the equally brilliant film adaptation, Arrival), you will get what I am going for here. In many ways, humans' ability to perceive the world is connected to the limitations of our language. In the face of a completely alien language, then, you will have to not only adjust the way you communicate, but the way you think as well. A great joy in this book is the exploration of these linguistic differences between the different species, and how we get over those differences to come to some mutual understanding.
Of course, no good story is without a central conflict. Somewhere in this book is a critic of organised religion as well, the way believers accept the Word of God (or, in this case, the God Drug) as truth, and becomes mindless addicts as a result. Miéville also writes of how the path to enlightening lies with the questioning of the so-called ultimate truth, or to break away from that addiction by 'lying' — trust me, you will get it when you read it.
However, is this book flawless? Not quite. I still prefer his Bas Laq works (though I have yet to read the third in the trilogy, Iron Council), and the narrative there flows at a more consistent pace. The fact that Embassytown is essentially a big narration by the protagonist also means that many key action beats and character development details are skipped over. The result is a cast of characters that are there to serve the story.
Still, speaking of story, what a great story. A book about language, a science fiction book about language, should be celebrated despite its flaws.
When I was a child, I remember asking my mother how come Bob Saget could speak Mandarin when it's called AMERICA's Funniest Home Videos. "It's the dubbing," my mother replied, before going right back to ironing my pyjamas. Imagine my surprise when I watched the original version of the show and couldn't understand a word Saget said on screen.
Embassytown is a little like that. You cannot write about the alienness of an extraterrestrial species without delving into their language — or lack of language, in some cases. Even as a child, I knew it was ridiculous — though understandable — for aliens in Star Wars and Star Trek to be proficient in English. For some reason, it was never the other way around. Embassytown goes to great lengths to show just how monumentally difficult it is to communicate with a species that has evolved on a different planet altogether, and how far we are willing to go to bridge those linguistic differences.
A large part of this book is also about how language shapes the way we perceive the world. If you have read Stories of our Lives by Ted Chiang (or watched the equally brilliant film adaptation, Arrival), you will get what I am going for here. In many ways, humans' ability to perceive the world is connected to the limitations of our language. In the face of a completely alien language, then, you will have to not only adjust the way you communicate, but the way you think as well. A great joy in this book is the exploration of these linguistic differences between the different species, and how we get over those differences to come to some mutual understanding.
Of course, no good story is without a central conflict. Somewhere in this book is a critic of organised religion as well, the way believers accept the Word of God (or, in this case, the God Drug) as truth, and becomes mindless addicts as a result. Miéville also writes of how the path to enlightening lies with the questioning of the so-called ultimate truth, or to break away from that addiction by 'lying' — trust me, you will get it when you read it.
However, is this book flawless? Not quite. I still prefer his Bas Laq works (though I have yet to read the third in the trilogy, Iron Council), and the narrative there flows at a more consistent pace. The fact that Embassytown is essentially a big narration by the protagonist also means that many key action beats and character development details are skipped over. The result is a cast of characters that are there to serve the story.
Still, speaking of story, what a great story. A book about language, a science fiction book about language, should be celebrated despite its flaws.
rockobeige's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
senpai_eeyore's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
I found this book interesting but I don’t know if I would call it good. It sort of felt Dune-esque. It sort of came across as full of itself and the prose was impressive but I don’t know if that made it a good story overall.