anam_ali's review against another edition
5.0
Seven Issa frowned, and made a doubtful gesture with her left hand, awkwardly, her gloved fingers still curled around half a dozen counters. “Ships have feelings.”
“Yes, of course.”
And that's it, that's the book.
And what a glorious book, I cannot even begin to describe my love for it. I'm pretty sure this is going down as a SciFi space opera classic, and I think it'd be criminal if it doesn't win the Hugo Award.
Because come on! Where else would you get a ship who likes to sing?
I had to calm myself. Had to clear my mind. I thought of songs I knew. My heart is a fish, I thought, but when I opened my mouth to sing it, my throat closed. I swallowed. Breathed. Thought of another one.
Oh, have you gone to the battlefield
Armored and well armed?
And shall dreadful events
Force you to drop your weapons?
A ship with strong opinions:
"...No, you escaped somehow. I can bring you back. I’m sure I can.”
“You can kill me, you mean. You can destroy my sense of self and replace it with one you approve of.”
Strigan didn’t like hearing that, I could see.
...
“Virtue is not a solitary, uncomplicated thing.” Good necessitates evil and the two sides of that disk are not always clearly marked. “Virtues may be made to serve whatever end profits you. Still, they exist and will influence your actions. Your choices.”
And a ship capable of breaking your heart:
She laughed, as though I’d said something moderately witty. “If that’s what you’re willing to do for someone you hate, what would you do for someone you loved?”
I found I was incapable of answering.
...
And also a big FU to gender binary. Everything is a she and it's glorious, hell yeah!
Re-read 30/10/2017: Still amazing!
Re-read 18/05/2021: Gosh, I fkn love this book!
“Yes, of course.”
And that's it, that's the book.
And what a glorious book, I cannot even begin to describe my love for it. I'm pretty sure this is going down as a SciFi space opera classic, and I think it'd be criminal if it doesn't win the Hugo Award.
Because come on! Where else would you get a ship who likes to sing?
I had to calm myself. Had to clear my mind. I thought of songs I knew. My heart is a fish, I thought, but when I opened my mouth to sing it, my throat closed. I swallowed. Breathed. Thought of another one.
Oh, have you gone to the battlefield
Armored and well armed?
And shall dreadful events
Force you to drop your weapons?
A ship with strong opinions:
"...No, you escaped somehow. I can bring you back. I’m sure I can.”
“You can kill me, you mean. You can destroy my sense of self and replace it with one you approve of.”
Strigan didn’t like hearing that, I could see.
...
“Virtue is not a solitary, uncomplicated thing.” Good necessitates evil and the two sides of that disk are not always clearly marked. “Virtues may be made to serve whatever end profits you. Still, they exist and will influence your actions. Your choices.”
And a ship capable of breaking your heart:
She laughed, as though I’d said something moderately witty. “If that’s what you’re willing to do for someone you hate, what would you do for someone you loved?”
I found I was incapable of answering.
...
And also a big FU to gender binary. Everything is a she and it's glorious, hell yeah!
Re-read 30/10/2017: Still amazing!
Re-read 18/05/2021: Gosh, I fkn love this book!
darlingstars's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bythunder's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
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
5.0
lisalark's review against another edition
4.0
Oh I thoroughly enjoyed this. I wonder if perhaps some of the lower ratings are from people who didn't make it through? It's terribly clever and original and events in the present slowly make sense as events in the past are revealed, so it's not exactly an easy read. And the gender thing is also surprisingly confusing, which I suppose reveals that I gender people way too much.
Smart and funny. Really funny actually, but in a super dry sarcastic way. Robot humor, even.
I think I will keep reading these!
Smart and funny. Really funny actually, but in a super dry sarcastic way. Robot humor, even.
I think I will keep reading these!
manuphoto's review against another edition
3.0
This book didn’t really do it for me. The world building is very interesting, the characters are original and mostly well developed, but I didn’t enjoy the story that much, it just wasn’t compelling. I did enjoy the use of feminine pronouns all over though, it was confusing at first (we are so used to having males everywhere in those novels), but I got use to it and appreciated its originality and its relevance towards language in the story.
This novel is very much about perception, intolerance and culture, all very important themes for any society, but the way they were put together in there just didn’t resonate with me that much. I found it very on the nose, almost preachy at times. Also, there are a few happy « coincidences » that help the book move forward, I’m not always a fan of that. So yeah, three stars because it does have some good qualities but I don’t consider it a great book, and not much of a page turner either.
This novel is very much about perception, intolerance and culture, all very important themes for any society, but the way they were put together in there just didn’t resonate with me that much. I found it very on the nose, almost preachy at times. Also, there are a few happy « coincidences » that help the book move forward, I’m not always a fan of that. So yeah, three stars because it does have some good qualities but I don’t consider it a great book, and not much of a page turner either.
tiranamisu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
check_sum's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nilaffle's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this! It's a very complex and ambitious narrative that I think Leckie balanced masterfully, but I do feel another reading is in order to fully appreciate it. I know it's a good book when I've finished reading, but I still get pangs of "Aw, I wish I wasn't done," and Ancillary Justice is definitely one of those books. I also enjoy characters that make me feel one way at the start and completely differently by the end (Seivarden in this case). I'm eager for the sequel.
pvbobrien's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Classism, Violence, Xenophobia, Genocide, Addiction, and Drug abuse
Minor: Murder, Body horror, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Religious bigotry, War, and Medical content