Reviews

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

theamazingfencer's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I love the complexity of the world but I don't care much about the characters. So overall I find the book interesting but missing the core punch that the book could have had. 

tinyautomaton's review against another edition

5.0

"Nothing the empire touches remains itself."

What an exquisite book, on the simultaneously seductive and cruelly grotesque nature of empire. A lesson in craft in and of itself.

More review to come later.

cowboyd's review against another edition

4.0

i mean…everyone knows this book is great. but this book is great.
love the focus on poetry and language, it’s a really interesting and unique perspective through which to delve into a timeless and topical theme.
love mahit and especially love her extremely complicated relationship with yskander…also just love the whole concept of imagos and everything that led to….love fully thought out fascinating sci fi worlds!!!
at times it lost me a bit bc the characters often arrive at conclusions before i do and then don’t explain themselves so for a lot of the conversations i was like uh….okay i’ll figure it out eventually…

vulpinereads's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.0

lorrainek's review

adventurous mysterious slow-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? No

4.0

taravangian__'s review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

mscherer's review against another edition

adventurous medium-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

3.5

mullemit's review against another edition

4.75

Ever since I watched The 100, I have wanted to read (or possibly write) sci-fi with the passing-down-experience-through-basically-reincarnation element of that serie’s Heda concept and this serie’s imago-lines - and this completely scratched that itch!! 
A bit too many action packed scenes for my liking, but all of the existential angst was golden. And the way it puts words to Mahit’s complicated relationship to a colonizing power, beautiful.
I’d call it humanistic sci-fi, the way it incorporates language and poetry - and  I loved it 

sharpiemyshoe's review against another edition

challenging informative mysterious reflective 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

4.25

anneb42's review against another edition

3.0

It wasn’t exactly what I wanted, but I don’t think that’s the book’s fault. About 3/4 of the way in I got much more invested, but I might not pick up the next book for a while.