A review by phoenix_7
Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie
5.0
I'm tempted to copy/pasta my friend Brittany Steff's review, because she has expressed my feels about this story so much better than I can at the moment. It's an original concept executed so deftly, skillfully...agh, I can't stand it.
One specific skill that I couldn't get over after I noticed it is Leckie's gift for subtlety. Example that I hope makes sense out of context:
~~~
"I took the tea flask, turned from the counter, went over to where Lieutenant Dariet stood, and poured eleven milliliters of tea into the nearly full bowl she held.
"You like Lieutenant Awn, of course," said Lieutenant Issaaia. "We all do. But she doesn't have breeding... I would hardly be surprised if 5 years was all she could take without cracking." She looked at the empty bowl in her gloved hand. "I need more tea."
~~~
The text never says outright that the narrator (tea-filler) has opinions about these two, instead letting that [petty af] tea move do the talking. I LOVE IT. Subtlety.
When folxs recommend that a writer show "show, not tell" (ugh, a recommendation that never makes sense when you're on the receiving end) THIS is what they mean. Also wonder if this is the biggest difference between YA and 'general' fiction
One specific skill that I couldn't get over after I noticed it is Leckie's gift for subtlety. Example that I hope makes sense out of context:
~~~
"I took the tea flask, turned from the counter, went over to where Lieutenant Dariet stood, and poured eleven milliliters of tea into the nearly full bowl she held.
"You like Lieutenant Awn, of course," said Lieutenant Issaaia. "We all do. But she doesn't have breeding... I would hardly be surprised if 5 years was all she could take without cracking." She looked at the empty bowl in her gloved hand. "I need more tea."
~~~
The text never says outright that the narrator (tea-filler) has opinions about these two, instead letting that [petty af] tea move do the talking. I LOVE IT. Subtlety.
When folxs recommend that a writer show "show, not tell" (ugh, a recommendation that never makes sense when you're on the receiving end) THIS is what they mean. Also wonder if this is the biggest difference between YA and 'general' fiction