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A review by meadhbh
Translation State by Ann Leckie
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-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
A standalone novel in the Imperial Radch universe, Translation State follows the stories of three individuals whose stories converge in surprising ways. Enae's grandmamen has passed away, leaving hir completely alone and forced into investigating a diplomatic cold case. Reet, found abandoned as a baby, seeks comfort in the interest of a nationalist group that is not put off by his cannibalistic thoughts. Qven has been raised and trained to be a translator, but they slowly come to realise that they want something else for themselves instead.
The three characters are very different, but also similar in many ways. Each of them is alone, each of them lacks support, each of them yearns for a sense of belonging. Yes, this is a book that explores lots of big questions, like "what does it mean to be human", but it is also an exciting and tense adventure.
I read the first book in the Imperial Radch series, and I enjoyed it but felt like it took too long to pick up the pace. This book suffers from that a little too, but I found the changing narrator perspective worked really well as a plot device to keep me reading even before the plot really kicked off. I'm definitely planning to go back and read the second and third books in the series now.
I was provided with an ARC of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The three characters are very different, but also similar in many ways. Each of them is alone, each of them lacks support, each of them yearns for a sense of belonging. Yes, this is a book that explores lots of big questions, like "what does it mean to be human", but it is also an exciting and tense adventure.
I read the first book in the Imperial Radch series, and I enjoyed it but felt like it took too long to pick up the pace. This book suffers from that a little too, but I found the changing narrator perspective worked really well as a plot device to keep me reading even before the plot really kicked off. I'm definitely planning to go back and read the second and third books in the series now.
I was provided with an ARC of this book through NetGalley in return for an honest review.