A review by mauricekofi
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

adventurous challenging mysterious 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

Leckie has absolutely blown me away. It is safe to say that this is one of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time, and one of the best I've read this year (don't worry, Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy still takes top). Truly though, Leckie masterfully writes a story that exposes the fallacies inherit to law and order, war, and the assumptions of "superior" societies. From beginning to end, she lays out the contradictions obvious to everyone except the Radchaai, but contains it all within a character whose lack of humanity in the eyes of those around her make her the most human of all.

Leckie, in my opinion, is at the level of those such as Frank Herbert and N.K. Jemisin, using sci-fi to communicate elements of the human condition that we often ignore, with the implications of how they shape or societies and define our decisions. Ann Leckie deserves the accolades she has received. My only regret is that it took me so long to pick up this book, despite having heard about it years ago.

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