I was finally able to really start this, something I’d been struggling with because of the names and information it throws at you, but that proved to be the hard part, because once I did, it was a really well-paced and clever read.
I don’t want to give too much away, not because the story relies on twists and reveals, it’s one of those books where it’s just plain enjoyable to discover everything in its time and place. It is technically a whodunnit but it unfolds into so much more.
As the book starts, a new ambassador from a far off station, one not yet under the control of the Teixcalaan empire, is being picked up to be taken to the capital. Mahit is a super likable and relatable character, smart and with a sense of humor and an extreme self awareness that acknowledges how much she longs to be a Teixcalaan citizen while also finding that rather pathetic. It’s a very clear-eyed look at the concept of Empire, what it takes to keep peace, what is “peace”, for who, but as any good book of this length would have to be, it’s very character-centric.
I mentioned the pacing earlier and it really does seem to flow from one event to the next, no real downtime. It’s not predictable but its main focus isn’t to shock you. I very much liked it both for its intelligence and for its compassion.
There is a minor-ish f/f subplot, which I didn’t actually need, and this is the first of a series, so there aren’t endings, but I liked it simply for having two women focused on enough to have it.
This time I only have one copy to give away (I’m just not rich enough to give away two copies of everything I like, lol), but as always, if you don’t win and can’t afford or don’t want to buy it, you can still help support authors by requesting it from your library, checking it out, and leaving reviews on Amazon.
