Translation State

As one would expect from an Ann Leckie book, the writing is exceptional, but this book is sort of a let-down from the trilogy that spawned it. It’s more rom-com than space opera.

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What I liked: I liked that the story allows us a closer look at one of the more mysterious species we were introduced to in the Ancillary Justice trilogy. The maturation process of the Presger is fascinating and very well imagined.

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Too, even though this book stands alone, I like how the author connects it with the others. I was already familiar with a few of the minor characters and situations that were referred to. Cool.

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The funny thing about having a name is that you begin to think of yourself as a solid thing that continues to exist, instead of just a stream of experiences.

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What I didn’t like: the cumbersome pronouns! In the trilogy, because it’s told from the Radchaai perspective, everyone is referred to with female pronouns. But in this one, the pronouns used depend on who is speaking. For much of the book the pronouns tripped me up - they’re very unwieldy.

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If he messaged them, Nana would say what e had to say there, where Reet couldn’t hear em, and Mom and Maman would reprove em and maybe (e had apologized last time and even behaved better afterward) maybe e would listen, and control eir tongue when e did finally get to speak to Reet.

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Passages like that one made me bark out profanities because it deeply upset my reading rhythm. Worse, the main character, a woman, was referred to as Mx. Athtur. How am I supposed to pronounce that? Mix? Hard pass.

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She gets points for trying to create new conventions, but the clunky pronouns just don’t work. And they don’t work because we are not told there if this is a third gender, or a rebranding of the old pronouns or what.

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As much as I love the clean and clear writing of Ms Leckie, and appreciate how deftly she was able to sew up this story with so many characters involved, I wouldn’t recommend this book.

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