AND SINGS THE TUNE WITHOUT THE WORDS AND NEVER STOPS AT ALL.

On May 8th, I offered to read the first five books people recced - assuming they were available (preferably from the library) - and I'd give a short review [https://bethbethbeth.dreamwidth.org/701769.html].

This is the third recced book review

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (recced by coffeejunkii on bluesky)

After a bit of a hiatus, I'm back to the Recced Book Reviews. A Memory Called Empire has actually been on my TBR list for a long time, and I'm glad I had this push to read it.

Martine's SF novel is a very good blend of political intrigue and relationship building, focused on Mahit Dzmare, a "stationer" (someone raised on a space station) who's been sent a bit precipitously to serve as the new ambassador to Teixcalaan, the main city/planet of a huge Empire.

Mahit arrives on Teixcalaan already knowing a great deal about the Empire's literature, history, politics, and language, but as most of us understand, studying a culture and truly knowing a culture are two very different things.

Anyway! Good world building and good character creation, but despite that, it took me a weirdly long time to get properly started considering I ended up liking the book so much.

I look forward to reading the next in the series (A Desolation Called Peace, 2021).

The other day, I offered to read the first five books people recced - assuming they were available (preferably from the library) - and I'd give a short review [https://bethbethbeth.dreamwidth.org/701769.html].

This is the first review - The Years by Annie Ernaux (recced by hopeinthenight on bluesky)

The Years is one of the most interesting & poetic memoirs I've read. Told in references to photos, the march of progress, family gatherings & catch phrases, this isn't just a memoir about one person, but also a memoir of a place (France) and a time (post-1940). The way The Woman sees her changing world resonated with me in a way it might not have done if I hadn't already shared so many of those experiences. I might have loved this book in my 20s, but it would have been a different sort of love

Note 1: Having spent little time in France, much of this book felt slightly alien to me, even some of the most quotidian elements (this was a feature, not a bug)

Note 2: I haven't been as conscious of reading all the words in a book for fear of missing something in a long time.

Note 3: When I finish the first 5 reviews, I'll carry on, but probably not until June.