Library Read // A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

When I went to pick up the physical copy of the library card I'd signed up for online, after my sister signed up in person and found herself amassing books for checkout, I went to GoodReads eager to borrow a book for the sake of abusing the library. Among the books in my electronic TBR that appealed in that moment and were also available in situ, I borrowed Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire. Looking at the person and place names, "Teixcalaani," "Mahit," "Dzmare," I first imagined (to some extent still do) the world-build as inspired by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. Whether or not that's the case, with the author's academic background is Byzantium, there one might assume influence.

Soon into my read I was hooked. Reading as of late has felt like a chore, so finding myself enthusiastic and eager to read was a pleasure. The characters were likeable and read natural. Even in scenarios were character actions were annoying, they were sensible. Characters' circumstances dictated how they negotiated their world and that was clearly the point. Everything I read was great, for the most part. But there were some things that maybe had me purse my lips in temporary reinstatement of disbelief.

The trope of, what I'll call, reverse real-world oppression is so tired. In reality, whiteness is the standard against which ethnic discrimination plays out. So when I, as a Black woman, read the reverse play out in fantasy? It's a bit weird. The all-consuming empire of brown-skinned warmongers (in this case short) who no doubt have their merits (here, artistic) but are conniving nonetheless is a trope I grow tired of. Whether it plays out in an expanding empire or a turbulent and politically dynamic one, the fragile white (pale) minority as a vehicle will never not raise an eyebrow. Because fantasy notwithstanding, what is the purpose? That dynamic reads to readers who live in the reverse, so what is its employment meant to say?  

The second issue I had was with background subplots and their mechanics. This being the first book in a series, maybe those subplots come back to play in the sequel. However, with the way this first book ended, that seems like a stretch. What was the point of questioning the city's AI? Or it's golden armed force and their possible hive mind? We jump from supposition of sabotage of the AI to understanding it confirmed and fingering a likely mastermind. The general approach to imagined complots revealing themselves as true in general is not something I mind, but the path we took as readers to get to that point wasn't clear to me as I read. Still, that was something I became aware of again as I finished the book, so did it even really matter to me?

Even with these issues I had with the story, I enjoyed the book so much, I can't see myself not giving it 5 stars. So that's what it's getting. I did pick up the next book in the Teixcalaan series, A Desolation Called Peace, at a subsequent library visit. So, primed as I am to continue the story, here's to the next one!