A Memory Called Empire Review

This science-fiction debut brings a fresh take to the genre

Arkady Martine’s A Memory Called Empire follows the experience of a foreign ambassador named Mahit Dzmare, fulfilling her diplomatic duties for Lsel Station.

If this doesn’t sound like the introduction to a fast-paced interstellar adventure, it’s probably worth noting that the status of her predecessor is unknown when an urgent missive arrives demanding a new ambassador be sent to the mighty Teixcalaanli Empire.

Mahit’s priority is to establish what became of Yskander Aghavn, the former Lsel ambassador who was notoriously reticent about his activities. But what unfolds is not only a harrowing tale of interstellar political maneuvering but a fascinating look at the development of language and culture.

This was the city, then, the Jewel of the World, the heart of the Empire: a collapse between narrative and perception.

Mahit is regarded as a barbarian within the City, drawing attention and curiosity even if she would prefer to operate clandestinely. And she must work to ensure the independence of Lsel Station while housed within an expansionist Empire, who absorbs other cultures without ever seeing their value.

I wouldn't want you to feel like a barbarian. You’ll get enough of that from them.

Through details like poetry, food, and architecture, Teixcalaanli is brought to life through the eyes of a foreigner who is called to reflect on the virtues of her own culture and the privileges Teixcalaanlitzlim take for granted. Martine’s experience as a Byzantine historian shines through in this novel, as she reflects on how a sweeping empire impacts those surrounding them. Mahit is as enamored with Teixcalaan as she is intimidated by it. She is proud of her home and resentful that she will never be considered Teixcalaanli at the same time.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the world-building is the exploration of language. The back of the book boasts a pronunciation guide so readers can understand the differences between Teixcalaanli and Stationer language. And Mahit provides clarity on the ways that words within Teixcalaanli often have deeper symbolic meanings. This can play not only into how they name their people but how they craft political narratives.

The word for “world” and the word for “The City” were the same. As was the word for “empire”.

A Memory Called Empire is a love language all its own. It brings a fresh perspective to the science-fiction genre, exploring a futuristic human society through the lens of language and culture rather than simply technology. Lessons learned from empires of the human past still inform our distant future. Fans of science fiction will appreciate the new perspective this brings to the genre.

And at its heart, this is still more than a narrative on expansionism and the formation of culture. The plot is gripping and perfectly suited for readers looking for a fast-paced adventure. The stakes will rise even higher when Mahit discovers that Teixcalaanli is suffering from its own internal turmoil in the form of a succession crisis. And to truly unlock the mystery of her predecessor’s past, she will have to unravel his role in this crisis before his mistakes spell her own downfall.