A Memory Called Empire

When "the world" means "empire," where can an outsider belong?

Arkady Martine's speculative fiction about the political intrigue of Teixcalaan, an interplanetary empire, rings true to experiences of power, stories, and belonging today. Mahit Dzmare is navigating an unfamiliar place and figuring out who she is now that she has the memories of her predecessor implanted in her body. This book vividly embodies her experiences: the primal fear of a brandished weapon's destructivity, the unlikely competence adrenaline bestows, the rush of wanting that flows from feelings of love. Love of language and literature pervades the text. Political poetry precludes betrayal, assonance inspires action in the streets, and the barriers between "citizen" and "barbarian" manifest in every domain of life. Though Mahit quickly realizes that living through interesting times requires different aptitudes than studying the classical literature they generate.