Translation State - Ann Leckie

 



Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this arc

Did I request this book because there is "translation" in the title and I happen to be a translator? Yes. Was I surprised by the kind of translators that are represented in this book. Also yes. Did I understand everything about these translators? ...No. Did it hinder my enjoyment of the book? Also no.

Translation State happens in the same world of the Imperial Radch series but I think you can read it separetely (or maybe that explains why I didn't understand everything, I don't know). I'm more inclined to think that the author just chooses to not explain everything, because it is a very vast world and some characters were also ignorant of elements that had left me confused.

It is a queernorm setting! There are a lot of characters who use neopronouns like sie/hir, e/em. There was still some queerphobia, when at the end of the book, some people call Reet "she", which puzzled me because he was always referred as a "he", and the I realized that he must be a trans man, but it is never said! I found very interesting that, while he corrected the person, no one made a very big deal about it and it could have been just a detail in the whole story.
This book made me wonder if there would be so many people who wouldn't use she/he pronouns in a queernorm world.

I was very attached to the three main characters, especially when they all met. Reet felt like a totally different person when he was with Qven, but it made sense, and I loved that. I hope Enae will be able to have friends, maybe even Reet's parents, after all they endured together?

The political aspect was fascinating and made me want to read the author's other books!

A very good book indeed!

Rep: queernorm setting, queer cast, different species (not only human) 
TW: racism, (mention of) genocide, murder, dissection, rape, blood

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