AUTHOR: Ann Leckie
Set in the universe of Leckie's Ancillary/Radch books, which I loved, this is a standalone novel that explores identity issues while also exploring the nature of the alien Presger aliens, specifically the Presger Translators. Told in three alternating POVs, the main characters come to life, and despite their differences, they each want to be their authentic selves.
Enae, on her own for the first time since her grandmother's death, takes on a diplomatic job and is tasked with finding a fugitive missing for two centuries. Reet, a mechanic adopted as a baby by a human couple, longs to find any info about his birth parents, discovers more than he bargained for. And Qven, the only one of the three who has a first person pov in their chapters, is a rebellious would-be Presger Translator who wants a different life than the one they were created for. It's no surprise that these three characters cross each other's path, leading to a confrontation that puts the treaty between the Presger and humans at risk.
The story is fairly basic, especially when compared to the Imperial Radch trilogy. But the usage of a wide variety of personal pronouns, along with a discourse on what it means to be human, as well as three likable protagonists, elevates the story. I hope Leckie continues to write in this universe.
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