256:, Leckie "thoughtfully explores an agender society", namely the Radchaai. However, the Radchaai Empire imposes their cultural norms onto others "with staggering imperial arrogance". The diversity of gender and sexuality outside the Radchaai Empire "helps to highlight how jarring it can be when Radchaai characters thoughtlessly refer to everyone as “she,” regardless of their gender identities and pronouns." Eventually, Qven and Reet declare themselves to be human. This draws attention to Leckie's belief that "individuals should have indisputable rights to self-determination and legal recognition around key categories of identity ... but that these categories are very often imposed by others." In this way, Higgins found, the novel critiques contemporary issues in the United States, such as anti-trans legislation supported by politicians like
229:
social machineries". When the Athtur family matriarch dies, Enae is "nearly sixty no career, no friends, no lovers, no marital partners, no children". Despite the fact that Enae is not female, sie is coded as a "maiden aunt". The new matriarch's desire to "provide for" Enae in a socially acceptable
205:
Various interest groups debate whether to classify Reet as legally human. The
Radchaai wish to define human as narrowly as possible in order to exclude AI; this also means that they would turn Reet over to the Translators. Qven and Reet are summoned before a committee comprising different sentient
201:
Qven is a juvenile
Presger Translator. As part of their life cycle, Translator offspring are supposed to “match”, a process by which they will completely merge with another individual. It is originally planned for Qven to merge into Translator Dlar, but Qven is attacked by another juvenile and the
193:
with no information about his biological family. He suffers from persistent desires to vivisect other humans. Reet learns that he could be a member of the royal Schan family, the former rulers of
Lovehate Station. The station was populated by members of the Hikipi ethnic group. Many Hikipi believe
188:
After hir grandmother dies, Enae Athtur is forced to leave the family home. Sie is assigned to track down a
Presger Translator who disappeared in human territory 200 years ago. When sie arrives at Rurusk Station, a local man named Reet Hluid is assigned to be hir liaison. Reet is a mechanic and an
237:
writes that one of the hallmarks of Leckie's work is "that small details (like a character’s obsession with trashy adventure serials) can ultimately shape and influence the largest possible events (such as the fall of an empire)". For example, Reet and Qven first bond by watching "a trashy pulp
27:
313:, Russell Letson praised the novel, calling it "a story about nature, identity, role – the need to belong – and pathological versions of that need: to invent an identity or place in the world, and to deny or control roles and identities of others". In another review for
173:
species. Presgers use
Translators as intermediaries to communicate with humans. Translators can pass as human. Presgers do not view individuality in the same way that humans do; adult Translators have multiple bodies shared by a single mind. After the events of
279:(she/her), but the novel explores how language can be adapted for new purposes. Non-Radchaai characters speaking the Radchaai language often add new pronouns such as he/him, sie/hir, and e/em to their speech. While "sie/hir" and "e/em" are used to indicate
332:
called Leckie a "luminary of modern SFF", praising the novel's exploration of deep questions and its simultaneously relatable characters. Liz Bourke of Tor.com wrote that the novel is "rooted in more personal, bounded concerns" than Leckie's previous
197:
When Enae examines Reet’s DNA, sie suspects that he is not a Schan, but instead is a descendant of the missing
Translator. When Enae’s report is published, Reet is arrested by the Radchaai and sent to the Presgers’ Treaty Administration Facility.
206:
species and their ambassadors; both Reet and Qven claim to be human. The hearing is interrupted when a Hikipi protester stabs
Translator Dlar. The Hikipi also attack the station; Dlar is able to move some of the characters into a
305:
gave the novel 4.5 out of 5 stars. Hinchliff called the book "a coming-of-age novel for all who need a reminder that our ongoing quest to find where we belong doesn’t stop when we turn twenty, or thirty, or even fifty."
317:, Adrienne Martini states that Leckie "asks big questions about trauma, power, and secrets". Martini predicted that the novel would deservedly "be on most of the award slates at the end of the year". A review for
184:
declared themselves to be a sentient species and demanded a new conclave from the
Presger. This conclave will allow the renegotiation of the Presgers’ relationships with all sentient species, including humans.
362:
Presger
Translators do not have gender, considering this to be a "human thing". Later in the novel, when Qven appears before the committee and asks to be considered as human, Qven's pronouns are e / em /
268:
The story is told from the perspective of three point of view characters: Enae, Reet, and Qven. Enae's and Reet's chapters are narrated in third person. Qven's chapters are narrated in first person.
242:". This sparks Qven's desire to be known by e/em pronouns, and eventually to declare emself to be human and have that identity recognized by the committee. Higgins also writes that
493:
583:
283:, "they/them" pronouns are used to indicate genderless identities. In one scene, a Presger Translator states that "gender is something humans have".
202:
plan is scrapped. Qven is then told that they will match with Reet. Qven and Reet become friends, but both desire to maintain their individuality.
299:
also gave the novel a starred review, praising Leckie's "humane, emotionally intelligent, and deeply perceptive writing ". Isabel
Hinchliff of
388:
213:
Reet and Qven disable the attacking Hikipi ship. They decide to merge into a single entity spread across two bodies. Enae returns home.
441:
616:
560:
413:
111:
337:
trilogy, and that the "intimate, personal stakes ... give it even more power and force than its predecessors."
611:
194:
that the Presger are a hoax created by the Radchaai to maintain their cultural supremacy over human groups.
515:
467:
621:
295:
called the novel "another of Leckie’s beautiful mergings of the political, philosophical, and personal".
494:"And Something More, Something That Is Lost in Translation: Review of Translation State by Ann Leckie"
158:
301:
275:, "language is an important backdrop for the novel". The Radchaai language has only one gendered
181:
384:
584:"Ann Leckie's Translation State Is a Fascinating Space Opera with Intensely Personal Stakes"
210:. Qven and Reet rescue everyone; as a result, the committee declares that they are human.
8:
150:
252:
246:"represents an extraordinary leap forward in Leckie’s approach to representations of
144:
106:
280:
207:
537:
247:
176:
135:
605:
257:
226:
169:
The Presger are a dangerous alien race; nevertheless, they respect other
81:
321:
called the novel "daring" and "thoughtful", stating that novels such as
139:
37:
468:"A Symphony of Language and Identity: Ann Leckie's Translation State"
442:"Your Genes Aren't Your Destiny: On Ann Leckie's "Translation State""
26:
190:
170:
276:
291:
The novel has received critical acclaim. In a starred review,
561:"Adrienne Martini Reviews Translation State by Ann Leckie"
414:"Russell Letson Reviews Translation State by Ann Leckie"
465:
603:
558:
491:
439:
353:Enae's personal pronouns are sie / hir / hirself
411:
387:. World Science Fiction Society. 2024-03-29.
581:
487:
485:
25:
230:way leads to the beginning of hir quest.
407:
405:
250:". In her initial novels beginning with
142:. It is set in the same universe as her
16:2023 science fiction novel by Ann Leckie
552:
482:
461:
459:
604:
435:
433:
431:
325:are performing "vital cultural work".
508:
402:
377:
157:The novel was nominated for the 2024
456:
225:, the novel opens with "a dollop of
575:
428:
13:
14:
633:
530:
466:Alana Joli Abbott (15 Jun 2023).
617:LGBTQ speculative fiction novels
559:Adrienne Martini (30 May 2023).
540:. Publishers Weekly. 10 Mar 2023
492:Isabel Hinchliff (28 Apr 2023).
440:David M. Higgins (28 Jun 2023).
240:Pirate Exiles of the Death Moons
391:from the original on 2024-03-29
216:
412:Russell Letson (29 Jun 2023).
356:
347:
1:
518:. Kirkus Reviews. 13 Mar 2023
444:. Los Angeles Review of Books
370:
286:
7:
319:Los Angeles Review of Books
235:Los Angeles Review of Books
10:
638:
582:Liz Bourke (13 Jun 2023).
221:According to a review for
496:. Berkeley Fiction Review
159:Hugo Award for Best Novel
117:
105:
97:
87:
77:
69:
59:
51:
43:
33:
24:
340:
263:
238:adventure series called
233:David M. Higgins of the
182:artificial intelligences
302:Berkeley Fiction Review
273:Berkeley Fiction Review
164:
148:trilogy and her novel
612:Books about adoption
538:"Translation State"
516:"Translation State"
21:
622:Space opera novels
385:"2024 Hugo Awards"
20:Translation State
19:
323:Translation State
297:Publishers Weekly
281:nonbinary genders
271:According to the
253:Ancillary Justice
244:Translation State
131:Translation State
127:
126:
629:
596:
595:
593:
591:
579:
573:
572:
570:
568:
556:
550:
549:
547:
545:
534:
528:
527:
525:
523:
512:
506:
505:
503:
501:
489:
480:
479:
477:
475:
463:
454:
453:
451:
449:
437:
426:
425:
423:
421:
409:
400:
399:
397:
396:
381:
364:
360:
354:
351:
309:In a review for
208:pocket dimension
122:Provenance
118:Preceded by
89:Publication date
29:
22:
18:
637:
636:
632:
631:
630:
628:
627:
626:
602:
601:
600:
599:
589:
587:
580:
576:
566:
564:
557:
553:
543:
541:
536:
535:
531:
521:
519:
514:
513:
509:
499:
497:
490:
483:
473:
471:
464:
457:
447:
445:
438:
429:
419:
417:
410:
403:
394:
392:
383:
382:
378:
373:
368:
367:
361:
357:
352:
348:
343:
289:
266:
248:gender identity
219:
177:Ancillary Mercy
167:
136:science fiction
101:432 (hardcover)
90:
73:Science Fiction
62:
17:
12:
11:
5:
635:
625:
624:
619:
614:
598:
597:
574:
551:
529:
507:
481:
455:
427:
401:
375:
374:
372:
369:
366:
365:
355:
345:
344:
342:
339:
335:Imperial Radch
330:Paste Magazine
293:Kirkus Reviews
288:
285:
265:
262:
218:
215:
166:
163:
145:Imperial Radch
125:
124:
119:
115:
114:
109:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
91:
88:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
71:
67:
66:
63:
61:Release number
60:
57:
56:
55:Imperial Radch
53:
49:
48:
45:
41:
40:
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
634:
623:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
609:
607:
585:
578:
562:
555:
539:
533:
517:
511:
495:
488:
486:
469:
462:
460:
443:
436:
434:
432:
415:
408:
406:
390:
386:
380:
376:
359:
350:
346:
338:
336:
331:
328:A review for
326:
324:
320:
316:
312:
307:
304:
303:
298:
294:
284:
282:
278:
274:
269:
261:
259:
255:
254:
249:
245:
241:
236:
231:
228:
224:
214:
211:
209:
203:
199:
195:
192:
186:
183:
179:
178:
172:
162:
160:
155:
153:
152:
147:
146:
141:
137:
133:
132:
123:
120:
116:
113:
112:9780316289719
110:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
86:
83:
80:
76:
72:
68:
64:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
39:
36:
32:
28:
23:
588:. Retrieved
577:
565:. Retrieved
554:
542:. Retrieved
532:
520:. Retrieved
510:
498:. Retrieved
472:. Retrieved
446:. Retrieved
418:. Retrieved
393:. Retrieved
379:
358:
349:
334:
329:
327:
322:
318:
314:
310:
308:
300:
296:
292:
290:
272:
270:
267:
258:Ron DeSantis
251:
243:
239:
234:
232:
222:
220:
217:Major themes
212:
204:
200:
196:
187:
175:
168:
156:
149:
143:
130:
129:
128:
121:
82:Orbit Books
606:Categories
395:2024-03-29
371:References
151:Provenance
140:Ann Leckie
134:is a 2023
93:6 Jun 2023
38:Ann Leckie
586:. Tor.com
287:Reception
227:Austenian
138:novel by
78:Publisher
389:Archived
171:sentient
44:Language
563:. Locus
470:. Paste
416:. Locus
363:emself.
277:pronoun
191:adoptee
47:English
52:Series
34:Author
590:6 Nov
567:6 Nov
544:6 Nov
522:6 Nov
500:6 Nov
474:6 Nov
448:6 Nov
420:6 Nov
341:Notes
315:Locus
311:Locus
264:Style
223:Locus
98:Pages
70:Genre
592:2023
569:2023
546:2023
524:2023
502:2023
476:2023
450:2023
422:2023
165:Plot
107:ISBN
608::
484:^
458:^
430:^
404:^
260:.
180:,
161:.
154:.
594:.
571:.
548:.
526:.
504:.
478:.
452:.
424:.
398:.
65:5
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
