The story follows Mahit Dzmare, an ambassador from the small, independent mining station Lsel to the vast Teixcalaanli Empire, a civilization obsessed with poetry, protocol, and imperial expansion. When her predecessor dies under suspicious circumstances, Mahit must navigate a labyrinth of court politics with only an outdated neural implant of his memories—a fragile “imago” that glitches at critical moments.
As Mahit investigates the murder with the help of Three Seagrass, her charming but enigmatic cultural liaison, she uncovers a conspiracy that threatens both Lsel and Teixcalaan itself. Martine—a Byzantine historian—infuses the empire with Mesoamerican and Byzantine influences, exploring themes of colonialism, linguistic assimilation, and the cost of cultural erasure.
For fans of: Ancillary Justice (Leckie), The Left Hand of Darkness (Le Guin), or The Traitor Baru Cormorant (Dickinson).
