I was feeling like such a bad sci-fi fan for not being able to progress on it for some time - but seeing how happily I consumed the second half once my brain started feeling better rested, it was just a case of not being able to read that level of prose in the state of mind I was in. Er, not that anyone needs to feel like a bad fan of a genre if they have problems with a particular book - nobody's writing style is for everyone. But it was most certainly worth the effort, so I'm glad I kept renewing the library loan until it was the right time to finish it! I'll definitely have to give it a reread.

And the Radch books - so much love! I adore them so much, no wonder so many people have been praising them for years!