I'm sad that this trilogy is over. I'll miss Breq, of course, but also Seivarden, all the Kalrs, Lieutenant Tisarwat, and even the hilarious Presger translator. Seivarden's my favorite, but the translator definitely gives her a run for her money. 
 This trilogy was ... not what I expected it was going to be. I expected a hard sci-fi space opera type series, but somehow this trilogy encompasses the Very Large (empires and characters that are thousands of years old! Sentient AI's and questions of self-determination! Space travel across immense distances that require months or even years of transit!) and the Very Small and Intimate (tea. etiquette. cuddling. love.) at the same time. It's a wonderful achievement. 
 This was a solid 4 star trilogy the entire way through, but I wonder if my preconceived notions of what this "should" be affected that last star. I plan on buying this series at some point, and I bet that when I re-read it, I'll enjoy it even more. 
 2016 reading challenge: a trilogy (3/3)