Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

154 reviews

broken_biscuits's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional informative tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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As a political thought piece, great. As an actual story, a little rough. While the magic system was *so* cool, I was a little disappointed in the character writing. Still felt like a worthy and important read. I feel like it did a lot of telling the reader how to feel about things, which kind of took me out of the experience, even though I agreed with what I was "supposed to feel." I didn't feel hardly any connection to the characters, since they felt like they were created to make a point. Especially the main character. Victoire and Ramy were the most real to me, but they still kinda felt like plot devices. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

celery's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation

leonkaspar's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional funny informative inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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The way Kuang manages to use symbols and fantasy to recreate the structural issues of our world is mesmerising. 
I love the way the footnotes are embedded into the story and how they highlight the necessary passages with a poignant and scarcastic undertone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

aralynn26's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book was fascinating, enlightening, and emotional. I loved the school setting and the lectures about translation. The magic system with the silver bars was very unique. This book dealt with a lot of serious topics and it was very thought-provoking. The ending was quite sad and violent. I wish that it had ended a different way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Classism

em_of_swags's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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wow this book destroyed me ok.

what a powerhouse of a read, a love letter to languages, translation and research, while simultaneously criticizing so in depth the way academia is linked with privilege and imperialism. much to think about.

but also there's a huge list of trigger warnings so don't disregard those.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Suicide, Islamophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War

kcwestfall's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This is probably one of my favorite books I have ever read. I also don't know when I'll be able to handle reading it again. I know I want to but I am devastated. You should read this book, it is incredible. R. F. Kuang's world building never ceases to amaze. Equally so her ability to let you live and breathe in the world and really make you feel like you understand it moments before she pulls the rug out from under you. I am equal parts in mourning and in love.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Genocide, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism

legendarycai's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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the writing and content was phenomenal. there were so many paged i tabbed and quotes that moved me. it touches so many important topics and i loved how i really felt like i was learning more about languages and people and history. the pacing was NOT it for me. i was asleep half the time when reading, but the writing was so good....i had to keep reading. also maybe i should research content warnings before i read bc.... LOL THE ENDING. anyway content warnings are so mid...i like a surprise.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Classism

finn_1312's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Hate crime, Slavery, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, War, Injury/Injury detail

blayrrison's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting

yzer2468's review against another edition

5.0

dark informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Colonisation, Classism, Deportation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Blood, Toxic friendship, War

Minor: Genocide, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Religious bigotry, Gaslighting