Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

273 reviews

jamieintherain's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional reflective 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: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Drug use

kgatz's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Deportation

maximumgoblin's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism

Minor: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic

mysticseekingmoonbase's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous hopeful sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Really dragged in the middle, but stuck the landing. Beautiful world-building with roots in real-life colonial conditions.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Classism

libeau's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad slow-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Colonisation, War, Classism

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic

ashdawn's review against another edition

3.75

challenging emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Misogyny, Islamophobia, Grief, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, Pandemic/Epidemic

nadinemck5's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging inspiring reflective 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Islamophobia, Murder

lillymacantire's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional hopeful 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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I am amazed by this book. The intensive research that must have lead to its development absolutely paid off. I am in awe at the creation of the world—so honest, so gut wrenching in its implementation. The magic system, while at times confusing, is truly one of a kind. The characters were captivating, the history rich, the settings well-researched, and the story captivating. Written in an eloquent, clear prose which balanced the limited perspective of the character with the omniscience of a narrator who must speak on the larger world, the novel is an exemplar in so many ways I struggle to even put into words. Every detail in this book matters, every line feels important—something vital in a longer work. Even details I had long forgotten found there way into the intricately layered plot. This book reminded me of the power fiction can hold and serves as an inspiration for what I only hope my own writing can become. I will be reading more works by this author very, very soon. To the author: thank you, thank you, thank you a thousand times over.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Car accident

andreacharleslee's review against another edition

4.75

informative mysterious sad slow-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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Islamophobia, Death of parent, War

Minor: Death, Slavery, Violence, Murder

ksafar's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I thought the magic system in this book was very interesting and tied in well with the books messages on colonialism and the exploitation of resources and people by the British Empire. I was invested in the characters, and though I understand why we didn't I do wish we had gotten more of the POV of the other three friends! That being said it's only a 4-star read for me as I felt like the author was, at points, really beating me over the head with the point

for example, when the rest of the friends are discussing racism and exploitation with Lettie and end up having to comfort her - the author explicitly states at the end of this scene that it felt irritating that Lettie was the one that needed comfort.

It took me out of the story a little bit at times, and I wish the author would have adopted a bit more of a show don't tell mentality!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism