62.1k reviews for:

Babel

R.F. Kuang

4.34 AVERAGE

mtd_'s review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense 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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This reads like a classic, the writing and storytelling is so expertly done and the ending while bleak felt like a realistic ending and perfectly complimented the situation if not the tone of the entire book. Might be one of the best books I've ever read. 

pansypantaloons's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

meldrethcelery's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional informative mysterious reflective tense 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

louisuhh's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jkzie's review against another edition

4.0

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4.5. This book is long. But the world building, the academic feel, and the characters are great. Oxford, magic, translation — a great setting!

ogurd's review against another edition

4.25

challenging hopeful informative 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

jon_sgf's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous sad medium-paced

rebemwal's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional 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

tomcams's review against another edition

3.0

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Read for the interesting themes: language, translation, academia. Enjoyed the cleverly thought out magic system and everything to do with language and translation was incredibly researched. A bit too YA for my liking. The ending and overall plot development was too fantasy focused and cliché, whilst the characters were often one-dimensional, but overall don’t regret reading.

libramente_reviews's review against another edition

5.0

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Non avviserò mai abbastanza: questo libro non è per tutti. Il ritmo della narrazione è molto lento, ma soprattutto è un romanzo molto crudo e violento: niente bagni di sangue, ma una rappresentazione del razzismo, e della mentalità che ci sta dietro, realistica e priva di retorica spicciola. Il fulcro di questo libro sono proprio le tematiche trattate: sono il motore della trama e caratterizzano i personaggi. Ma c’è anche tutta la componente linguistica, sulla traduzione e l’etimologia delle parole che, se da un lato poteva essere un po’ ridotta, dall’altro dà quel tocco in più al libro: mostra le contraddizioni della logica imperialista, contribuisce a creare l’atmosfera della dark academia, bilancia il marcio delle istituzioni accademiche con l’amore per le parole in qualunque forma. Io sono rimasta conquistata da Babel, nonostante qualche difetto, proprio per questi motivi.
Recensione completa✨