Reviews tagging 'Violence'

Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang

1096 reviews

jadeleonardo's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was so good!! The beginning is definitely slow, but I thought the pacing of the book worked well for this particular story. 

the pacing was a reflection of Robin seeing his life in London and mundane and ordinary. The pacing begins to pickup after he kills his father; the point at which there could be no return to the life he lived before becoming aware of what the silver trade really entailed.

I will say, there were several things that were quite obvious, but again, it worked for the story. And there was enough tension to keep you thinking that MAYBE those things wouldn’t happen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Sexism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Slavery, and Classism

Minor: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and War

lizzie24601's review against another edition

challenging informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Suicide, Torture, Violence, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Grief, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bengibbreid's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A beautiful journey of a book. Hit me extremely hard, whilst also being immersive and fascinating at every turn. I highly commend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Colonisation, and Classism

miss_maq's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

One of the best books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism

ford_defect's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Trafficking, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment

Minor: Islamophobia, Deportation, and Pandemic/Epidemic

gakatw's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I see why people dislike this book — if you’re a fan of intricately specific magic systems that make consistent sense logically, this book isn’t for you. However, this wasn’t the focus of the book, and I found this read extremely emotionally impactful and I’m reeling. I loved it. It explored concepts that are truly intriguing and so incredibly important. The moral rifts weren’t as black-and-white as I expected them to be. I was so very invested.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

justagirlwithbooks's review against another edition

4.0

 “That's just what translation is, I think. That's all speaking is. Listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they're trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone else understands.”

Wow. I have a lot to say about this book. 

I thought that this book was good. The first half was a bit slow, and the second half felt really fast. Everything was happening all at once, and it was a lot to take in. The audiobook was also long, and this book took me a while to finish. But once I did, oh my gosh. 

I really liked how this was 'historical fiction adjacent', and the fantasy element wasn't a lot, but it was interwoven nicely. The whole discussion and introspection about colonialism and how it's affected countries all around the world was also really well done. I did feel like at times, it was a bit more telling rather than showing, and also some parts did feel like listening to an academic textbook, which was probably why it was feeling slow. But it did put me in the mood for going back to university. 

Something that really, genuinely surprised me was the representation in this novel. This is the first book that I've read by a non-Muslim author that actually features a good Muslim character. Rami/Ramy was my favorite character.

So when Letty shot him, I was shocked, and confused, and I also felt betrayed. The way that R.F. Kuang wrote that scene and Letty's scenes were really well done. But why, why, why did you have to kill off the actually good Indian Muslim character??? Also, I was not expecting Robin to murder Lovell like that- Lovell was really getting on my nerves in that scene, but I was shocked that Robin actually killed him.

And about the ending...

I think that was also well done. Robin's death was self-sacrificing and I feel like that is what (unfortunately) symbolizes colonialism in a way. The people that were part of that system for so long just don't know what they can do to stop this.

As you can tell, I liked this book better than Yellowface. 

With all that being said, this was a solid book, and I can't wait to pick up The Poppy War trilogy and see what happens there. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, and Suicide

mice_are_nice's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Colonisation

Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Slavery, Torture, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic

laguerrelewis's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

R. F. Kuang, you have such a way with words. Ba Dum Tss.

But in all honesty, this is a masterpiece. It is absurd that it works so well on so many levels—but in 2024, it’s anti-colonial call to arms rings the most topical. I was utterly enthralled by this book, and I am glad it is as popular as it is—though I won’t rest until there’s a copy on every shelf!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism and Self harm

findleydunn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Death of parent