Reviews

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

leyendoconandrea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad tense slow-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

4.75

lookmairead's review against another edition

5.0

For fans of the Founders Trilogy and Vita Nostra (and I would also argue Donna Tartt)- R. F. Kuang came ready to earn unique placement in your reading history.

Read when:

- You want solid world building but make it stunning AND nerdy.
- When you want test the emotional resistance of your heart (and love for fictional characters).
- You want to have a heated debate in your next book club session.

Everything I‘m reading says this is a standalone book but I wish R. F. Kuang reconsiders. That ending gave me some hope.

4.5/5 (only because I’m unsure I can put my heart through a reread.)

bexsters's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense slow-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

jekyll's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

marciapc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

notebooksandlaptops's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

5.0

roosturcksin's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.25

katriiinaa's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious 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

5.0

galilacia's review against another edition

5.0

I was looking forward to this all year.

I wish I had the writing skill to write a review this book deserves, because - holy shit, this was such a captivating read. I can't remember the last time I finished a book so quickly (okay, I do remember, it was The Poppy War trilogy).

The writing is truly superb, there is no better way to say it. The plot, the characters, the commentary - all so meticulously written, so much thought put into every detail.
The main character, Robin Swift, is surely one of the best protagonists I have ever read.
All the characters, him and his cohort, are so human and wonderful, flawed but relatable, confused but tenacious and persevering. Amazingly construed dialogues - you could see the characters growing and learning. Their contrasting stances were so well portrayed, their differences ingrained in them, their kinship drawing them in like a black hole - their future and past inevitable yet volatile and unfixed.

The commentary on British colonialism and imperialism, capitalism, racism, slavery, and workers' rights wonderfully permeated the text and made me want to read more on those topics. I adored the footnotes and read additionally about everything. I will surely be reading this again very soon, I can feel it's one of those books that gets better each time.

The ending broke my soul even though I knew it could end no other way. I should've expected it, Kuang is nothing if not ruthlessly real to her characters.

It was such a pleasure to read something so well written.

I can't wait to see what R. F. Kuang does next.

khorswe's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0