Reviews tagging 'Racism'

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

1663 reviews

laurawho's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Colonisation, Police brutality, Suicide, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Murder, Racial slurs, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexism, War, Child abuse, and Misogyny

Minor: Slavery and Drug use

invertedsquares's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Racism, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

chelseaisreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

It is rare to read a book and just be in sheer awe of the author’s brilliance, but Babel is one such book. The intricate layers of history, language study, and colonial critique packed into this story following these four academics is nothing short of extraordinary. I find reading this book is timely, but realize that’s the point—these power struggles and structures are at the heart of most conflict we see throughout the modern world. Can you love something knowing what it is built upon? Can we make a difference? Is there a point in trying? In trying to translate that which can’t be described exactly in another language?
This one has me full of tears and thoughts.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, Death, Murder, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Xenophobia

Minor: War

bronzel's review against another edition

Too slow for me, I tried very hard to engage but it just wasn’t doing it for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Racism, Child abuse, and Racial slurs

akalahasti24's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

this is easily one of the best books i’ve ever read and brought me back into a love for fiction. maybe a little too reflective of the current moment but a captivating story on the role of academic institutions in upholding colonialist norms within themselves, and empire around the world, with a focus on language as a commodity. will be thinking about this one for a long time to come

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation and Racism

Minor: Drug use and War

oceanelle's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

Absolutely fucking brilliant. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Suicide, Classism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, and Physical abuse

nicoles_reading_corner's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, and Violence

Moderate: Slavery, Violence, War, Racial slurs, and Death of parent

isaaceelliot's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, War, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Gun violence, Racism, Sexism, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Child abuse, and Colonisation

dmteralie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Classism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Murder, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Slavery

sunnyscholar's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

I don't think I'll ever forget this book. What started as a soothing "slice of life" among unlikely friends evolved into painfully honest acknowledgement of the inherent differences that threaten to tear them apart. I can not do the story justice by trying to eloquate how it continues to resonate with me now. 

R.F. Kuang is an artist in portraying the humanity of each of her characters. In my years of reading, I'd developed a habit of blindly accepting the perspective in which the story was delivered - excusing character flaws and mistakes for the sake of the plot. Kuang doesn't give the reader the opportunity to take anything at face value. She challenges you to grapple with the harsh consequences and moral debate that follows even the smallest decisions her characters make. I love her for it. 

This is no mere story - but a lesson in learning to see people. An exercise in setting aside one's innate biases to appreciate other walks of life they previously felt no right to consider a connection to. 

"Language was just difference. A thousand different ways of seeing, of moving through the world. No; a thousand worlds in one. And translation - a necessary endeavor, however futile, to move between them."

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Colonisation, Child abuse, Classism, Murder, Torture, and Violence

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts