Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.34 AVERAGE
4.34 AVERAGE
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
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:
Complicated
This is not a book I would have picked up myself, but I am glad a friend encouraged me to read it. A story about colonialism and loyalty to an identity that doesn’t necessarily fit told with a layer of fantasy. I read this book as I am teaching the historic setting (British imperialism and the Opium Wars) to high schoolers, and I found the ways in which Kuang wrote about the experience through fantasy and character to be quite helpful for finding language to teach the subject. That being said, I felt it dragged at parts and the world building could be too dense at parts. I came to dislike the footnotes because they read more as an unnecessary academic flex to reveal the credentials of the author rather than an organic part of the story.
adventurous
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
tense
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
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
The language and linguistics interwoven into the story are so intelligent and complex it really makes the magic system feel deep and profound. Multi-lingual readers will feel a deep connection and understanding to the way Robin thinks and i hope mono-lingual readers feel in awe as they glimpse the intricacies of translation and interpretation.
All of the characters are very real and readers will likely relate to at least one if not a couple of the main cast. They have believable flaws and relationships and each one grows or learns or teaches the audience to grow/learn.
All of the characters are very real and readers will likely relate to at least one if not a couple of the main cast. They have believable flaws and relationships and each one grows or learns or teaches the audience to grow/learn.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder
Minor: Racial slurs
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:
Complicated
Babel had me feeling all the emotions. I was laughing, gasping, and even tearing up a little. I loved how it explored the complexities of communication and misunderstandings between people, and the way the characters pasts shaped their choices really stuck with me. I also learned a lot about the different cultures and histories woven into the story, which made it feel even more real. The plot twists kept me on my toes, and I couldn’t put the book down.