Reviews tagging 'Death'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

1507 reviews

katie2024did's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Classism

pt_princessery's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

ilghvy's review against another edition

3.75

informative inspiring 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail

iwwis's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism

Minor: Blood, Pandemic/Epidemic

erinhguidry's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Racism, Colonisation, Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Suicide, Toxic friendship

respirelejasmin's review against another edition

3.75

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was aware of both the praise and the criticism this novel has received before reading it and I now believe it doesn't fully deserve either. It's without a doubt a very good novel - the concept of translation as magic (or magic as translation) is really original and is well elaborated on throughout the story. The use of footnotes works, though it's less of an innovation. Overall it's really effective both as a fantasy novel (well-paced and intriguing) and as a portrayal of academia and its contradictions. Its criticism of colonialism/the empire does feel quite heavy-handed - Kuang is probably right in not trusting the average reader to come to the conclusions that she expresses by themszlves, but it does makes her dialogues feel stunted and artificial. The characterization was also sometimes frustrating - some characters are afforded great complexity and emotional depth (Ramy, Victoire, Robin) while for others that complexity feels like an add-on or literally a footnote (Anthony, M. Lovell, the professors in general). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Colonisation

Moderate: Drug use, War

notstanley's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, War

Minor: Child abuse, Racial slurs

palicereads's review against another edition

4.75

challenging emotional inspiring 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

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The only reason it’s not 5 stars is because the open ending leaves me so hungry for more that I can’t claim I’m fully satisfied. Incredible writing and compelling characters drive this story of revolution with poignant commentary on colonialism and capitalism in the context of power, language and exploitation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Confinement, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicide, Vomit, Islamophobia, Grief, Murder, Sexual harassment

hann17's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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: Yes

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This book was incredible. I initially stated it as an ebook but switched to audiobook just due to the length. It did feel maybe a smidge longer than it could have been but most of the time I liked the embellishment and extra details because they added context and made the story feel so real. 

Babel really made me think about translation and the power that those doing the translation hold and how there really is no true perfect translation. I also learned that R. F. Kuang is a translator herself which makes sense because I can’t imagine there would’ve been so much depth to the story if she wasn’t. Truly an incredible book that made my heart ache for the characters and made me so angry about the colonialism and imperialism that still exist today.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent

ecomorphlove's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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The plot was predictable but the entomology and weaving of actual historical events was interesting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, Classism