Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

215 reviews

penofpossibilities's review

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challenging dark emotional informative mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

the first half was incredibly slow paced and at times a drag to get through. If it wasn't for some long train rides with nothing better to do, I would've taken much longer to finish. The last quarter or so was really exciting though! I even got emotional and started crying near the end. 

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carlapastor's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This is my second read of the book and I found that I had forgotten so much about it. How Rebecca manages to create a world, half fantasy half truth (sometimes couldn't tell the difference) and make such a strong critical book is amazing. First time I read it I picked it up randomly but it is truly one of my favorite books. 
Also, I don't think it was ever dense. This is one of those books that just make you want to keep reading. If I'm honest, I hope next time I read it it's not before bed, because I just can't put it down.

One of the few 5 stars I've read in my life.

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annamary54's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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

I am at a loss for words right now. This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. It also doubled my vocabulary. I have been contemplating going back to school for linguistics, and this book made me want to go even more, until it didnt. And at the same time this book had everything and nothing to do with linguistics. Incredible topical time for me to be reading the this (although I’m sure you could stay that about any time). I’m just thinking of the protests happening at colleges around the US calling for a ceasefire. Very much resembles the back half of this book. I will say, it was a slow start for me, only because I started reading this when I was in a reading slump and the world building was just a lot of translation. Once I got about 40% of the way though, things started picking up. I really was going to give this 4.75 just because it was so hard for me to get into it, even with my love of language, but book five was so good I had no choice but to give this 5 stars. 

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bellsdixon's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.5


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ka_cam's review

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adventurous challenging dark informative reflective tense fast-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

4.0

This was well written and researched as relates to translation- an exploration of identity, friendship, family and academia and critique of colonialism and empire. I was intrigued by many threads of philosophy of translation- of words, of individual minds, of cultures and backgrounds. The historical part of the fiction (translation between past and present!) fell flat for me- it felt like conversations i heard on my college campus in the late 2010s copy-pasted into the 1830s. Though contemporary movements were referenced it didn’t seem like their time, or the magical part of their world, meaningfully impacted how they understood themselves and the world. Rather than history ‘rhyming’ this felt like one of the heavily biased and explanatory translations so often criticized in the text. Though I enjoy how this premise makes you wonder about and question all translations-bringing this critique to the fore! Maybe because of this I also found the plot suspenseful but largely predictable. For me the most interesting parts were the etymology and the internal grappling/soul searching, exploration of complexities, and theorizing of robin (and occasionally other characters, whose brief interludes both validated and challenged Robin’s worldview/analysis of them).  4 stars for readability, great writing, and interesting meditations. Folks might enjoy this more if they are more familiar with/attachment to Oxford and academia/academic identity though. 

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bilal_shumuus's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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


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mirandyli's review

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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? It's complicated

5.0

Amazing book, especially if you like magical realism and linguistics. Anti-colonialist in a historically realistic way. This was the best book I've read this year. It made me really think about my own simultaneous oppressions and privileges, and how violence is necessary for anti-colonialist, anti-capitalist revolution.

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lizzym126's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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? No

5.0


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teddie_valetine98's review against another edition

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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

5.0

This reread was eye opening again. 
Still a five star read that needs to be read at least once.

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confused_cat's review

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challenging dark medium-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

 Ok, this is going to be a long review… 

  • First, I love the concept, I was so excited when I started the book. This book is well written, researched and the author captured the feeling of being marginalised very well.
  • The author spent a long time on world-building, discussions about language, and the silver working ( “silver+translation = magic” ). This book is great if you are into etymology. For me personally, these parts are way too long and hard to read.
  • I am into plot and characters, so I was bored for quite a good portion of the book. When there is plot, the pacing is so quick, too quick even. E.g.
    death of Prof. Lovell
    .
    The first half of the book felt so slow for me - I was so happy when Robin was
    shot
    … I thought, here comes the action.. but then they all went back to school and it was back to language discussion for a few chapters again.
  • There was not enough time spent on characters at all. We were told that Robin, Ramy, Victoire, and Letty are best friends but we were not shown their daily life and interactions. Most of their interactions were mostly for author to showcase racism, how bad colonialism was, and how clueless Letty (the representative of white women) was towards her friends plights.
  • There are just so many things that could be expanded.
    How could Robin turned to Hermes so easily at the beginning? How Letty betrayed everyone so quickly? What's going through Lovell's mind most of the time? Are Ramy and Robin queer?
      The ending chapters were so quick too. I wanted to read more about character's internal conflicts more, dammit.
  • I am still not sure what the author's intention of the book. Who is this book written for? What does the author want to say? Does she want to remind us how bad colonialism was? How countries (esp China) have dealt with so much injustice? That violence is necessary for change? 
  • As a mixed race person, the racism felt too close to home and very uncomfortable to read too.

I can see why this book is so popular. But it is just not for me.




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