Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

500 reviews

peachmoni's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation

Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Gun violence, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Classism

cloverandmoss's review against another edition

dark emotional informative slow-paced

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

3.25

WY too many unnecessary footnotes that could have easily been incorporated into the story 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

crowvaea's review

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse

infusionofviolets's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Vomit, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

gologel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense 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

4.0

I liked the author's writing style and the insights into translation theory, you could really tell how much of a passion it is for her and it transferred onto me. I also liked the unique perspective we take through the characters.

However, there are a few aspects I didn't like. Characterizations as well as plot points felt very often told instead of shown. I didn't form attachement to any of the characters because they felt flat and one-dimensional, two-dimensional at most. Especially

Letty's development from (blindly privileged to) bad to antagonist

seemed rather forced than natural/completely logical to me. 
Also, some conversations, especially at the end, felt too academic and not really fitting for the intimate two-people-setting.
And I was disappointed that

Hermes (in Babel) was basically killed off and the last act of revolution was done by two/three characters we know and a bunch of randoms

. I couldn't care less.

Overall, I liked the book and it offered a unique story, but it also had it's weaknesses in execution.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gun violence, Slavery, Grief, Sexual harassment, and War

readingrinasrealm's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Minor: Addiction, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

laffi's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

4.5

Great work, but I saw about every plot twist coming miles ago

I predicted that

Ramy would die

at the start of the book, I saw the

Griffin/Anthony/Evie/Sterling history

,

Lovell being Robins father

,

Babel being destroyed by the translate-silver-work

, and many more.

Great book nevertheless

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Slavery, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Deportation

teawitchontravel's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Slavery, Death of parent, and Deportation

Minor: Vomit, Antisemitism, Car accident, and Alcohol

joana_dc's review

adventurous challenging 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? It's complicated

4.0

A book that I was forced to speed-read the last 200 pages of since I had to give it back to the library but I actually wanted to finish it. Still quite good since that's when the pacing of the book speeds up.

This was a fascinating read from the aspects about linguistics and the magic system derived from it to the reflections on colonialism and what one can do in the face of opression. Although the pacing can be a bit slow at the start it seems purposeful since it does need to you to be like a frog in a pot where the water slowly heats up until it reaches a boiling point.

A beautiful work of fiction that let's you not only get immersed in a totally new universe but also reflect on topics that are extremely relevant in today's political climate regarding colonialism and the oppressive structures created by governments and how to affect change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexism and War

chickenjoeinthewild's review

dark informative mysterious slow-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, and Murder