Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

2043 reviews

seanrhead's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and War

lindsay0320's review

adventurous dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Death of parent, and Abandonment

katherineshawwrites's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-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? No

5.0

I wasn't sure if Babel would live up to the hype it received when it first hit the reading community, but my goodness, it does.

If you're going into Babel expecting a high fantasy dark academia story, you're going to be disappointed, but if you go in with an open mind, you'll get a fascinating, powerful and tragic take on the magic of languages, alongside the horror and injustice of colonialism and racism.

With this story, R F Kuang delivers a gripping and moving narrative that's steeped in history, and her academic experience in language really shines through not only within the plot itself, but in all the wonderfully crafted notes that accompany the text. It gives the book an academic rigour you rarely see in fiction whilst never losing sight of the story. 

Some of the hard-hitting commentary around the British Empire (and similar colonial nations) and its amoral actions can be tough to swallow, but isn't that the point? R F Kuang pulls no punches, and I love her for that. The characters show us through their own lenses, backgrounds and personal storylines what atrocities have been committed in the name of imperialism, economic growth and capitalistic greed, and right now I think we all need to be reminded of that.

Despite its academic nature, the book is full of twists and turns, a great deal of tension, and rising stakes right until the very end, and I was flying through the final pages to see how it would all end for Robin. R F Kuang's writing is superb throughout, and I would highly recommend this to anyone unafraid of some hard truths and powerful storytelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Islamophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

jane3366's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Slavery and Sexual harassment

raitherabbit's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective 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: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism and Abandonment

lost_page's review

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, and Grief

thebibliotourist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious sad 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

4.5

This book is hard to describe, but all I can say is it will make you come to terms with how you feel about other cultures and nationalities and being infuriated how someone can feel more superior than others is ok. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, and Sexism

prettieststar's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective slow-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

in my top five books

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Racial slurs and Sexism

Minor: Physical abuse

rivetkitten's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, Death of parent, and Abandonment

zuv's review

emotional informative inspiring 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

A beautiful book that highlights the impact of colonialism on people and how they have been perceived in western countries historically. A fascinating magic system and loveable characters make this book one that I would recommend to pretty much everyone! It is hefty though.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, and Classism