Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

763 reviews

redlocqueen_'s review

emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

WOW! Such a phenomenal read! Kuang has beautiful writing and you can tell she took her time with this book. I love how she put in notes and explanations. It really added to the story without crowding it. I honestly feel like this book should be taught in schools. Kuang was able to tie so many important themes and historical issues within this fictional story, it's baffling in a good way! The biggest themes in this read were colonialism and oppression, which of course in today's time this is important to know. She was able to make me critically think on my life and what's happening in the now. I loved loved loved this book! The character development and plot was *CHEF'S KISS*!!! I really fell in love with all the characters (except Letty lol). This was my first Kuang read and I can't wait to read her other books. If you're deciding on reading this or not....GET IT! You won't be disappointed!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Drug abuse and Death of parent

valjeanval's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense 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

5.0

I do think RF Kuang is going to go down as one of this generation's leaders of fantasy. She's a great writer, and that writing is coupled with meticulous research that make her books feel so rich and thoughtful. Babel is definitely a timely read, and sadly I think it will be a timely read for a while. I think her style was occasionally a little heavy-handed, but I'm also a white woman reading this, so the very fact that I thought that might be more of credit to the writing than a detriment.  Otherwise this book builds an incredible world and uses it to really spotlight the insidiousness of colonialism and colonial attitudes. 

I'm glad I finally got around to reading this one, and while it's no cozy holiday read, you should probably read it too.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Gaslighting

payeswoods's review against another edition

dark funny informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Overhyped. Aside from the mention of certain literary art that peaked my reading interest, I found nothing else worth retaining to memory or heart.  The anti-colonial message maintained the same mundane vitriol throughout; very redundant and uninspiring. The thesis is over explained, leaves no room for the reader to explore concepts. The magic of language and translation is brilliant, and I wish so furiously that she would’ve explored into that more. More history of the secret society would’ve made this more enjoyable. More details would’ve made it more enjoyable. Instead it was filled with facts, facts that we all already know. I had hoped that this unique magic system would be used in a more ingenious manner than the predictable, lackluster ending it received. This was far from a historical/political masterpiece for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Suicide, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

beccabuse's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicide, Torture, and Violence

chantellimus's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism

bumfinity's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

3.5

Long read with a very slow beginning. Wish there was more in-depth exploration on the magic system. Would have preferred more emotion in the writing style so it could be easier to connect with the MC. Kept wishing it leaned more fantasy-like.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and War

nekoprankster218's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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

5.0

This was such an experience to read in the last two months of 2024. I had to check it out twice from the library as my reading slowed, a bit because I had to take breaks from this book (not entirely the book's fault). The first two weeks were in November, the last few days of reading in mid-December. 

This is definitely one of the books everyone should read at least once in their lives, one of the novels that should be added to English class curriculum. It's a good story on its own, but the added themes of revolution and anti-colonialism elevates it, especially in the current era. I've been utilizing my library to get through my TBR to save on money and space, but if I ever had the chance, I would purchase this book to keep forever.

My one gripe is honestly pretty nit-picky: I don't like how dialogue 'uses "punctuation" like this', "instead of 'like 'this'". It threw me off at the start and I never fully got used to it even by the end.

At first the pacing was also throwing me off, but by the time I reached the final chapters, I realized why it was like that and it's no longer a fault to me. I really enjoy how this novel feels like a progression of one type of story turning into another and then further into another; it feels realistic for the events and relates the reader even more to the main characters, who certainly wouldn't have expected their cozy academic fantasy to turn so jarringly. 

This book made me feel at least twice now an experience of "this can't actually be happening, this is not real, they're gonna pull the rug under me and reveal this as a dream sequence... NO WAIT THIS IS GENUINELY WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" and it was exhilarating. I can't think of any other story that gave me such a deep sense of... unreal shock? I can think of life events, which coincidentally happened around the time of reading this and were pretty relevant to the themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Sexual assault, and Sexual harassment

onmypocket's review

adventurous challenging informative tense 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? Yes

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Trafficking, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

jolielau's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark slow-paced

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

4.0

Having just read Julia Lovell’s book on the Opium War and Louisa Lim’s coverage of Hong Kong protests, this one is surprisingly relevant and hits too close to home. 

For the first time, I’m finding a fantasy character relatable and oddly familiar. 

-1 not sure how to feel about the ending!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

morganlink11's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring 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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Classism