Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

537 reviews

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

tiredenglishteacher's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

4.75

This book is so incredibly unique. The exploration of language and translation in itself is enthralling, but the characters bring the book to life. Incredible world-building and multidimensional characters. I will note, I read this via audiobook. There is a LOT of exposition, and I imagine if I’d read it in text form I would have given up. Last four hours were crazy - that degree of action would have been appreciated earlier on as well. Also, for a giant tome, the romance (implied) needed to be either developed or dropped. Immediately, I want to reread. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Violence, and Blood

Minor: Addiction

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

liadh's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicide, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Child death

harryjordan42's review

challenging dark informative reflective sad 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? No

3.5

I wish this book was 100 pages shorter and 30 pages longer

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, and Torture

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

jordyfrombookclub's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative 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? Yes

5.0

Wow. A sweeping, powerful and well-researched alternative history of the decline of the British Empire. Driven by a fascinating near-alchemical magic system, flawed and lovable main characters and an engrossing plot line, Babel is a poignant telling of the often brutal necessities of righteous revolution. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Colonisation

Moderate: Child death, Suicide, and Torture

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

leesoko'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

bedtimesnack's review

inspiring mysterious 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

4.25

If you were a fan of Harry Potter as a kid, reading Babel might scratch the itch for some magic/dark academia vibes. I was engaged with the plot the whole time, and the magic system was unique and well thought through. I would say the book's biggest fault is that it serves answers and interpretation a bit too readily. Themes of colonialism and racism are handled more openly as part of the plot and dialogue, so there's not a whole lot of poetic subtlety going on. If you like to decipher meaning and plot yourself, you might not find what you're looking for with this book. 

That being said, R.F. Kuang does handle the themes well, and portrays several viewpoints on assimilation, resistance, microaggressions, and class consciousness from multiple characters of color. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Toxic friendship, War, and Classism