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cheye13's review
- 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
3.0
Reading this felt more like historical fiction than anything else. Events and timelines too closely mirrored real history to leave any true hope throughout the story, but it was still heartening to watch the characters try.
Given the synopsis, I had actually hoped for more focus on the language element, more linguistic theory, whether true or invented. Compelling and important novel nonetheless.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Cultural appropriation, and War
Minor: Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Deportation
carina_dreamer's review
- 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
β’ Let me start by saying that I'm not a person that re-reads books (only if it has been close to 10 years), but I could make an exception for Babel.
This was such a masterpiece that I know I haven't grasped all of it on this first try!
β’ Basic summary: It's historical fiction because it happens in the 1800s during the British empire
(so we have colonialism and racism, it's after slavery has ended *but not in terms of white mentalities & supremacy*, women don't study, etc.).
It's magical realism & dark academy because Babel is a tower in Oxford where academics study translation to help the Empire deal with the colonies and on the 7th floor they do what seems like magic... They engrave silver bars with one word in English + the equivalent in another language = to magical enhancements to objects or environments.
Overused languages have weakened the effect on silver so they decide to snatch some native kids from colonies, instruct them in the Englishman ways, and make them study to prepare for Babel and in the future work for the Empire.
That's what happens to the group that we follow throughout the book.
β’ I wanted to try RFK writing through this standalone first before the Poppy War (cause I buy entire series from the go π ) and it's marvellous!
It seems like a classic, but without the excessive adjectives that can make me fall asleep. It can be a little overwhelming in the beginning cause it's a slow start and we are as lost to the plot as poor 7-year-old Robin is.
β’ The character development was what made this book for me.
It spans for like 10 years and my view from the start to the end shifted together with the characters. They started scared, innocent, and mesmerised by the grandeur of Babel - A little found family in their solitary upbringing - but they discovered there's so much more going on around them.
β’ I studied translation and what I learned is actually discussed during the classes in Babel, which made de experience even more enjoyable! Also, my language nerdy side got a field trip with this book! π
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Addiction, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
edgaranjapoe's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Racism, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Genocide, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
hannanni41's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Grief, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, and Classism
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Genocide, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and War
Minor: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
rhi_'s review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, Car accident, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
olivinebranch's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and Colonisation
Moderate: Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexism, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, War, and Classism
Minor: Slavery, Blood, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and War
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Slavery, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Car accident, and Alcohol
aklovekorn's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Antisemitism, Kidnapping, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
criticalbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation
schnaucl's review against another edition
- 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
The magic system is based on the imprecision of translation. The more closely word pairs in different languages share a meaning, the less powerful the magic is.
There's a lot to chew on here with regard to power, empire, colonialism and what it means to belong, whether belonging is even possible, and how hard it is to persuade people in positions of privilege to even see the true cost of that privilege let alone to make them care about it.
Babel also has a lot to say about the power and limitations of friendship.
The characters are compelling and empathetic.
While I'm very curious what happens next and particularly what happens to Victoire, I actually like that this a standalone novel, at least as far as I know
I'm not doing a good job of explaining why this book was so amazing, but it is amazing. It's smart and well written and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Islamophobia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail