Reviews tagging 'Suicide attempt'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

66 reviews

lokes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

kers_tin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Slavery, Blood, and War

Minor: Sexual harassment and Deportation

eliseabril's review

adventurous challenging dark 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent

Moderate: Gore

waverb's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense fast-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

This is a life changing story about love, language, colonialism, and revolution. Every detail seems meticulously thought out. 

For example, look up the etymology of the names of all major characters. Kuang chose these names precisely and the characters reflect their names beautifully. 

In my search, I discovered a supreme court case in the USA, Lovell v. Griffin. The names of Robin's colonizer father and his mixed race rebel brother. The court case relates to freedom of speech as it pertains to pamphlets and leaflets 🤯 pamphlets were a major tool of the Hermes society. 

I'll be recommending this book to everyone I know. Kuang guides the reader through philosophical discussions in a way that feels welcoming and approachable. This is perhaps the most beautifully written book I have ever read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Deportation

zghutcheson01's review

challenging reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book was absolutely amazing. It was incredibly reflective and Kuang managed to intellectually and eloquently write about the intersection of race, class, and gender without glossing over all the joy that oppressed people made for themselves, even in times of extreme strife. I understand people’s criticism of flat characters and I would love to get more of the rest of the cast but I think this book is mainly about Robin and his emotions. This book is fueled mainly on themes and the introspection of a single character and I understand people not loving that, especially since I tend not to like books like that either. But I think Kiang’s choice to focus on young characters and their friendships early on in the book makes it more personal and emotional. It also straddles a weird line with fantasy and historical fiction since the only magic is in silver but I honestly don’t think it’s an issue with the book but with descriptions of it. I genuinely think this book is a masterpiece and everyone who can should read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Confinement, Hate crime, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

clairew97's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny informative 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

bookishfaye's review

challenging dark emotional 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

Speechless 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

aseel_reads's review

challenging dark reflective 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? Yes

4.0

i really enjoyed the social critique this book had on academia, colonisation, empire, knowledge etc. i actually really like the footnotes, there were not too many of them. it was definitely quite slow in the middle and the big thing that happened, i had been waiting all book for it to happen. i think it had a realistic ending and i like the blend of history and magic that the author managed. i do think i didn't care that much for the characters themselves, just their circumstances. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

bblanka's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and War

opossumom's review against another edition

dark reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Vomit, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail