Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

23 reviews

zghutcheson01's review against another edition

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.

---

Content Warnings

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

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

---

Content Warnings

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

jenmcreads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad 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? No

5.0

This book deserves all of the hype it is getting. I haven't picked up anything similar to this genre-wise in many many years (though now I hope to!), but I have always enjoyed language and thinking about the impossibility of translation, so the idea of this magic system intrigued me.

I am so glad I read this. I think Kuang has masterfully woven in her critiques of colonialism, academia, and academia's service to Empire. The messaging is not subtle, but these are some of the major wrongs of our society, so in terms of scale that did not bother me. I was very impressed by the pacing of this book, which managed to sweep through time when it needed to, but lingered sufficiently to build depth and attachment to the characters. The exploration of intersectionality was nuanced, and I felt Kuang was very honest and rigorous in her exploration of the different experiences these four characters would go through facing the same events. Kuang's ability to distill the essence of complex global challenges into a view concise and moving paragraphs is astonishing at times. I am not typically an annotator but found myself on more than one occasion reaching for a pen. 

The messaging is important, of course, but this is a 500+ page tome, and the message wouldn't get to nearly as many people if the story weren't compelling. The plot is well structured, tense, and exciting throughout (arguable the first half is a bit slow at times, but to me you can always feel the build). 

And then for me, there is the translation based magic system. I loved this, I loved the etymologies (that take is not for everyone I know, but it delighted me). Kuang is clearly a remarkable mind and the level of research here is awe-inspiring.

I don't feel I am able to do justice to my thoughts on this book, but in three words, it is a masterpiece.  

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Classism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Slavery