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cheye13'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
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: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Suicide, Torture, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Colonisation, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Car accident, Gore, Racial slurs, Grief, and War
Minor: Deportation, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic friendship
carina_dreamer'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
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: Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Racism, Forced institutionalization, and Suicide
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Torture
Minor: Addiction, Sexual harassment, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, and Grief
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: Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Racism, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Death, Classism, Torture, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Kidnapping, Alcohol, Gore, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Slavery, Physical abuse, Suicide, Child abuse, Grief, War, Misogyny, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Blood, Hate crime, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Islamophobia, Body horror, and Cultural appropriation
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Bullying, Mental illness, Trafficking, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, Dysphoria, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Infidelity, Mass/school shootings, Genocide, Drug abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Rape, and Sexual violence
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: Sexism, Slavery, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Grief, Racism, Colonisation, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse, War, Gaslighting, Genocide, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse, Car accident, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Gaslighting, and Racial slurs
rhi_'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
4.5
Graphic: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Racial slurs, Suicide, Xenophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Torture, Violence, War, Classism, Grief, Death, and Hate crime
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Blood, and Physical abuse
Minor: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
olivinebranch's review against another edition
- 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: Colonisation, Violence, Xenophobia, and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Cultural appropriation, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, War, Racial slurs, and Gun violence
Minor: Religious bigotry, Car accident, Alcohol, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Blood, and Slavery
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: Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gun violence, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Slavery, Racial slurs, Drug use, Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, War, and Grief
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Slavery, Child abuse, and Child death
Minor: Vomit, Car accident, and Alcohol
aklovekorn'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
5.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, War, Xenophobia, Grief, Murder, and Suicide
Moderate: Kidnapping, Torture, Bullying, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Toxic friendship, Car accident, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Physical abuse, Slavery, Cursing, Drug use, and Antisemitism
criticalbooks'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Deportation, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Police brutality, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Sexism
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: Toxic friendship, Police brutality, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Murder, Racism, Religious bigotry, Classism, Misogyny, Child abuse, Torture, and Xenophobia
Minor: Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Car accident, Death, Violence, Vomit, Islamophobia, Slavery, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Gun violence, Child death, and War