Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Babel by R.F. Kuang

199 reviews

navayiota's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

A love letter to all who suffered and continue to suffer. A modern classic, heartbreaking and perfect. I cried in the night, staying up late to finish this behemoth of a book. My new favourite of all time.. Bless Kuang and her brilliant mind. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Slavery, Murder, War, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Xenophobia, Suicide, Blood, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Toxic friendship, Confinement, Death of parent, Misogyny, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Violence, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Islamophobia, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Car accident, Addiction, and Deportation

penofpossibilities's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

the first half was incredibly slow paced and at times a drag to get through. If it wasn't for some long train rides with nothing better to do, I would've taken much longer to finish. The last quarter or so was really exciting though! I even got emotional and started crying near the end. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Racial slurs, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Child abuse, Blood, Sexism, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Cultural appropriation, Ableism, Xenophobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Colonisation, Classism, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Grief, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Hate crime

Moderate: Addiction, Vomit, Islamophobia, Genocide, Gore, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Minor: Drug abuse, Slavery, Pandemic/Epidemic, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Child death, and War

carlapastor's review

dark mysterious reflective 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

5.0

This is my second read of the book and I found that I had forgotten so much about it. How Rebecca manages to create a world, half fantasy half truth (sometimes couldn't tell the difference) and make such a strong critical book is amazing. First time I read it I picked it up randomly but it is truly one of my favorite books. 
Also, I don't think it was ever dense. This is one of those books that just make you want to keep reading. If I'm honest, I hope next time I read it it's not before bed, because I just can't put it down.

One of the few 5 stars I've read in my life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Cursing, Racial slurs, Slavery, Colonisation, Drug use, Murder, Sexism, War, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction

quinn24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny informative reflective tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

I am absolutely floored. I was so fucking stressed reading this I had to keep taking breaks and honestly I’m a little pissed at how intelligent R.F. Kuang is. Insane. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Blood, Alcohol, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence

Moderate: Bullying

Minor: Drug use, Addiction, Cursing, Drug abuse, and Vomit

mr_ryancowboy's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Violence, Grief, Racism, Murder, and Cultural appropriation

Moderate: Misogyny, Blood, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Slavery, and Physical abuse

Minor: Addiction, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Drug use

samugranjo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Classism, Murder, Grief, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Toxic friendship, War, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Islamophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Sexism

Minor: Confinement, Alcohol, Blood, Addiction, and Genocide

folkofthebook's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

i really loved the etymological/translation element of this. i think the overall concept was intriguing, and i think a lot of fair points are made.
however, i can see how some readers don't like the second half as it slows down in action, but underneath it's an emotional build.
i think overall this is a very solid addition to dark academia. honestly still processing that last 10% 😭

def check TWs

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Classism, Alcohol, Colonisation, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Racial slurs, Torture, Racism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Xenophobia, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and War

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Addiction

ka_cam's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark informative reflective tense fast-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

This was well written and researched as relates to translation- an exploration of identity, friendship, family and academia and critique of colonialism and empire. I was intrigued by many threads of philosophy of translation- of words, of individual minds, of cultures and backgrounds. The historical part of the fiction (translation between past and present!) fell flat for me- it felt like conversations i heard on my college campus in the late 2010s copy-pasted into the 1830s. Though contemporary movements were referenced it didn’t seem like their time, or the magical part of their world, meaningfully impacted how they understood themselves and the world. Rather than history ‘rhyming’ this felt like one of the heavily biased and explanatory translations so often criticized in the text. Though I enjoy how this premise makes you wonder about and question all translations-bringing this critique to the fore! Maybe because of this I also found the plot suspenseful but largely predictable. For me the most interesting parts were the etymology and the internal grappling/soul searching, exploration of complexities, and theorizing of robin (and occasionally other characters, whose brief interludes both validated and challenged Robin’s worldview/analysis of them).  4 stars for readability, great writing, and interesting meditations. Folks might enjoy this more if they are more familiar with/attachment to Oxford and academia/academic identity though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Grief, Gun violence, Islamophobia, Hate crime, Torture, Murder, Racial slurs, Addiction, Death, Racism, Sexism, Xenophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Classism

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Pandemic/Epidemic, Slavery, and War

bilal_shumuus's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Xenophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, Self harm, Torture, Colonisation, Death of parent, Genocide, Child abuse, Grief, Murder, Classism, Infidelity, Death, Sexism, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Confinement, Blood, Police brutality, Abandonment, Addiction, Islamophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic

lizzym126's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Colonisation, Death of parent, Classism, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Gun violence, Racism, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexism, Violence, Murder, Racial slurs, War, Xenophobia, Sexual violence, Slavery, and Toxic friendship