Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

Babel: An Arcane History

R.F. Kuang

544 pages first pub 2022 (editions)

fiction fantasy historical literary challenging dark emotional medium-paced
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Description

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese,...

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Community Reviews Summary of 53,670 reviews

Moods

dark 74%
emotional 65%
challenging 58%
reflective 50%
tense 50%
informative 43%
sad 43%
adventurous 42%
mysterious 26%
inspiring 21%
hopeful 12%
funny 3%

Pace

medium 59%
slow 34%
fast 5%

Plot- or character-driven?

A mix: 67% | Character: 18% | Plot: 13%

Strong character development?

Yes: 81% | It's complicated: 13% | No: 4%

Loveable characters?

Yes: 61% | It's complicated: 32% | No: 6%

Diverse cast of characters?

Yes: 98%

Flaws of characters a main focus?

Yes: 53% | It's complicated: 29% | No: 16% | N/A: 1%

Average rating

4.39

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Content Warnings

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