A review by megwhitlock
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

A gripping book that's held together by how much you fall in love with the characters and find yourself rooting for them, even against all odds. Tightly plotted, very clever, and a brilliant exploration of the exploitation British society is built on. It was a magical, horrific, wonderful world to step into - but the characters, their development, and complexities were definitely the strong point.

I only rated 4 stars instead of 5 as I found the overall pacing slightly off in places, but definitely appreciate this could be personal preference!
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