A review by nickibuzzbuzz
Babel by R.F. Kuang

challenging informative inspiring sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

I really enjoyed this book. It was informative and told a fantastic fantasy story while telling a nuanced tale about the hardships of colonialism. This book is unique in that the dense exposition world building of
silver working
was still interesting enough due to its global relatability. My only complaint is that it is approximately 100 pages too long, the middle felt a bit like a slog. The characters felt unique and the dynamics of the main four broke down traditional tropes.
It was refreshing to see two of the protagonists not make it to the end and another having betrayed them altogether. Letty’s character fascinated me as I think any other outcome for her would have been unrealistic. Her path to betrayal only emphasized the monstrous power of colonialist England and while she ultimately made questionable decisions and held harmful beliefs, she still came off as a realistic and (partially) relatable character.
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