A review by snarkycrafter
Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

While I really wanted to like this book, the story fell flat for me. Quite flat. When I was about 70% through I still felt like not much had happened and was considering a DNF. 

The magic in the book felt like an afterthought. 

It was an interesting commentary on colonialism and whiteness. But beyond that I found little in this book to be gripping or interesting. I had to push myself to finish it. 

I really wanted to like this book, but it just didn’t land for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Xenophobia, Suicide attempt, Colonisation, and Classism

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and War

Minor: Addiction and Drug abuse