A review by emilyceratops
Babel by R.F. Kuang

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

I had so much fun reading this book! I loved the whole section where the group is studying at Babel and things are going well and they love each other so much. It made me want to go back to uni.

The parts where Robin slowly comes around to the Hermes Society were delicious,

and the parts where he realises Ramy and Victoire are in on it as well were very compelling.

I read this on my kindle and didn't realise that the book was so long because I enjoyed it so much. Each section of the book was very different as well. If anything I would have liked for the story to linger a little longer over the last section

when they're up in the tower. I would have liked to delve further into the relationships there and each person's motivation, simply because I feel that we spend a lot of time with Griffin, and to a lesser extent, Anthony, about why they defected to Hermes.

And of course it is rather rare to read a fantasy book, even set in a world similar to ours, where the protagonist is Asian. Loved this, loved the themes intersectionality of his identity in a western society and where it collided with colourism and sexism.