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A review by welkinvault
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
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? Yes
4.75
Literary fiction, fantasy set in Victorian England with impressive historical research and world building. This was like catnip for me, all my favourite genres in one very amazing book.
I love the fact that the author will hint at some of Robin's subconscious emotional triggers (and then at other times they are blazed writ large). This was a dense book, marvellous, but I managed to get the audio from the library and that helped (espeically the footnotes)
It was slow and steady for the first 2/3 and then it was a race to the end - I had to read it into the wee hours to finish it just to know what happened.
I love the fact that the author will hint at some of Robin's subconscious emotional triggers (and then at other times they are blazed writ large). This was a dense book, marvellous, but I managed to get the audio from the library and that helped (espeically the footnotes)
It was slow and steady for the first 2/3 and then it was a race to the end - I had to read it into the wee hours to finish it just to know what happened.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, Racism, and Death
Moderate: Trafficking and Child abuse