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A review by jmitchell20
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
challenging
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
What a great slow-burner, loved It! Slow to start but once Robin gets to uni, the action starts it just keeps building momentum until you're wondering how the characters got themselves where they did.
The writing was beautiful. Even the parts where they are in class at uni, describing everything they're studying, at first may seem quite boring to sit through, but I felt like I was there with them learning all the quirks of language which I found really interesting.
I adored the magical realism element as like a physical symbol of colonial power. Brilliant.
audiobook only: the second narrator who I realised is reading the footnotes annoyed me at first as she took me out of the story, but later I started to enjoy her little tidbits and sarcasm.
The writing was beautiful. Even the parts where they are in class at uni, describing everything they're studying, at first may seem quite boring to sit through, but I felt like I was there with them learning all the quirks of language which I found really interesting.
I adored the magical realism element as like a physical symbol of colonial power. Brilliant.
audiobook only: the second narrator who I realised is reading the footnotes annoyed me at first as she took me out of the story, but later I started to enjoy her little tidbits and sarcasm.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Gun violence, Child abuse, Sexism, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Murder, Xenophobia, and Emotional abuse