A review by estellegodard
Babel by R.F. Kuang

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

the research that was put into this book is abundant. what the author was able to achieve is incredibly impressive, meticulous, and creative. I thought that looking at colonialism through the lens of language & translation was a fascinating and unique choice. the ending was so beautifully written & the way robin sees his life flash before his eyes really touched me. I did think that all the characters could have been a little more developed. often, there lacked depth and the author told us what to feel rather that showed it to us. as readers, we weren’t left a lot of interpretive leniency and I do wish the author had trusted us to understand her points rather than bashing us over the head with them ad nauseam. nonetheless, I’m happy to have read it. I don’t often read this type of genre but I love a dark academia story, especially in the fall. I’m glad to be able to be part of the discourse now.