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A review by schnaucl
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
slow-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? It's complicated
5.0
This is a brilliant book that should appeal to anyone who loves language(s) or who spends any time thinking about colonialism and what it takes to maintain and grow an empire.
The magic system is based on the imprecision of translation. The more closely word pairs in different languages share a meaning, the less powerful the magic is.
There's a lot to chew on here with regard to power, empire, colonialism and what it means to belong, whether belonging is even possible, and how hard it is to persuade people in positions of privilege to even see the true cost of that privilege let alone to make them care about it.
Babel also has a lot to say about the power and limitations of friendship.
The characters are compelling and empathetic.
I thought there was a slim chance Robin would survive just because of references to him looking back on events in the future, but alas.
While I'm very curious what happens next and particularly what happens to Victoire, I actually like that this a standalone novel, at least as far as I know
I'm not doing a good job of explaining why this book was so amazing, but it is amazing. It's smart and well written and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
The magic system is based on the imprecision of translation. The more closely word pairs in different languages share a meaning, the less powerful the magic is.
There's a lot to chew on here with regard to power, empire, colonialism and what it means to belong, whether belonging is even possible, and how hard it is to persuade people in positions of privilege to even see the true cost of that privilege let alone to make them care about it.
Babel also has a lot to say about the power and limitations of friendship.
The characters are compelling and empathetic.
While I'm very curious what happens next and particularly what happens to Victoire, I actually like that this a standalone novel, at least as far as I know
I'm not doing a good job of explaining why this book was so amazing, but it is amazing. It's smart and well written and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Torture, Xenophobia, Religious bigotry, Murder, Colonisation, and Classism
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Slavery, Violence, Vomit, Islamophobia, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail