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A review by xx_selenite
Babel by R.F. Kuang
dark
emotional
reflective
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? No
5.0
As I'm writing these words, I have just finished the book and I'm still trying to process what I just read. I am blown away by R.F Kuang's work, from the thought she put into this book to the writing itself. She manages to create an atmosphere in a few words only and I could fully picture Oxford as I was reading the book.
I enjoyed reading the first half of the book and I was invested in the story, but it wasn't going to change my life. But then, I reached the second half of the book and wow. The intensity of this part amazed me, I was breathless and closing the book was straight-up torture.
I enjoyed the commentary about colonialism and resistance because of the number of different opinions exposed. The author does not say who's right or wrong, most of the characters have fair points but also have to face criticism or contradiction. In the end, it's a complex and nuanced representation of a layered theme.
I'm not going to talk about the ending apart from saying it's going to take me a lot of time to fully recover from it.
This was my first R.F Kuang and I am definitely going to read other works from her. A huge recommendation.
I enjoyed reading the first half of the book and I was invested in the story, but it wasn't going to change my life. But then, I reached the second half of the book and wow. The intensity of this part amazed me, I was breathless and closing the book was straight-up torture.
I enjoyed the commentary about colonialism and resistance because of the number of different opinions exposed. The author does not say who's right or wrong, most of the characters have fair points but also have to face criticism or contradiction. In the end, it's a complex and nuanced representation of a layered theme.
I'm not going to talk about the ending apart from saying it's going to take me a lot of time to fully recover from it.
This was my first R.F Kuang and I am definitely going to read other works from her. A huge recommendation.