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A review by mdlyn_reads
Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I just wrote a review and Goodreads lost it, ah! I really enjoyed Babel. I read Yellowface in 2023 and really enjoyed RF Kuang’s writing, how she created complex characters and her storytelling.
Babel was a really enjoyable read! I find etymology fascinating, so I genuinely enjoyed reading about language translation and the history of words. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters of this novel, and also found the plot pretty interesting. I was a bit worried about how she would finish the novel but was pleasantly surprised with how things wrapped up.
It was a little slow in the middle and difficult for me to sit down and make time because the chapters were lengthy.
I can see how some readers might dislike this because it spends a lot of time on language, is slower in the middle, and has themes around sexism and racism.
Babel was a really enjoyable read! I find etymology fascinating, so I genuinely enjoyed reading about language translation and the history of words. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters of this novel, and also found the plot pretty interesting. I was a bit worried about how she would finish the novel but was pleasantly surprised with how things wrapped up.
It was a little slow in the middle and difficult for me to sit down and make time because the chapters were lengthy.
I can see how some readers might dislike this because it spends a lot of time on language, is slower in the middle, and has themes around sexism and racism.