A review by interrobang_1
Babel by R.F. Kuang

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Definitely still digesting this book, and I expect I will be for a while. There's a lot to love about it - it discusses colonialism, racism, xenophobia, ethics and the intersectionality of different identities with depth and nuance. I also really enjoyed the discussions around language and etymology, the history, cultures and ideas around different languages, and thoughts around the concept of translation. 

That said, there were aspects I felt could have been stronger too -
class becomes a key motivating factor, but is not really mentioned until late in the book (maybe partly because the main characters don't understand it until then, but it felt a little hurried), and the sexism that Victoire and Letty face isn't explored in depth (although again, maybe that's down to a flaw in Robin's character in not recognising, or even actively participating in, that part of their experience)
. I feel like the main characters could possibly have been developed further - some of their personalities feel a little inconsistent or unclear throughout the book. Letty however, is written so well -
obviously she's a villain of the story, and to an extent that's clear from the start - but the story still manages to build an element of sympathy for her and then challenge that sympathy again and again,
providing a strong critique on white privilege and white fragility. 

The pacing of the book is great, and I was pretty hooked throughout. It has (for me) the ideal amount of world building. The story is engaging, but it's the way it deals with major issues facing the world today that really makes this book stand out for me. 
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