Wow, where do I even start talking about one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year? Babel is truly a masterpiece and Kuang has really outdone herself with this incredible novel. I have been dying for more work from Kaung ever since finishing her Poppy War trilogy. Babel has a very epic scope and tackles some difficult, important topics in a head-on and compelling manner while also introducing a complex and fascinating magic system. All that being said, I also have a lot of mixed feelings about it. The research, the writing, the magic system, the many different important issues touched on–all of that was amazingly done and I have to laud Kuang for her feat–however, the characters, the heavy-handedness of some of the writing, and a few other minor issues made me struggle to get through this book at times.

Before diving in, I want to put a little preface that this is going to be a long review. I have a lot of thoughts about this book, and because of that, I've tried to sort of separate this review into two sections, the first focusing on my praises and the positives, and the second portion focusing on my more critical comments and issues with the book. This book is a five star read in some ways and a two star read in others, which has left me feeling all kinds of confused and unsure how to feel or rate this book that was supposed to be a new favorite. So as to not make this even longer... let's dive into the review.

Babel follows Robin Swift as he is taken from his cholera-stricken home of Canton where his entire family has succumbed to the illness and brought to Oxford by Professor Richard Lovell. While under the care of Professor Lovell, he is educated in Ancient Greek, Latin, and Chinese in order to maintain his native fluency in preparation for his future as an Oxford scholar and student of the Royal Institute of Translation there. The intent is for Robin to become a student of silver-working, an act of magic that has allowed the British Empire to continuously colonize and take power throughout the world, and it is while Robin undertakes this training that he has to come to terms with the fact that is he becomes a silver-worker with his fellow students, he will have to betray his own ties and loyalties to his origins.

I really enjoyed the first portion of this book when we first meet Robin and embark on a new journey with him to Oxford to begin a new life. Kuang does a good job of introducing readers to new characters and sharing backstories and insights into their personalities. ALong with Robin, we meet his schoolmates: Ramy, from Calcutta; Victoire, from Haiti; and Letty from England, all of whom have very distinct backgrounds and circumstances that caused them to end up at Oxford with Robin. I appreciated Kuang’s effort into creating such unique characters and spending so much time on making sure each one had something important to bring to the story and contribute to the diversity of this cohort.

The magic system of silver-working is genuinely fascinating and I liked the puzzle-like aspect of making it work. I personally love the intricacies of language and translation, so the very nuanced way in which it works was really neat to explore and watch in action as we learned along the students. There were certain minor aspects of it that didn’t make complete sense to me, such as how exactly it works and came to be, but nothing that took me out of the story too much. I won’t try to explain the intricacies of silver-working, either, but if you’re looking for a fresh magic system to explore that has a lot of fine elements to it, then this is going to be one for you to check out.

I think one of the biggest and most prominent parts of this book, as I’m sure most people are aware of, is the heavy focus on racism, colonialism, and many other injustices, prejudices, and difficulties that were prevalent in both 1830s London and even today that many minority groups faced. Kuang absolutely nails these topics, and I think this alone makes Babel a worthwhile read and one that I wholeheartedly recommend. I have a lot of problems with how some of these issues are incorporated into the story and/or the style in which they are included, but it doesn’t take away from how absolutely vital the conversations are about them and how fruitful they are for our own takeaways from this book. Kuang really captures the struggle it was to be a non-white non-London native person in this period in ways that transcend to today, from blatantly racist acts to more subtle attacks and struggles that are often overlooked by those who are not affected by them. I also think the inclusion and discussions of colonialism and its nuances and impacts on both past and present day life of people around the world was explored thoroughly and had a lot of sobering insight on how big these topics are, and also how easy it is for people in the colonizing country to overlook the impacts and effects (and how easy it is for them to not care).

This positive that I have next is equally going to be in the critical portion of this review as well because it contributed to some major pacing issues, but the content itself was something I personally enjoyed, and that’s the many, many (many) lectures, discussions, and explanations about language we got to be a part of in this book. I should preface this by saying I love talking about translating almost as much as I love translation itself, so this could not have been a more topic/focus of Babel for me. Questions such as whether there is such a thing as a perfect translation or how to translate a work and maintain it's culture–if possible– are all explored in great depth and with great interest. I’ve studied Ancient Greek and Latin for a number of years (in all honesty, I vastly prefer Greek and think it’s one of my favorite languages to learn; Latin… is not my favorite), so I found the negative attitudes toward Classics and Greek and Latin both accurate for the time period and a little unfortunate (but I won’t hold that against the book! I am pleased with) and I found some of the conversations around the nuances of translation so familiar and relevant. I can absolutely see where someone who doesn’t really find that much interest in translation, however, will find these sections to be a slog, and we’ll touch on that a bit more later, but if you find language and culture and everything in between the slighted bit interesting, these lectures will definitely still grab your interest.

Now, moving on to the critical portion of this review… I had a lot of problems. A lot were minor in scale, but added up to the point where I started debating whether or not I should DNF it. I again want to preface this by saying that I am not critiquing the actual content of any of the important issues discussed, but the manner in which they are sometimes presented.

The first thing I’d like to talk about is the lack of character development. We had character arcs and Robin definitely undergoes some big changes throughout this book, but my problem is that we really don’t get to see much of his evolution in personality and goals. We are told about his changes and then we get random scenes where he says or does something, and then by the end of the book he has just majorly changed in ways that didn’t feel fluid. I’m fine with how things turned out and actually really love how Kuang ended this book and Robin’s arc, but it just happened in such a clunky manner. And since this is R.F. Kuang writing this book, there are some character deaths (I won’t say who, don’t worry!), and I’m sorry to say that I didn’t really care about them that much because I never felt like I really got to know or connect with the characters in questions when I really think it was supposed to mean more to me. I was sad, of course, but not heartbroken in the way a book with really well developed and complex stories should. I think this is also partly because we don’t get a chance to really bond with this group of friends in any impactful way. We are constantly told about their friendship and how they’ve become a family to one another, but rarely do we actually get to see this on the page, which left everything feeling very distant. I also felt that the way these characters treat each other at times does not at all scream "family" to me.

As mentioned, this book tackles a lot of really important issues and for that alone it’s worth the read. She tackles these topics with nuance and care and does a great job of conveying her ideas. What I didn’t like, however, has how heavily it was hammered home at every possible moment in the most overt ways. It’s not that I need things to be done in super subtle ways that you can barely tell, but I don’t need to be told “this is racist!” so obviously on every other page. I think some things should really be left for the reader to read, judge, and understand on their own–sort of their own learning experience, if you will.

In a similar vein was my problem with Kuang’s choice of language at times. Using phrases such as “white people” and having one non-white character refer to another non-white character as “my brown friend” are just not really how people talked about race in 1830s London. I wouldn’t really have a big issue with anachronisms like this if it weren’t for the fact Kuang has clearly put a lot of effort into research and historical accuracy in this book–so why does that not extend to the language and way the characters speak? I understand if you want this to feel relatable, but it took me right out of the setting and into the present day. I felt that there was just a bit too much modern language and sentiments that you'd find on Twitter thrown into this book in ways that didn't match the setting and felt quite jarring.

I love R.F. Kuang. I respect her so much and think she’s an incredible woman with some really amazing academic accomplishments, but something about this book just felt like it was really trying to show all that to the readers in really excessive ways. The amount of “fun facts” littered throughout the story about Oxford were interesting, but entirely useless in conjunction with the story itself (not that the plot was that strong, but we’ll get to that) and it just made me want to say, “yes, I know, you went to Oxford” a million times. Since she included footnotes in this story, I feel like a lot of this information could have gone into those footnotes.

I also found a lot of the characters hypocritical. I understand people are human and will be hypocritical or change over the course of a story, but there were definitely inconsistencies in actions over the arc of the story that didn't feel consistent with development. This also happened with a character who was typecast as the ignorant racist friend and the characters that were deemed the good ones by Kuang. I’m not excusing the ignorant racist friend’s choices and inability to empathize at times, but her reactions were treated much harsher than very similar reactions had by other characters. One person was allowed to be hurt and extremely upset by another friend’s secrets, but when the Problematic friend is hurt and upset, her reactions are considered overdone and not allowed. It was just frustrating to see this and I felt genuinely confused at times. I understand that context and nuance are important in how we treat other peoples’ reactions and if someone has a history of ignorance it can be more difficult, but this was a repetitive issue that didn't actually work or feel like an appropriate response.

The pacing of Babel is very slow. I’m a little torn because I really enjoy nonfiction and history and translation and etymology, so I didn’t particularly mind the excessive tangents into lectures and fun factions about words and the history of Oxford and so on, but it really did sort of wreck the pacing. I completely understand why I’ve seen a number of DNFs for this book because to even get to the meat of the plot itself, you have to get at least 50% of the way through. This book even has a secret society of revolutionaries, but it’s done in such a slow, drawn out way that I never felt that enticed by it. There is a lot to get through in this book and it’s just not written in a way that makes it all that enticing to get through at times. It’s definitely more for a certain type of reader, and I am that reader sometimes so I did enjoy some aspects, but it’s still a slow going time due to the density of the content.

Lastly, my unpopular opinion would be that I don’t see this as being overly in conversation with other dark academia classics–especially The Secret History–because it didn’t really feel like a dark academia novel at times. There is a Big Climactic Event that occurs and I think is supposed to be the big clincher of making this dark academia, but it felt very anticlimactic in reality and really felt like it was trying a bit too much. We are told a lot about their academic lives and journey, but I never really felt as though the reader got to be a part of it.

Overall, Babel was a truly fascinating read and one that I know people will adore, but that I think some may find a bit on the slower side. Babel is a really well-written book by a very talented author and it has so many strengths that will make it a well-loved fantasy. I was disappointed by many of the issues I had with it and honestly surprised by many components that didn't quite work, but this was by absolutely no means a bad book. I would still absolutely recommend it to everyone because I think this will be a very individual story that reaches everyone in different ways. I've given Babel three stars and I can't wait to see more reviews from everyone once it is released!

*I received a copy of Babel courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

"She learned revolution is, in fact, always unimaginable. It shatters the world you know. The future is unwritten, brimming with potential. The colonizers have no idea what's coming, and that makes them panic. It terrifies them.
Good. It should."

It's an alternate 1830s Oxford where Babel, the University's Royal Institute of Translation, is the ‘pioneering’ centre of translation and 'silver-working', an act that catches what is lost in translation and manifests it into being. After cholera kills his family, Robin is whisked away from China to London by renowned Professor Lovell where, upon arriving at Babel, Robin has no choice but to follow and obey Professor Lovell’s strict study regimens

“Languages aren’t just made of words. They’re modes of looking at the world. They’re the keys to civilization. And that’s knowledge worth killing for.”

“They’d been chosen for privileges they couldn’t have ever imagined, funded by powerful and wealthy men whose motives they did not fully understand, and they were acutely aware these could be lost at any moment. That precariousness made them simultaneously bold and terrified. They had the keys to the kingdom; they did not want to give them”.

This story will give you all the emotions.

When a popular author writes a new book there is usually some hype but it doesn't always quite match up to with is written. In this case for me it was of course o well written book but some things about the story and what happens doesn't really connect with me. I think people will really like this book though. Those that really love language will like this story. It tries to explore and show the love of language and where the words we use come from. I enjoyed this as well and it was so fun read about. The love of learning is clear in this but for it seems at times that those who are trying to learn don't really care about anything except learning and don't care about the real world and live in their own reality most of the time. One thing I did not care for was the continual hating on the colonial system of the British. It was mostly true but just got tired of it being repeated throughout the book. The British did terrible things, but most governments or people have done terrible things in history. I don't think there is one country that is not is guilty of doing something that would not be considered reprehensible by modern standards. The points that she is trying to make though should have the reader questioning many things about the reality of what has gone into making our current world now. Still so much that could be said about this book but i was a very good read and happy to have to read it. Thanks to the publishers and netgalley,

Okay, wow, where do I even start? This was the first work of Kuang's that I've read, and wow.

Babel focuses on Robin, a young Chinese boy who is taken from his home in Canton to live with an Oxford professor, who's had a hand in his upbringing since birth, leaving a servant with him to teach him English. In London, Robin is trained in Latin and Greek, and eventually sent on to the Royal Institute of Translation, and from there becomes embroiled in the politics of the translation services that Babel provides, and the secret society trying to fight against colonialism.

Overall, I really enjoyed this. It felt a tad long, and there were some points when the prose felt really drawn out and repetitive, but the cumulative effect is a story of Robin's journey through naivety into the reality of the world around him, and the reckoning of his personal experiences with racism into the larger narrative of the world. I thought all of the characters were well fleshed out, and particularly enjoyed Robin's cohort. The intricacies of these relationships was well defined as well, and the effect they had on Robin, and therefore the narrative, was believable and relatable in some ways.

I'm excited to see more of Kuang's work, and am now looking even more forward to reading The Poppy War for my book club.

There are no words to express how fucking phenomenal Babel truly is! This was my first book by Kuang and I am forever grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc because I am not obsessed.

Okay friends, if you are up for a challenge look for Babel by R. F. Kuang on August 23rd. Dark academia that tackles hard subjects like colonialism, racism, and sexism while giving you a thorough lesson in semantics and history. R. F. Kuang absolutely blew me away. The sheer amount of research and thought that has gone into this book is astonishing.

Thank you @harpervoyagerus for the eARC, you've made this author an instant buy for me.

This book is a love letter to words and to language as well as a battle cry against systemic racism and colonialism. And how RF Kuang crafted such a nuanced, beautiful, and tragic story into something so readable, smart, and utterly incredible I’ll never know.

Our main character, Robin, was stolen from his home in china and raised by an English professor for one purpose, to go to Oxford and study at Babel. Babel is the home of language and using silver to wield the magic of language which is what’s powering the great British empire. We watch Robin grow up and grapple with his race and identity, what it means to be apart of two worlds, and more.

This story is more than magic and dark academia, although it is a triumph in those areas. But more than that, it’s a call to arms and a harsh but necessary look at the violence of racism and the pain and darkness of colonialism. Although this takes place in early 1800’s (and in a world where magic is real) so many of the moments and themes ring through to today. I felt uncomfortable, sad, in awe, angry, devastated, and more while I read.

I’m absolutely blown away but the scope of this book and how utterly masterful it was handled. This is one of my favorite reads of the year, if not all time and should be on required reading lists.

RF Kuang cements herself even further in my must-read author list and I will be recommending this as much as I have recommended The Poppy War.

CW: racism, colonialism, racial slurs, suicide, violence, slavery, Chile abuse, suicidal thoughts, violence

Everything I wanted it to be and more. The dark academia book of my dreams. Kuang has cemented herself as one of my favorite modern authors. Her character progression is completely unmatched. I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen.

This book is impressive. The writing and the scope are amazing. I believe this book should be purchased by all libraries serving adults and maybe even some teen collections. This is a classic in the making for sure.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve heard so much about this book and was excited to read it, yet also a bit intimidated. It was clearly very well written and well researched, and it is quite heavy on the academic/historical speak. There were times when I wanted to skim over some of the more info heavy bits, but overall it was a lot easier to read than I expected.

This is a hard one to put into words, so I will say that Robin’s story was very heartbreaking and unlike anything else I’ve read. There are a lot of powerful lessons about colonialism, racism, and language. Most of the action happens at the end, so I was not expecting things to escalate like they did. RF Kuang really knows how to write a powerful ending. I would recommend this for lovers of dark academia with a touch of fantasy.

This book is phenomenal. I appreciated reading the Poppy War trilogy and all of it's commentary on war and suffering and the consequences of war and trauma, and Babel took everything great about the Poppy War trilogy and made it better from my perspective! Babel follows our main character, Robin, who is enrolled in Oxford's translation department in the 1820s, and the reader follows his experience as a Chinese person in Britain. We get to know his cohort who, like him, each have a talent for various languages for translation, and each of them are strikingly full of nuance, drive, and agency. The plot proceeds quickly, and the book is overall a quick read for its 560 pages. I appreciated all of the commentary on race, resistance, colonization, and advocacy in an unjust society, and the story explores a variety of ways and positions for the characters to decide how much they're willing to sacrifice in the cause against imperialism. The overarching theme that really captivated my attention was in translation. Language has power (and in this book, magical power!), and the art of translating is so much more than a direct correlation of words, and this book really does a good job of showing that. Even if you've never read this author before or were unsure about the Poppy War, I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a stellar dark fantasy that explores deep and nuanced topics.

A huge thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley for a copy of this eArc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I finished this book at about 2am and am still sitting here processing it. Babel took me completely by surprise and completely blew me away. I will say though that I was a bit nervous in the first quarter of the book, because I wasn't feeling into it. The beginning is a very slow burn, and to be honest I was struggling. But wow was that slow burn build up absolutely worth it, as well as absolutely key to the overall story.

'Babel' takes a deep dive and a very close and real look into colonialism, racism, sexism, as well of the cruelty of those in power. This book highlights a lot and was very impactful and profound. R.F. Kuang's writing is so masterful and eloquent, and her prose were so detailed, methodical, and thought provoking. She is truly a master of her craft and did a phenomenal job with conveying the lessons and intricacies and linguistics/translation.

I felt so many emotions while reading 'Babel', but I would say the most intense emotions I felt were rage and sadness. The MC's in this book have been through a lot in their lives and it only gets more intense and brutal as the story goes. And the light that R.F. Kuang shines on corrupt government and the ways it keeps people separated in order to keep them from banning together against their government is so prevalent to these present times we're currently living in.

But she also does highlight the main way to get a government to listen to its people. It's difficult, dangerous, and severe, but it's necessary. Although she also highlights what it looks like to go too far, and what it looks like to potentially lose yourself along the way. 'Babel' is such a brutal and honest story, and it speaks to real world issues still going on in this present day. This is a read I will never be able to forget.

I think the only con that I can think of is the glaringly obvious Chekhov's Gun that we're introduced to quite early on in the book, but overall, that wasn't an issue that hindered this reading experience for me at all. Not enough at least to give 'Babel' anything less than the 5 stars it deserves.

Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution is an incendiary indictment against colonialism. Within this superbly written slow-burner of a bildungsroman, R.F. Kuang presents her readers with an extensive critique of eurocentrism, scientific racism, white supremacy, elitist institutions and the hoarding of knowledge, and British imperialism that is by turns didactic and impassioned. If you are a reader who isn’t particularly into nonfiction but you are keen on familiarizing yourself with discourses on colonialism, decolonization, and postcolonialism, or are interested in linguistics (translation, interpretation, language contact), or learning more about the circumstances that led to the First Opium War, you should definitely consider picking Babel up

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
RF Kuang tore my and many other readers’ hearts out with her debut Poppy War series, and while I didn’t know for sure what direction she was going in with Babel, I was still unreasonably hyped, and the hype only grew the more I learned about it. And fortunately, it did not disappoint.
In some ways, this book is a spiritual successor and response to Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, which I also loved. It also pastiches the historical style of writing and structuring a book, from the quirky long alternate title to the copious use of footnotes. I have mixed feelings about more and more authors using footnotes instead of conveying context in the main text (especially if it’s for superfluous inside jokes), but Kuang captured a similar magic to that which Susanna Clarke did almost two decades ago.
Just one glance at Kuang’s biography gives you a sense of how educated and accomplished she is, and that absolutely comes through here as she really digs into language. The prose itself is beautiful, but not inaccessible, but it inspires you to want to explore the different linguistic connections that are embedded in the story.
This is a fantasy, but in a more subtle way than her debut trilogy. The students of Babel learn silver-working, and their studies in foreign language are meant to facilitate the colonial activities of the British empire, with the text exploring how translation and favoring one dominant language over others can be an act of violence in and of itself.
And with language being so important to the story, Kuang mastered the ability of using words economically. This is a long book, but you never get the sense that any word is wasted or unnecessary.
Robin, the central protagonist, is one of four students, all of whom are nonwhite and impacted by the British Empire and its atrocities, being raised and educated primarily to provide labor. As Kuang is known to do, she has Robin and the others face major hardship and persecution. However, this is contrasted through the companionship Robin forms with his Victoire, Ramy, and Letty.
This book is pure perfection, and I’d recommend it if you enjoy historical fantasy in the vein of Jonathan Strange, or if you’ve enjoyed RF Kuang’s previous work.

As someone who has moved from my home country, speaks at home my language, works in a second language, and struggles daily with a third language that is being imposed upon me (which makes sense because I decided to move here, and I still want to be able to speak it fluently one day), this book made me feel so many things!

The first half of this book is very focused on language and translation, and I loved all the discussions, it was fascinating.
The second part did feel slower to me, because I was so hyped with everything that was happening and we shift to something very different. But the character development throughout this book was masterfully done and I was engaged the whole time.

To set right expectations, don't go into it expecting fantasy. I would say it's a historical fiction with some fantasy elements, but they are not very heavy. I fell in love with the discussions on language, translation, culture and colonization, but I wouldn't recommend this book unless you enjoy these topics and a lot of academic conversations.

I received an eArc of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Despite being a story about translators in the early nineteenth century, Babel is about being a Computer Science major in the present day. It's the department that gets the most funding and is most international (in the states at least as our immigration scheme awards post-graduation visas to STEM majors over other departments), but more importantly it's the department where you're told that you'll save the world only to graduate and find that the options are either making the rich richer through the creation of luxury goods or weapons.

Kuang deftly creates this sense of dread and impending doom as you watch the main characters thrive as Oxford students while all the while aware awaits them at graduation. Its the type of story where you know it's impossible for everything to work out in the end but you hope against hope that somehow it will.

On top of this is some of the strongest prose I've read in a long time. The tone is somewhere between Charles Dickens and Lemony Snicket with these asides in the form of endnotes that sometimes provide historical or linguistic context but more often than not provide anecdotes about the characters of the setting. The character work is phenomenal, especially the villains, every character in this book thinks they're in the right and none of them quite are. Scenes are genuinely haunting, there's this moment relatively early on where the main character as a child is beaten with a fire poker by his guardian who does so a completely cold meticulous sort of way and I keep finding myself seeing that image in my mind's eye.

I feel the need to give this important bit of context as I'm sure many will write this off as "just" being another dark academia book. I'm not a fan of dark academia, I received a classical education and I hated every second of it whether that be Latin or various German philosophers. Yet I loved every second of this book. As much as this is styled as a "Dark Academia-core" book, it is very much a rebuke of the fantasy of the academy. One that is extremely successful to the point where I wonder why the author is pursuing a PhD.

If you only read one book this year, I hope that it's this one.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Babel is the standalone, low fantasy, dark academia, alternative history of our dreams. R.F. Kuang has written a great story that looks unflinchingly and creatively at the devastation of colonization.

For you if: You like low fantasy (takes place in our world) and books that take place in a university setting.

FULL REVIEW:

Say hello to one of my (and many people’s) most anticipated books of the year! As you might guess from this novel’s full title, Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang is a dark academia novel. It’s also a low fantasy (meaning it takes place in our recognizable world, with a magic system introduced on top) alternative historical fiction. And…WOW.

Babel is about a character named Robin who was born in China in 1828 but spirited away from a cholera-infested household to England as a young boy. There, he was raised to study translation (and thus a magic called silverworking) at Babel, the preeminent institution on Oxford’s campus. He and three his fellow incoming classmates — two of whom are also people of color, and two of whom are women — arrive and begin the daunting work of proving themselves, as students and as outsiders. But soon it becomes obvious that sinking into the privileges afforded to them, built on the colonization of their own homes, would mean turning their backs on their consciences.

The absolute GENIUS of this novel is the way translation and silverworking stand as the most perfect metaphor for the parasitic relationship of Britain (or any colonizer today) and its colonies. A fluent speaker of two languages translates one word into another and carves them into a silver bar. But there’s no such thing as a perfect translation; some nuance is always lost. That nuance fuels the bar’s magic. In this version of the world, everything is powered by silver — carts run faster, old buildings stay up, illnesses are healed. The economy is built on it, and international “trade” is fueled by it. But as European languages merge more and more, silver powered by translation between romantic languages is becoming less potent. So fluent speakers of other languages — ex. Chinese, Hindi, etc — are becoming more valuable. But to what purpose does Britain put the knowledge and power they gain from the students they “rescue” from these countries? As R.F. Kuang writes this story, she stares you in the eyes unflinchingly, unblinkingly, and dares you to look away.

OK this is getting very long but the last things I’ll say: the characters are amazing (each member of our foursome is compelling and together they form the perfect group to probe one another’s prejudices and blind spots). This book has some of the best footnotes (mix between informative, funny, sarcastic, etc) I’ve read in a novel. If you love language you’ll love this. And while it was long and I expect some will call it slower paced (it covers a span of years, from Robin’s childhood to the end of his time at Oxford), it never bothered me for a second.

This is my first R.F. Kuang — I haven’t read The Poppy War (yet!), but from what I’ve heard, her writing has gotten better and better with each book. And while this one is super different from her debut trilogy, it sounds like her fans are loving this too. I hope you decide to read this book!!




CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Colonization; Racism and racial slurs; Sexism, misogyny; Suicidal thoughts, suicide; Gun violence, general violence

Babel. God.

I’m still struggling to find the words that fully encompass how I feel about this book outside of the words: “love” “validating” and “seen”. Babel has been one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year and I cannot believe how much it blew past my expectations. How it broke my heart. How it validated my existence in a racist society and my own experiences at a predominantly white University.

In this book we follow Robin Swift, a newly orphaned child brought to Britain from China by Professor Lovell who trains and educates Robin specifically with the goal of one day attending Oxford. Robin trains, makes friends, and well…you’ll have to read to find out the rest.

I fell in love immediately with Robin and Victoire, two of our main characters. And just let it be known I will absolutely defend them with my life. Non-negotiable. Immediate kick to the face for them.

While the Poppy War series is one of my favorites, I think in this book we get to see R.F. Kuang’s writing at its best. The characters she writes are deeply complex. The story itself brings up so many interesting points on colonialism, the BIPOC struggle with assimilation in a racist society, what it means to be a revolutionary, the inherent racism within academia, and so much more.

I don’t want to overhype this book because I know it absolutely won’t be for everyone. It can be deeply uncomfortable at times and might drag at times for those who aren’t super into linguistics and language. But I think this story is necessary and timely. All I know is this book kicked me in the head and heart and I’m thankful for it. 5 stars all the way. 100% my favorite book of the year so far.

Robin Swift arrives in London with his benefactor Professor Lovell after the entirety of his family dies of cholera in Canton. His early years are spent at Lovell's home, being tutored in all subjects, but especially Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese. Robin arrives at Oxford University's Royal Institute of Translation - aka Babel - the world's center of translation and silver-working. The silver-working side uses enchanted silver bars and word pairs to rise the British Empire to unparalleled power throughout the world. A trip back to China enlights Robin to the effects of this power and changes everything about what he thought he knew.

This book. Guys, this book. Is phenomenal. Do you want to know when I first realized it? About a quarter of the way through when I started thinking I should go back to school to be a linguist. Now mind you, I speak exactly zero languages other than English and I'm 51 years old. So clearly I was not going back to school to become a linguist but this book made me want to. R. F. Kuang made it all so sound so interesting that I was fully ready.

Anyway, once I realized I wasn't going back to school, I went back to reading. It's a long book, true, but also it's very dense. And by that I mean, I really had to put aside all distractions while I was reading to fully appreciate and stay with the story. The language aspects were so interesting and I can't imagine what went into creating a book like this using this premise. I found everything about this truly fascinating.

I had previously read The Poppy Wars trilogy and loved that. This is different in some ways, but also similar. I'm so intrigued to see what R.F. Kuang comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available August 23, 2022.

This book was immaculate. From the very first page, I was fully immersed in the universe and the setting from China to London to finally reaching Oxford. R.F. Kuang is a master of the pen and world building. This book is deservingly highly anticipated and lives up to every bit of the hype.