I first heard of Babel when I came across a TikTok from the author describing their decision to channel the intense racism they experienced as an Oxford student into a dark academia novel to critique Oxford's institutionalized injustices. I was instantly intrigued. Set in 1830s Oxford, Babel is an alternate history / speculative fiction novel in which silver has magical capabilities which power rapid technological development and imperial expansion in England, akin to the Industrial Revolution. Silver's power is harnessed by the act of translation, leading the growing British Empire to seek out language itself as a resource to acquire through colonial trade. Oxford's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel, rests at the center of the silverworking enterprise.

Our story follows Robin, a Chinese orphan selected by an Oxford professor to matriculate at Babel, as he navigates the contradictions between the magic of academia's ivory tower and the violent extraction of resources which drive their idyllic studies. This expansive novel that deftly balances world building with pacing, tracing the dreamlike joys of Robin's life as a student, his introduction to the anti-imperialist underground resistance with the Hermes Society, and the escalating indignities he and his friends face as a foreign-born students. When Robin is confronted with the material violence of Britain's colonial project in China, he realizes he must choose between his studies and his homeland. What follows is an incisive critique of the violence of imperialism, in which translation is a weapon.

I am absolutely in awe of this book. I was drawn in by its exploration of language as a source of power, whether as a means of imperial control, or as an incendiary for insurrection and fostering revolutionary solidarity. I am amazed by the scope of this book, which balanced a fantastical plot with a rich examination of deeply relevant sociopolitical concepts. I loved every second of it. I cannot wait to buy a copy.

This book was absolutely incredible. I enjoyed The Poppy War series so I was very excited to get to read a digital ARC of Babel - now I am even more excited for the release so I can buy a copy to read again! I was on the verge of tears several times while reading this, and I do not cry easily when I read. I loved the characters with my whole heart (except for That One) and I was wholly invested in their journeys. I will warn you that the only thing this book has in common with The Poppy War series is the emotional devastation you will experience, but if you admired R.F. Kuang’s previous works for the way she does not flinch from the horrors of real life, then you will love Babel. I also really loved all the talk about language and translation, and the magic system was completely unique to anything I’ve seen in a book before. I could gush about this book all day but I don’t want to spoil it - please just do yourself a favor and read it. It is such an important book and one of the best I’ve ever read.

Babel by R.F Kaung is brilliant. It’s dark, twisty, and full of amazing commentary. The action is non-stop and full of nuance and themes that just like her previous series, makes you think.

Babel is an absolute masterclass in storytelling and violence. There simply aren't words to describe this work that represents so much more than a story. The fantastic analysis of the history of translation, racism, and forced assimilation teach us that when it comes to matters of the world's painful history of slavery, cultural kidnapping, supremacy, etc, violence is the answer. The violence of translation, wherein one language is torn apart to serve the needs of the English speakers, so that we may abolish what remains of the "foreign" languages one their secrets are stolen, is a timebomb the serves the novel in a way I think many of us could react to the world around us.

Robin, Rami, Leticia, and Victoire will steal your heart and break it a thousand times over.

do you ever finish a book and you're just so overwhelmed with gratitude that this book exists and you've had the pleasure to read it? because that's how i feel after finishing this book. this is definitely a very slow-moving story and for a lot of it i thought it would ultimately be too big-brained for me but then the story took a turn that honestly took my breath away. the pacing of this book was so perfect and the slow beginning made the events that occurred later in the book impact me so much more. i grew so attached to these characters and i was literally gasping at so many points by the end. speaking of the end, i will be sending my therapy bills to miss rebecca thank you very much. this is one of the best written books i've ever read and might be a new favourite book of all time. i'm so excited to get my hands on the physical copy once this book comes out because i will love and treasure her always.

You know, more and more it’s books like this that make me dislike the rating system more than I already did. It’s all relative anyway, right?

Let me start off with the easiest thing I want to say about this book. The thing that’s been at pretty much the forefront of my mind the entire time I read it : I respect the hell out of this book. Yes, it’s clearly a chonky guy, so you can make the leap that this was a lot of work; not just for research and plotting but because of the academic setting and focus, too. Add to it the intense study of colonialism, racism, and the overbearing feeling that resistance to the system is futile? This book is a lot. Again, huge huge respect.

It’s also uncomfortable. And I think it’s supposed to be? The main characters we follow are each coming to Oxford, to Babel, with the desire for belonging, for refuge, to become more (better) than those around them believe them capable of. As a group, this random selection of four, who become necessary to each other not just to the survival of their early days in this new place, but become necessary for each others’ happiness, their successes, their joy.. they rub each other raw, fight, hurt each other, and it’s what makes the whole of their dynamic so real. Because even though they face adversity on all sides — for their race, their gender — they are still human and imperfect and their various marginalizations don’t always mean they easily understand one another.

And one of those characters, I think, is meant to be a reflection for readers — that even someone with their own battles, their own hardships, can never understand what it’s like to be other in white society. That even with her best intentions, unthinkingly, she does harm. She’s a reflection of our own blind spots, the times we are complicit, and ignorant — or at least she was for me. And yeah, that’s uncomfortable as hell to read. But I appreciated it.

Incase you can’t tell, there’s a lot of pain in this story. Beyond the dynamics, as mentioned, the topic of colonialism is vivid and stark. The casual cruelties, made to be factual by those who believe themselves the betters of others, the violence enacted on non-white bodies both physically and emotionally, it’s all just a lot. Much like the catalyst that sends these characters towards the bitter end, there is a slowbuild of hurts that shifts into rage. Because there’s only so much that a person, a people, can take.

Having said all that, if you expect this to be a fast-moving action fantasy, you will quickly be disappointed. I’ve only liked one of the two prior dark academia’s I’ve read but in some ways I would argue that those plots move a little differently than this one. Even at the end, during what I guess you would call the climax, it’s slow. But it’s fitting. These are scholars and much like the rest of the book things move at a certain pace. As for the magic, it’s almost not like magic at all. It’s a tool, a resource; and as a result the silver feels like something real. Something to hoard, to master, to go to war over. Interchangeable with almost anything, really.

So, beyond my respect, beyond my discomfort, what else is left and where does that leave us? I will say that I was fascinated by some of the spiralling language discussions, the etymology, the shifting and morphing of language. The whole discussion about translation, really, was just spectacular; and also a little heartbreaking. And how that tied into the end.. well. Shockingly I didn’t cry while reading this, though one or two moments did make me choke up, and I’m as baffled as you as to why this didn’t rip me to shreds. But maybe it’s also why I can’t come to grips with a rating?

Overall, while I don’t know if this is going to be a story anyone likes, I do think it’ll be one people revere. And maybe that’s where I’ve ended up. Time will tell if I’m right or wrong but, either way, I would definitely recommend this, if you’re interested, but you can’t say you weren’t warned about what to expect.

And in the meantime, I might try and read (finally) the author’s other series, which I have put off for far too long. Similarly, I’ve heard enough to know what to expect about that. I should be prepared. I hope.

I really don't know where to start. I was first introduced to it via R. F. Kuang's twitter, where she promoted it using three key features: linguistics, magic, and academia. If you know anything about me, you know these are the three things I absolutely cannot live without, and this book did NOT disappoint on any account.

The magic system was crafted with so much care it felt palpable. I'd like to say I know a fair bit about linguistics (seeing as I'm halfway through my undergraduate degree in it, I would hope so, at least): everything—from the description of awe that comes from studying translation to analyzing languages so deeply that you trick yourself into thinking you've lost your proficiency—was spot on. I will admit, I am partial to magic systems that use their magic as a metaphor for a larger thematic element of the work (in this case, colonialism), and this book does it beautifully. It is of the most clever and well-done magic systems I've seen in a while. And if I did finish wanting more explanations from the scholars about the intricacies of silver-working (and maybe some syllabi while we're at it)... well, you only have the aforementioned linguistics degree to blame for that.

Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution could not be more aptly named. I found Kuang's approach to the themes in this book fascinating. The way she slowly takes you through her argument as the plot unfolds feels so natural I almost didn't realize how we had gotten from point A to point B. We see Oxford as Robin sees it: We revel in the awe-inspiring power of tradition and academia when he first reaches the university, and likewise, we follow him as he discovers the gruesome realities of colonization and exploitation. I can't speak for the response to Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norell, but as for the thematic response to The Secret History, I think this book was right on the money. If one of the main themes of TSH is that academia can be used to justify madness, then Babel proves that madness Must be used to bolster and continue academia.

I could go on for hours and hours about all of this and more (the writing style, the use of language, the CHARACTERS, the pacing, etc... you get the picture) but if you're looking for a TL;DR, here it is:
This book was a masterful conglomeration of both the beautiful potential and horrific consequences of academia, linked together effortlessly through language.

If you haven’t read R.F. Kuang’s epic fantasy series “The Poppy War,” get to your nearest bookstore ASAP, but if you already have, then you’re in the right place. Kuang’s highly anticipated dark academia, urban fantasy “Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution” is a mouthful of a title. Still, this novel is deserving of an illustrious title.

Orphaned by the cholera epidemic, Robin Swift is whisked away from his homeland and brought to London by the stoic Professor Lovell. As his childhood and teenage years pass, Robin is trained in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for his future enrollment in Oxford University’s Royal Institute of Translation, or Babel.

Robin is swept up in the magic of translation and silver-working: the art of manifesting meanings lost in translation through silver bars, which is the source of the British Empire’s power. As his studies progress, Robin is caught between his work at Babel and the Hermes Society–an organization sabotaging the empire’s silver-work that powers its imperialism. An unjust war between Britain and China over silver and opium lies on the horizon. Robin finds himself tangled up in a revolution that begs the question: can a revolution be fought from within, or only with violence?

Kuang is a master in world-building, and “Babel” doesn’t disappoint. Set mainly in Oxford, the novel had an almost cinematic quality–intricately detailed, realistic, and otherworldly, even if you’ve seen pictures of Oxford. The lore and translation explanations Robin uses throughout the book aren’t haphazardly strewn about or half-assed–Kuang manages to incorporate them seamlessly but was occasionally an info dump.

The motley crew of characters mirrored Kuang’s found family in “The Poppy War” series, yet were much more relatable and nuanced than the series. Ramy, Victoire, and Letty’s friendship with Robin are reminiscent of anyone who finds their people in college but shows the deep fractures that colonialism, race, and gender have on relationships–even in the 1800s.

As the novel progresses, Kuang weaves revolutionary and feminist discourses as a guiding principle and teaching moment for Robin and his friends as they discover the insidious ways of imperial Britain. These conversations are written starkly and without mincing any words for readers–something other authors should note when writing about the horrors of imperialism in fiction. If you didn’t learn something while reading “Babel,” did you really read it?

As much as this novel is about colonial resistance and imperialism, “Babel” is an observation of friendships and the boundaries we must make to protect ourselves. Inspiring, dark, and wonderfully immersive, “Babel” and Kuang’s “The Poppy War” series mirror contemporary conversations about colonial resistance and the need for violence for a revolution to succeed. If you care about bringing down the world's imperial powers, “Babel” is a must-read.

Omg this book is so amazing! It was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and it did not disappoint! I was hesitant about reading it though, because it’s a bit outside of my comfort zone, but I found that I loved the pacing of it, the characters, and I think the idea of this story itself is so ingenious and interesting! I loved that in one way it’s fantasy, but in another way it’s also accurate (Oxford, imperialism, history, etc.). Also gives very intense dark academia vibes.

ARC was provided by the publisher—Harper Voyager—in exchange for an honest review.

Babel was absolutely impressive, ambitious, and intelligently crafted. As unbelievable as it sounds, R.F. Kuang has triumphed over The Poppy War Trilogy—which I loved so much—with this one book.

“Language was always the companion of empire, and as such, together they begin, grow, and flourish. And later, together, they fall.”


Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of Oxford Translators’ Revolution is Kuang’s newest novel. And unlike The Poppy War Trilogy, which I consider a grimdark fantasy series, Babel is a standalone dark academia novel. Also, because this is the longest book title I’ve ever witnessed, to make this review more digestible, I’m going to call the book simply Babel. Babel was—and still is, until August—my most anticipated release of the year. The cover art by Nico Delort looks spectacular, and I think many of you know that I am a fan of The Poppy War Trilogy. I am proud to say that I was one of the first reviewers for Kuang’s debut, The Poppy War, and I mentioned in my review of The Poppy War that Kuang will be one of the queens of modern fantasy. The Dragon Republic and The Burning God proved that notion. And with Babel, Kuang proved, once again, that she is indeed one of the best fantasy authors to appear within the past five years.

“‘But that’s the beauty of learning a new language. It should feel like an enormous undertaking. It ought to intimidate you. It makes you appreciate the complexity of the ones you know already.’”


The story in Babel is told almost exclusively from the perspective of Robin Swift. In 1828, Robin Swift lost his last surviving family due to cholera, and he was then brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. Professor Lovell brought Robin to train him in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese—even though Chinese is his first language—in preparation for the day he'll enroll in Oxford University's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars to magical effect. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel's research in foreign languages serves the Empire's quest to colonize everything it encounters. Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, feels like a fairytale for Robin. It is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, and knowledge means power. But for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, this means inevitably betraying his motherland. Robin has to decide whether he should continue to pursue knowledge and stay in Babel, or will he choose to side with the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working, which in essence, defies Babel.

"Languages are easier to forget than you imagine… Once you stop living in the world of Chinese, you stop thinking in Chinese… Words and phrases you think are carved into your bones can disappear in no time.’


The passage above speaks the truth. For those of you who don't know, Indonesia is my first language, Chinese (Mandarin) is my second, and English is my third language. Due to my lack of usage of the Chinese language, it honestly felt like English has transformed into my second language. As you can probably guess from the title and premise of Babel, colonialism, racism, languages, translations, identities, necessities of violence, and finding a place to belong are some of the heaviest themes of Babel. Regardless of whether you love The Poppy War Trilogy or Babel more, I am filled with confidence in saying that Kuang has outdone herself with this novel.

"Translation, from time immemorial, has been the facilitator of peace. Translation makes possible communication, which in turn makes possible the kind of diplomacy, trade, and cooperation between foreign peoples that brings wealth and prosperity to all."


There is a LOT to unpack in this standalone novel. Each of the themes I mentioned earlier was discussed with ruthless exploration. And I believe that any reader reading Babel could actually use the novel to write their own dissertation on one—or more—of the chosen themes. It felt crystal clear that Kuang has done a myriad of research, and she put them all on the pages of Babel. As a reader who speaks multiple languages, I've been reading, writing, thinking, or speaking in two or three languages every day. It won't come as a surprise that I have an interest in linguistics, etymology, and translation. And Babel has them all. Done in a meticulous and addictive fashion, taking place in an alternative historical fantasy setting, Babel never cease to raise thought-provoking questions and discuss important issues with its readers.

"Betrayal. Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes. So then where does that leave us? How can we conclude, except by acknowledging that an act of translation is then necessarily always an act of betrayal?"


What if the city of dreaming spires is, in reality, a tower leading them to an inevitable nightmare through the illusion of grandeur and greatness? Babel is not as grim as The Poppy War Trilogy. It also has a comparatively more likable main character, which I'll get into soon. And these elements made the events and development in Babel more relatable. Look, I could talk about the plot all day long if I want to. But it is quite frankly impossible to discuss in more detail what made the themes executed in Babel so cleverly done without going into spoiler territory. The book isn't out yet for more than two months, and I prefer leaving the best of the plot in Babel to future readers to find out for themselves. Instead, I will now proceed to elaborate upon the characters of Babel and their characterizations.

"In the years to come, Robin would return so many times to this night. He was forever astonished by its mysterious alchemy, by how easily two badly socialized, restrictively raised strangers had transformed into kindred spirits in the span of minutes."


One of the most magnificent things about Babel is its characterizations, especially for Robin Swift. In one book, less than 700 pages long, Kuang managed to meticulously introduce and develop Robin Swift. His character development and story arc felt immense. Seriously, by the end of the novel, try to look back to the beginning of the novel, and you will see how far Robin Swift has changed. Plus, his character development never felt forced. His grief, rage, dilemma, struggles, kindness, and relatively brief moments of happiness felt so genuine. And I, several times throughout the novel, truly empathized with him. The numbers of challenges, jealousy, avarice, manipulation, and domination he has to defeat were just staggering.

"Only it builds up, doesn’t it? It doesn’t just disappear. And one day you start prodding at what you’ve suppressed. And it’s a mass of black rot, and it’s endless, horrifying, and you can’t look away."


Fortunately, Robin was not alone in facing the cruelties pushed upon him. Accompanying him were three supporting characters: Ramy, Letty, and Victoire. This group of friends, these four characters, are individuals with distinct and different personalities, and yet circumstances allowed them to eagerly trust one another without any interrogations. Will they live happily ever after? Well, that's for you to find out. But do know this is a novel by R.F. Kuang, and it is not a spoiler to say Kuang is going to put her characters through physically and mentally crushing pain. As the characters wait for dawn to visit them after a night of explosive discord and conflicts, I waited with bated breath with them. I was so invested in the characters, especially Robin and Victoire, and I consider it a testament to how well-written this book was that, among many other factors, ALL characters in this standalone novel felt so distinctive and compelling.

“Babel, his friends, and Oxford– they had unlocked a part of him, a place of sunshine and belonging, that he never thought he’d feel again. The world felt less dark now.”


There is also a feeling of satisfaction in reading Kuang's novels from her debut in publication order. Kuang is an author that keeps getting better and better with each new book, and Babel is the author at the top of her game. The narrative has the potential to strike a various range of emotions, and it is delivered mercilessly. One out of many examples, and I'm going to be vague about this, there was a virtuous character who has their kindness tested too far, and we readers get to witness how deadly the malice that kindness can conjure from this. I felt distraught and conflicted by this, in a good way. But at the same time, I also felt sad, and to a level, rewarded by the turn of events. The prose continuously flows well, and the author successfully nailed the character's development. This doesn't mean I fully agree with the character's actions and motivation, but I understood them. The devastations wrought to counter colonialism portrayed were bloody and vicious, and I found the narrative hard to put down. Babel asks its readers whether there is indeed morality and necessity in violence, or is it all an unnecessary and endless deadly cycle with no way out.

“Power did not lie in the tip of a pen. Power did not work against its own interests. Power could only be brought to heel by acts of defiance it could not ignore. With brute, unflinching force. With violence.”


Lastly, I need to mention that I have never been to Oxford or United Kingdom. In fact, I have never been outside of Asia. It remains one of my goals to visit the UK and other countries outside Asia. This is to say that Babel did not only immerse me in its memorable story, but it made me want to visit London even more. It's such a vividly portrayed novel with incredible world-building and layered histories. Yes, Babel takes place in our world, but adding the magic of silver-making that required memories and the proficiency in languages and translations to the narrative provided a totally brilliant result in enriching the depth and complexities of the world. I seem to now have a newfound extra appreciation for translators, too. Take a look at this passage:

"I think translation can be much harder than original composition in many ways. The poet is free to say whatever he likes, you see– he can choose from any number of linguistic tricks in the language he’s composing in. Word choice, word order, sound– they all matter, and without any one of them the whole thing falls apart. That’s why Shelley writes that translating poetry is about as wise as casting a violet into a crucible.† So the translator needs to be translator, literary critic, and poet all at once– he must read the original well enough to understand all the machinery at play, to convey its meaning with as much accuracy as possible, then rearrange the translated meaning into an aesthetically pleasing structure in the target language that, by his judgment, matches the original. The poet runs untrammelled across the meadow. The translator dances in shackles."


Isn't that so accurate and profound? I actually highlighted more passages in Babel compared to the entire The Poppy War Trilogy. Babel is one of the finest standalone novels I've read. It is a victory for literature, and its quality is what every other dark academia novel should strive to be. Paying homage to the importance of languages, translations, identity, and ethnicities, Babel is one of the most important works of the year. August 2022 will be a big month for the fantasy genre. Not only Babel is the third novel of the year so far that I rated with a full 5 out of 5 stars rating, but it will also be released in August 2022, just a week after The First Binding by R.R. Virdi, which was the second novel I rated 5 out 5 stars rating this year. With The Poppy War Trilogy and Babel as her bibliography so far, I feel assured already in declaring R.F. Kuang as one of my favorite authors of all time. A marvelous one-off fantasy standalone is frequently difficult to find. Pre-order Babel. You won't regret it.

"That’s just what translation is, I think. That’s all speaking is. Listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they’re trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone else understands."


Where do Babel stand in my best books of the year list? To that, I’ll say:

"Mande mwen yon ti kou ankò ma di ou,"


You can order this book from: Blackwells (Free International shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

WOW. This is a brick of a book that starts out feeling a bit like "The Magicians" but ends up as a biting critique of empire-building and colonialism. I was completely enthralled by the story and the concept. Lots of action, provocative themes, a study of sexism and racism, lots of twists and turns. It's a "Jonathan Strange" level commitment to read something of this size, but it's very much worth the investment. Truly an accomplishment and it should generate a lot of buzz.

Now this is what dark academia is supposed to be. I truly enjoyed the majority of this book. R.F. Kuang's prose only improves with every book she writes. I was instantly captivated and transported to Oxford every time I began reading this story again. I chose to go with a 4 star rating rather than a 5 because etymology is extremely prevalent within this novel. It is discussed at length both from the professors at this university and at times within the footnotes. As someone who isn't interested in this subject at all, I definitely found myself skimming at these moments, though I see why they were included. This book tackles a wide variety of issues and Kuang pulled no punches throughout this book. It may be hard for people to get through but I think it covers so many important themes that it's worth pushing forward through some of the more dense moments that take place at the beginning of the novel. If you can get through that, the middle/end moves at such a fast pace I had a hard time setting this down.

I have no words, RF Kuang has outdone herself with Babel, so intricately written and ambitiously critiques colonialism and revolutions. The magic system included in the plot only made this better

Kuang does it again with another breathtaking immersive journey. The alternative history of Britain is such a rich tapestry for her deeper conversations about power and language and what stewardship for language means.

< full review will be published 8/8/22 on https://reneereviews.home.blog/2022/08/08/arc-review-babel-r-f-kuang/>

Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution is R.F Kuang's newest lyrical fantasy novel releasing this fall 2022. While Kuang proclaims she went big with this story, that doesn't begin to cover how expansive this book actually is. Equal parts decadent linguaphile exploration, historical fantasy, dark academia, and revolutionary social commentary, this story refuses to be pinned down to a single genre. Readers arrive in 1830s Oxford via detour through Canton, following main character Robin Swift as he is swept from his plague-ravaged home country into the demanding hands of his savior, Professor Lovell. In this loveless arrangement Robin picks up a knack for languages and is deemed sufficiently qualified to attend Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation, or Babel. From there the story expands to cover his adventures in the prestigious college, his instruction in translation and silver-working, and the people he meets along the way.

Oxford and the college of Babel as a setting lend a dark academia mood to the story. The tower itself in which instruction for this branch of the college is located harkens back to the infamous Tower of Babel - an appropriate reference for the story. Each floor of the building has an allocated role - the ground floor contains the lobby and common citizen access, second floor is legal affairs, third floor houses the live interpreters, fourth floor is literature translation, and so on until we get to the topmost floor. This eighth floor houses the silver-working. Although Babel itself is already the most prestigious and well-funded of the Oxford colleges, renowned for their influence in world affairs and critical business functions, those who work in the silver-working department are the topmost of the social hierarchy.

Silver-working is a rare and privileged knowledge, taught exclusively at Babel and heavily safe-guarded for its critical role in every-day functions and broader British Empire superiority. However, because the nature of silver-working is rooted in the job of translation, it requires a particular type of person to successfully do the job. This is where R. F. Kuang introduces additional plot conflict and social commentary.

Silver-working requires someone with intimate knowledge of a language and is a job best filled with native speakers. This means many non-Caucasian minorities are brought into early Britain through questionable means, groomed to grow their natural talent for languages, thrust into Oxford college, and told be to thankful for their fortuitous opportunity. For this reason the cast of characters we follow is very diverse. They experience not only the trauma of a new and unfriendly country but also encounter a constant stream of vicious racism and sexism throughout the story. There's also nuance and breadth in how the racism is expressed, reminiscent of real-world experiences. For example our main character, Robin, a young man from Canton, experiences Oxford racism differently as a near white-passing person compared to one of his darker-skinned friends.

In general although there are certainly fantasy components, this book hits hard on the social commentary elements and is certainly not a light read. Not only does it cover diversity, racism, sexism, and other social schisms that form in this striated microcosm, but colonialism, social injustice, and economic disparity are also discussed as pertains to the political and social powers that act around silver as a resource. Although this book is categorized as a fantasy piece, I'd propose could be more narrowly described as historical fiction crossed with magical realism. There is magic in the story in the form of silver-working and its effects, but that's where the fantasy elements stop. You'll meet no fantastical creatures or other manifestations of magic. Instead, the meat of the story dives into how the magic of translation and silver-working impact each life in this world.

R. F. Kuang's writing is lyrical and moving, with beautiful flow. At times sentences can be a bit lengthy, but it didn't take long to grow used to the style. Babel is a long, character-driven story unique from any other fantasy I've read. If I had to draw a comparison I'd say the basic concept of the how the magic acts is similar to Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett or The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson, but the origin of the magic and everything else beyond defy comparison. I picked Babel up for the intriguing magic concept and cool academia setting, but the story exploded into something much more expansive than I could have imagined. A stunning amount of research and preparation must have gone into producing this work. A sincere kudos to Kuang and her team for creating this story! I'll have fond memories of this book for a long time to come, and encourage anyone who enjoys languages + magic to give this a try!

I will start off this review by saying that Babel is a very artistically written and dense book to get through which may appeal to some people. I LOVED The Poppy Wars so I went into this book expecting the same level of intrigue as that series. Unfortunately for me, it simply felt like reading someone’s college thesis for 600 pages straight. While the plot was good, it was barely there in my opinion. I was reading pages of pages of pages on languages and the history of words, but most of the spiels felt like the author wanted to showcase her knowledge on languages and then had to tie it into the plot of the book afterward. It felt almost forced. I loved the concept, the characters (loved loved the characters actually), and the actual plot of the book but the writing itself dragged. There wasn’t an even balance between plot and what felt like a thesis. It was difficult for me to read more than 3 pages at once before I was feeling incredibly bored. The writing style is my problem with this book, not the actual story line. If you are into dense, very long books this could be the right fit for you.

I requested this ARC and then immediately got scared and tried to put off reading it because I was worried I would have no idea what was going on and it would be "too intellectual" for me (all based off a few tweets by the author). But boy was I wrong. If any of you are hesitant about picking this book up, don't be! The prose flows so well and is very quick and easy to read. I thought I would be very confused with all the translation aspects of this book, but it was actually very interesting and highlighted how much research went into writing this story. The book draws you in immediately, and the stakes keep getting higher and higher...If I didn't have to study, I probably would have finished this in a week, but it definitely kept me hooked and wanting to come back for more.

The one thing I will say is, the reading experience as an ebook is a little annoying with the footnotes. So, if I were to read this book again, I would definitely buy a physical copy because it just makes it easier and you don't have to go back and forth between the footnote and where you left off.

This book is a literary masterpiece. It's unique and groundbreaking in the way it critiques imperialism and colonialism. I loved every aspect of it. And my main regret is not highlighting quotes because there are just some very good, iconic quotes that I still can't stop thinking about.

As someone who is brown, an immigrant, and a minority, this book spoke to me in ways that someone who is white won't exactly understand. And what I find ironic about this is that, this exact sentiment is something that is very clearly portrayed in the book with Letty and the other white professors and students. White people don't get it. They can never completely understand the horrors of colonialism, the exploitation or resources and labour, the imperialism and racism. It was refreshing to see this book state the truth without hiding behind words. That the only reason white people will care about an issue is if it is twisted in a way for them to care. An issue that affects them too, will be an issue that is worth fighting for. It honestly describes so many issues going on in our world right now, and I think that's why this book really hit me hard.

You're going to be frustrated and annoyed reading this book. Especially as you watch Robin, Ramy, and Victoire try to explain to everyone why they're fighting and what they're fighting for. And yet very few people seem to get it. It feels like speaking to a wall, which is such a mood.

This book also focuses a lot on violence and how revolution and resistance is inherently violent as it is the only way to break the system and cause change. I was a bit uncomfortable at first, especially because Griffin scares me lol, but it's true and a fact that a lot of people still don't seem to understand. We can't just change things using sweet words and pleasantries. This again is something discussed in this book, and while it is hard to read at times because it really sucks having to sacrifice everything just for the smallest of hopes that maybe someone will listen and care and stand up for the cause and change things, it was also very validating.

I don't know what else to say without getting into spoilers, but I am so glad I picked this up, especially now. It was worth the time it took to read, and I honestly would read it again to take more careful note of the commentary and highlight quotes.

5/5 stars

- For a book so concerned with etymology and language, this is one of the most linguistically anachronistic books I've ever read. Constant use of words, concepts, and phrases that most definitely did not exist in the 1830s. The characters speak and think like 21st century college students.

- This is a world in which magic ostensibly exists, but we are asked to believe that a world with magic developed exactly the same as our own world, with the same social structures, the same historical narratives, and even the exact same lines of poetry. Implausible, to say the very least.

- Insufferable narrative voice. Reading this book is equivalent to being (dully) lectured to for 600 pages. Condescending and extremely unsubtle, with no trust in the reader whatsoever. This begins with the defensively antagonistic introduction from the author... which does an excellent job, at least, of setting the tone.

- This is categorically NOT "a thematic response to The Secret History" – the two books don't share a single theme.

Finishing a book like this is equal parts pleasure and pain: pleasure in that reading something as striking and beautiful as this is everything a reader hopes to feel in a book juxtaposed by the pain of something beautiful ending and leaving these characters behind in the pages. There are few books that have brought tears to my eyes (I can still count them on one hand) but Kuang's "Babel, or The Necessity of Violence" is now numbered among them.

This is a wonderful alternate history/fantasy exploring topics of colonialism, translation, and racism through the lens of academia. While the themes of the book are at times very heavy-handed, overall Kuang does a brilliant job of tackling these topics and exposing the dark sides of academia. The "magic" system of the book, which centers on translation, is incredibly creative, and as someone who has some experience with translation, I loved and appreciated this aspect greatly. Kuang writes a large cast of characters who are interesting, well-rounded individuals, and by the end it is impossible not to form an emotional attachment to at least some of them; their struggles, their hopes and fears, are compelling and will resonate with a huge variety of readers.

I am so excited for this book to release so I can put it into the hands of customers!