Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

Babel: Una historia arcana by R.F. Kuang

1078 reviews

laffi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

Great work, but I saw about every plot twist coming miles ago

I predicted that

Ramy would die

at the start of the book, I saw the

Griffin/Anthony/Evie/Sterling history

,

Lovell being Robins father

,

Babel being destroyed by the translate-silver-work

, and many more.

Great book nevertheless

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Grief, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Bullying, Gun violence, Misogyny, Slavery, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Vomit, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Deportation

teawitchontravel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Slavery, Death of parent, and Deportation

Minor: Vomit, Antisemitism, Car accident, and Alcohol

joana_dc's review against another edition

adventurous challenging inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense 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? It's complicated

4.0

A book that I was forced to speed-read the last 200 pages of since I had to give it back to the library but I actually wanted to finish it. Still quite good since that's when the pacing of the book speeds up.

This was a fascinating read from the aspects about linguistics and the magic system derived from it to the reflections on colonialism and what one can do in the face of opression. Although the pacing can be a bit slow at the start it seems purposeful since it does need to you to be like a frog in a pot where the water slowly heats up until it reaches a boiling point.

A beautiful work of fiction that let's you not only get immersed in a totally new universe but also reflect on topics that are extremely relevant in today's political climate regarding colonialism and the oppressive structures created by governments and how to affect change.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Xenophobia

Minor: Sexism and War

sangsmiles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, and Sexual harassment

pirola's review against another edition

challenging dark informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexism, Slavery, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Child abuse

rikkegstokke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship

mo_bookshelves's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, and Slavery

sabrinazj's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"The problem is we're always living like we've lost."

Once again, R. F. Kuang writes a handbook full of retorts and counterarguments for the reader to use against those in denial of the realities of colonialism and racism. This is one for the academics, the students, and the multilinguals. Smart, witty, beyond creative, and utterly enjoyable!! Her books read fast. 

Huge character development. And one of the most DEVASTATING deaths I've ever read

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Death, Racial slurs, Sexism, and Sexual harassment

kirstym25's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Death and Slavery

Minor: Gun violence and Death of parent

lolelolelolotte's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

Moderate: Sexism, Slavery, Cultural appropriation, and Classism

Minor: Suicide, Torture, Toxic friendship, and War