jamesdaniel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, War, Sexism, Violence, Colonisation, Racism, Xenophobia, Hate crime, Murder, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Trafficking, Suicide, Death, Classism, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, and Gun violence
Minor: Body horror, Medical trauma, Blood, and Antisemitism
solarel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Conceptually the book discussed important themes with no subtlety, but there was nothing there to keep attention to. A bit disappointing.
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Torture, War, Death of parent, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Police brutality, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, and Domestic abuse
arieslofi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
the ending isn't my exact favorite, but i did enjoy a lot of it and the glimpse into victoire's past.
anyway griffin PLEAAAAAASE return my fucking calls
Graphic: Racism, Hate crime, Colonisation, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Child abuse, Torture, Death, Toxic friendship, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Slavery, Physical abuse, War, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
griffin_7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Violence, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death, Misogyny, Murder, Toxic friendship, War, Abandonment, Classism, Confinement, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Vomit, Hate crime, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Colonisation, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Deportation, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Genocide, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Suicide attempt, and Forced institutionalization
rnbhargava's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Xenophobia, Car accident, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Violence, Body shaming, Cultural appropriation, Stalking, War, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Confinement, Death, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Rape, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship
All the themes said to be triggers are present, particularly the race and religion ones. There’s a scene where it appears that female characters could hypothetically be assaulted. The racism and discrimination on religion angles are throughout the book. The major theme of the book is reconciling existing within educational institutions in the west while the same people you’re learning from are harming your original homelands, whether you remember them or not, and the moral plus political repercussions of that.daniela_09's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Babel is immersive, passionate and critical as expected of R. F. Kuang's incredible writing.
I felt like I was transported to Oxford in the past with sprinkles of magic. You could tell how much research goes into this book and it was so heart-warming reading about the friendship and found family of Robin, Rami, Victoire and Letty.
This is my 3rd book of Rebecca Kuang and I can’t wait to read Yellowface soon 💛
Graphic: Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Suicide, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, and Death of parent
paulibirisqui's review against another edition
- 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
This book deserves all the praises and success (may I say, even more) that's having. Do not be intimidated by it, the language used makes it much easier to get engaged with the story.
The academic side is brilliant. The conversation and discourse surrounding translation, languages, imperialism and colonialism, and the relations between them, is sublime. It's incredibly well developed and carried through the whole book.
The dark side is nice. Especially towards the end, even though there were always small hints.
The characters are amazing, being Victoire my favourite. The different perspectives they have make their relationships richer and complicated. I saw someone saying they were unidimensional. I can not disagree more. They have elaborated feelings and unique ways of facing issues. However a valid criticism is that their union is more said than showed.
Nonetheless this was an amazing read, I heavily recommend it.
Spoiler
I loved Griffin so much, I wished he had stayed longer :'(Graphic: Colonisation, Violence, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Hate crime, War, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, and Gun violence
Minor: Slavery and Physical abuse
schausjk's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Islamophobia, War, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Confinement, Alcohol, Car accident, Addiction, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Suicide, Misogyny, Infidelity, and Gun violence
slinders's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: War, Classism, Colonisation, Murder, Xenophobia, Death, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Racial slurs, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Deportation, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Genocide, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child abuse, Torture, and Abandonment
bookedandbusy's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Drug use, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Addiction, Classism, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Excrement