Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Babel, an Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

807 reviews

rc_boxnut's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• 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? Yes

2.5

I’ve seen many reviews hating on this book for “caricaturing white people” or “beating us over the head with her woke agenda.”

As a person who agrees with Kuang’s political and philosophical positions (and as a person who knows white people are rubbish), I *also* felt like the book was “beating us over the head with her woke agenda.” So much of the book was spent restating ideas, and giving example after similar example of the evil of colonialism, that the lessons were diluted. 

Part of me wishes that Kuang had written Babel later in her career when she had more mastery of her craft, because the message is valuable, the magic system is fascinating, and a few characters are really compelling.

I’ve provided content warnings to go with this review, but I want to highlight two: child abuse and emotional abuse. Fairly early in the book, there is a wrenching scene of an adult abusing a child. Afterwards, there are realistic depictions of other adults’ complicity and gaslighting.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Racial slurs, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Sexual assault

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Suicide, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

sayomu's review against another edition

adventurous dark fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Blood

Moderate: Death, Drug use, Physical abuse, Racism, Xenophobia, and Death of parent

ethuiliel's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Drug use

ewwniamh's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Death of parent, Murder, and War

carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

 Excellently written and researched, loved the footnotes, but, and I hate to say it, I docked points for petty reasons.

As soon as Ramy and Robin met, I was like “don’t be a coward and make them gay”. Instead, she fucking killed Ramy (well, I guess she killed them both). I almost DNFd because of this. And like, ok, she did throw in that line on the last page about Robin falling in love. And like, ok, it was obvious (to me) that they were more than platonic besties the whole time. And like, ok, there was no explicit romance, het or otherwise, in the book. But still, if you’re not gonna let them kiss, at least don’t kill them 🥲. like yes, whatever, romantic tragedy, my love dies I go on a grief fueled rampage whatever whatever. Letty Price, you incel ass, you better not let me catch you in these streets.

Was really disappointed that, given the parallels between Griffin’s cohort and Robin’s, she chose to take Letty in the same direction as Evie. I think it would have been more subversive if Letty DIDNT betray them literally two pages after we found out Evie did the same.

Ok, maybe this is childish (I did say I docked points for petty reasons!), but DAMN, did she have to kill everyyyyyone what the fuck. I feel like she lost her thesis at times? It was difficult to understand the point she was trying to make. IS violent rebellion the only solution or no? IS martyrdom as a way to get the (white) man to take you seriously valid/fair or no? Maybe I just lack reading comprehension skills, but if most of your characters are dead by the last chapter of your book, their sacrifice painted as the only path to success, but you are ambiguous about the outcome AND the character you leave alive was the most levelheaded and logical, what am I supposed to believe about the necessity of violence?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, and War

Moderate: Drug use, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Car accident

easyintheory's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Babel is a truly magnificent look into the violence of upholding colonial power structures— especially the ones we benefit from. It is a meticulously thorough curriculum of the mystery and power of etymology and language. I love the way R.F. Kuang shows just how dark ‘dark academia’ can be, while still pointing toward the light at the end of the tunnel vision.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Colonisation, and War

isha_p0702's review against another edition

DNF at 50%. This book is tedious and repetitive and i do not like any of the character work here either. This book should also not be a fantasy. If anything it is magical realism and a little of that. It also has a ton of historical imaccuracies and i can’t seem to get through another 300 pages with how the author hammers for the 1000th time how colonisation is bad and no white people can be actual allies. I also felt bad for how Letty was treated throughout the book by the other 3 main characters. Will get back to it after some time and give a full review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Racism, Toxic friendship, and Colonisation

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Slavery, Death of parent, and Abandonment

livpaige93's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Colonisation

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and War

Minor: Death of parent

s4r41d's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative reflective sad slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, and War

Moderate: Torture, Trafficking, and Cultural appropriation

Minor: Death of parent