catapocalypse'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
4.0
Most of the flaws could have been addressed by the story being a duology or even a trilogy instead of one tome, however. While the main character, Robin Swift, is very well explored and realized, the other characters and their relationships are not fleshed out nearly enough. Ramy comes perhaps closest, but after the initial meeting and his interlude, it drops off mostly. The pacing also shifts dramatically from the slow buildup of Robin's life and education up through the first couple years at Babel, into the breakneck pacing of events about 300 pages in.
The other qualm is best explained by this video from Lou Reading Things on YouTube (https://youtu.be/nZN5YjHshJE?si=LLBpm01g3DEQzHUc), which basically comes down to the way the book's worldview skirts over the source of the silver used in the empire's magic to being with. Though her commentary only covers up to Book II within Babel, it holds true for the remainder; the focus is on the imbalance between who has the silver now and only mentions the blood cost of its origins in the Americas once.
For any interested in some nonfiction reads that I feel make good companions to some of the ideas explored, I recommend Eduardo Galeano's Open Veins of Latin America (which will fill in the aforementioned blank) and Kris Manjapra's Black Ghost of Empire (which I read alongside Babel by happenstance, and actually adds a lot of info and context about Britain's colonization, slavery practices, and abolition movements).
Still, I had a good time with Babel.
Graphic: Racism, Colonisation, Death, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Child abuse
smalljoys'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Violence, Suicide, Slavery, Colonisation, Classism, Death, Toxic friendship, Murder, Torture, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Abandonment
asifsyed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Classism, Colonisation, Racial slurs, Racism, Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Violence, Murder, Trafficking, Fire/Fire injury, Addiction, Slavery, Misogyny, Grief, Drug abuse, and Gun violence
Minor: Torture, Police brutality, War, Abandonment, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Sexism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
ekchilton'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
Moderate: Torture
niceonehros's review
Graphic: Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Xenophobia, Grief, Racism, Medical content, Racial slurs, Colonisation, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Violence, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
shayminxcx's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
I have a host of mixed feelings about the direction in the final part. Also, unless we’re being set up for a sequel from Victoire’s perspective, I feel that the audience could have been clearly told if the strike or resulting log of it had any impact.Graphic: Child abuse, Colonisation, Torture, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Slavery, War, Classism, Death, and Grief
signeskov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Cultural appropriation, Classism, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Torture, Misogyny, Colonisation, Child abuse, Blood, Sexism, Racial slurs, Islamophobia, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment, Grief, Racism, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Addiction
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Slavery, and War
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
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Colonisation, Classism, Xenophobia, Toxic friendship, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Racial slurs, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Moderate: Police brutality, Torture, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Islamophobia, and Physical abuse
Minor: War, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
rinku's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Spoiler
Robin killed his father and they had to hide his body, this whole section stressed me so muchSpoiler
low point with Ramy getting shot, Hermes destroyed, and Robin and Victoire locked up. It was such a great moment when Griffin saved them but of course, he had to die as well. This part of the story was so dark, and I loved itSpoiler
Robin and Victorie took over the tower. It showed that non-violence can’t be the answer if you want to change something and deals with the moral questions around political violence. After it, it was so interesting to see how the city started to fall apart and how the revolution started. Sadly, the worker revolution wasn’t talked about in depth as I wished it wasSpoiler
the tower getting destroyed and Robin having to prepare for his death, I always love moments like these in novels lmaoSpoiler
helped Ramy and Victorie flee and got punished instead of them. Before, I hadn’t the feeling that he was the kind of guy to do something like thisSpoiler
she turns out to be a traitor as well in the endGraphic: Racism, Child abuse, Colonisation, Gun violence, Murder, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Blood, Sexism, Alcohol, Misogyny, Classism, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Medical content, War, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Pandemic/Epidemic, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic friendship