Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang

9 reviews

tbd24's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

4.75

this book was my niche exactly so I feel a little biased but I liked it a lot. The writing was very good and evocative, I found myself literally gasping aloud or beginning to sweat during tense parts of the book. Very good character writing and development, though I was a little disappointed

Spoiler

Rami and Robin were only ever subtext, I would have been a bit more satisfied if they had a proper conversation about it, even once, especially since they were gonna die in the end anyway so what did the author have to lose. I feel like the reason it was never explicit is because the author didn’t know how to write a conversation like that and still keep the historical realism, though others have done this well. idk, it just disappointed me

. Overall, the only reason this was not a five star read for me was the pacing was a little bit too sporadic for my taste. There were drawn out moments that I wish had been shorter and quick fly by scenes that I wish we could have relished in. But other than that, loved it, and will defs read again

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Xenophobia, Terminal illness, Murder, Domestic abuse, Torture, Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Religious bigotry, Racism, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Grief, Emotional abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Trafficking, Addiction, Islamophobia, Ableism, Toxic friendship, War, Slavery, and Sexism

sharrikloves's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Xenophobia, Racial slurs, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Classism, Violence, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Murder, Slavery, Racism, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Grief, Gore, Gaslighting, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

Moderate: Car accident, Ableism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Drug use, Death, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Death of parent

This is an important read, but will be extremely triggering for AAPI + BIPOC readers.

spineofthesaurus's review against another edition

challenging dark informative sad tense

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Child abuse, Blood, Colonisation, Violence, Xenophobia, Classism, Death of parent, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Medical trauma, War, Body horror, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Torture, Emotional abuse, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Cultural appropriation, Genocide, Vomit, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, Abandonment, Deportation, Islamophobia, Medical content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Ableism, Child death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Trafficking

Minor: Excrement, Infidelity, Car accident, Alcoholism, and Addiction

stargazer_ley's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Sexism, Child abuse, Death, Racial slurs, Gore, Gun violence, and Drug use

Minor: Ableism

winterwoodbooks's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense slow-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

One the best books ever written.
One of my favorite books of all time, this feels like my soul.

For everyone who loves Addie LaRue! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Deportation, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Genocide, Grief, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Suicide attempt, Antisemitism, Drug abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Ableism, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Torture, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Trafficking, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Blood, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, and Body horror

criticalbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Car accident, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Violence, War, Xenophobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcoholism, Blood, Classism, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Deportation, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Chronic illness, Death, Gaslighting, Medical content, Misogyny, Police brutality, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Slavery, Torture, and Sexism

dreareads_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

I could sing this book praises! Babel is what happens when an expert on their field writes about something they're passionate about. 

When I began the book I thought the long chapters would be the end of me but my lordy I am glad I stuck with it. The story is one to make you uncomfortable, angry, and euphoric. It is a clear critique of the racism that still exists in academia till this day and the parasitic machinations of colonialism that shaped the world we live in.

I could spend days talking about how every character is meticulously thought of an presented, how despite the racism in the world the characters were never characters themselves, or how the magic system fit seamlessly with the real world it is set on. I could, but I won't because I think everyone should read this for themselves.

I will however talk about <b> the footnotes </b>, which were my favorite part. The footnotes do not only expand the story and the world, but they are clearly the voice of RF Kuang herself. To me, the footnotes were a character in themselves, filled with sarcasm and poignant criticism that elevated the words in the page. I could've spend hours just reading the footnotes (which is saying a lot since I usually hate them).

Babel is popular for a reason. It is a story that will last generations and inspired discourse for years to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cursing, Suicide, Violence, War, Abandonment, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexism, Torture, and Xenophobia

natnat_7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense 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: Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Slavery, War, Xenophobia, Grief, Colonisation, Classism, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Racism, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Toxic friendship, Gore, Death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Ableism, Antisemitism, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, Blood, Car accident, Child death, Alcohol, and Physical abuse

some_random_person_hi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

RF Kuang is too good at ripping my heart to shreds

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Classism, Suicide, Grief, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Colonisation, Drug use, Physical abuse, War, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Slavery, Torture, Toxic friendship, Hate crime, Mass/school shootings, and Misogyny

Minor: Sexual assault, Ableism, Alcohol, and Deportation