A review by xyzhou
Babel: An Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
3.0
Honestly, I respect R.F. Kuang and I'm fascinated by the ideas she has. Like genuinely I find them really interesting. I think that this book really represents the growth in her writing career, I like it much more than the Poppy War series, I loved the characters (at least in the beginning) and how real this book was when it came to representation. Let's do a pros and cons list to be fair:
Wonderful, loveable characters. They really represent the different ends of the ideological spectrum very well. They all felt really real in the beginning
I think that Kuang is really good at writing school fiction, and this book felt very Secret History, dark academia-inspired (maybe because it's Oxford). Very playful environment, very fun worldbuilding.
The research and thought that went into this book is evident. Its delightful to read, especially since it is a historical fiction.
Spoiler
Pros:Wonderful, loveable characters. They really represent the different ends of the ideological spectrum very well. They all felt really real in the beginning
I think that Kuang is really good at writing school fiction, and this book felt very Secret History, dark academia-inspired (maybe because it's Oxford). Very playful environment, very fun worldbuilding.
The research and thought that went into this book is evident. Its delightful to read, especially since it is a historical fiction.
Spoiler
Cons:I'm not really into Kuang's propensity to over-explain the morals and thoughts of the characters. I do think that it made the book very easily understandable, but at times it feels like she explains through the text inferences and thoughts that the reader can take away through just thinking or annotating it through. It definitely validates my mental thought process while reading but I don't think it is always necessary-- especially in the so-called golden days when she mentions how lucky and how good everything is and how it is about to change. I think it spoils the build-up of tension for me.
Kuang likes writing dark and gritty series. I'm trying not to compare to Poppy War that much, I'm glad that she kept the torture to a minimum here but... it just had to be there... I hope she explores writing dark stories without the violence and torture of it all. At some points in the book it just seems like everything is happening and the torture is just the cherry on top for the horror. Also did this story really also have to end with the protagonist killing himself?
An overall good book I'd say, excited to read more from Kuang.