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A review by thisbookbelongstopam
Babel by R.F. Kuang
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
this review will likely need to be edited at some point—i still need to sit with my thoughts on this book but i do know that anything less than the full mark feels inadequate.
i especially love the depth of which translation is woven within the narrative, the characters, the ending. it's such a powerful lens from which we can view colonialism and everything that happened as a result of it. i know a lot of people say that it's so heavy-handed and it is... as it should be in my opinion. maybe it's because i come from a colonized country with very deep and contradicting feelings towards its colonizers that i feel seen and understood by this book.
i especially love the depth of which translation is woven within the narrative, the characters, the ending. it's such a powerful lens from which we can view colonialism and everything that happened as a result of it. i know a lot of people say that it's so heavy-handed and it is... as it should be in my opinion. maybe it's because i come from a colonized country with very deep and contradicting feelings towards its colonizers that i feel seen and understood by this book.