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A review by bleadenreads
Babel by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
- 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
"Language was always the companion of empire, and as such, together they begin, grow and flourish. And later, together, they fall"
Where to begin?
Well, this was absolutely worth the hype for me!
The level of linguistic detail was outstanding and showed the academic strengths of the author and their expertise. I adored the passages about translation and etymology - many of my friends have studied languages so I wanted to share passages with them, and I also did some translation in my MA - it was honestly so fascinating but still kept me captivated as plot not a lecture!
The world building & lore about the silver was set up superbly to not only to embellish the plot but also to critique imperialism & colonialism. I found the way it explored the impact of globalisation on languages fascinating - in particular the spread of English.
There were wonderful plot twists & gasp out loud moments that were expertly drip fed throughout the novel, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making it hard to put down.
I really loved the footnotes throughout which had an air of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in the way they added "facts" & little nuances to the novel as well as adding to the academic setting.
The lack of justice & happy endings for the characters were brutal but realistic, keeping me hooked and devastated.
One of the most inventive novels I've read in a long long time and it was so moving & tragic - I didn't want it to end! It certainly left you questioning (& screaming at) the global exploitation & manipulation of the British Empire. What a great start to my 2024 reading year!
"Defying empire, it turned out, was fun"
Where to begin?
Well, this was absolutely worth the hype for me!
The level of linguistic detail was outstanding and showed the academic strengths of the author and their expertise. I adored the passages about translation and etymology - many of my friends have studied languages so I wanted to share passages with them, and I also did some translation in my MA - it was honestly so fascinating but still kept me captivated as plot not a lecture!
The world building & lore about the silver was set up superbly to not only to embellish the plot but also to critique imperialism & colonialism. I found the way it explored the impact of globalisation on languages fascinating - in particular the spread of English.
There were wonderful plot twists & gasp out loud moments that were expertly drip fed throughout the novel, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making it hard to put down.
I really loved the footnotes throughout which had an air of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell in the way they added "facts" & little nuances to the novel as well as adding to the academic setting.
The lack of justice & happy endings for the characters were brutal but realistic, keeping me hooked and devastated.
One of the most inventive novels I've read in a long long time and it was so moving & tragic - I didn't want it to end! It certainly left you questioning (& screaming at) the global exploitation & manipulation of the British Empire. What a great start to my 2024 reading year!
"Defying empire, it turned out, was fun"