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A review by kindredbooks
Babel, an Arcane History by R.F. Kuang
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
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? It's complicated
5.0
I received a copy of Babel by R.F. Kuang from HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest review.
Magnificent. Extraordinary. Masterpiece. Hello everyone, your favourite read of 2022 has arrived. Alright, yes, it does seem a little overdramatic for a book review but Babel is truly the best book of 2022 for me. I was swept away into this literary, intellectual and political world of Oxford, languages, and silver-making. In a world where the currency is silver and the languages that power it, we follow the story of Robin as he is taken from his home in Canton to London where his new guardian offers him a future if he is willing to study languages to make it into the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford - also known as Babel. His experience growing up in this foreign land promises everything he wants - as long as he is willing to pay the price. The prestige of going to Oxford does not protect him from the racism that he and his friends face. They will need to also decide where they stand on moral grounds in terms of exploiting their home countries. Languages and the process of translation plays a vital role in the expansion of the British empire and Robin and his friends must decide which side of the war they wish to be a part of.
Babel is a tome of revolution, linguistics, and history. As much as I was entertained by the plot and the characters that fill the story, I also felt like I was learning so much about the etymology of languages and the translations or near translations between languages. Babel is intellectual reading as much as it is entertaining. I was holding my breath for the last few chapters of the book - and even when it was all over, I was still reeling from it. Partly because of the masterpiece that is Babel. Partly because I knew that I had to put my thoughts down for this review and I honestly don't think that I can do it justice. Nothing I write about Babel will truly encapsulate the essence of Babel. And so I can only strongly urge you to pick up a copy and let R.F. Kuang draw you into this fantastic world of revolution, languages, history and power.
Magnificent. Extraordinary. Masterpiece. Hello everyone, your favourite read of 2022 has arrived. Alright, yes, it does seem a little overdramatic for a book review but Babel is truly the best book of 2022 for me. I was swept away into this literary, intellectual and political world of Oxford, languages, and silver-making. In a world where the currency is silver and the languages that power it, we follow the story of Robin as he is taken from his home in Canton to London where his new guardian offers him a future if he is willing to study languages to make it into the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation at Oxford - also known as Babel. His experience growing up in this foreign land promises everything he wants - as long as he is willing to pay the price. The prestige of going to Oxford does not protect him from the racism that he and his friends face. They will need to also decide where they stand on moral grounds in terms of exploiting their home countries. Languages and the process of translation plays a vital role in the expansion of the British empire and Robin and his friends must decide which side of the war they wish to be a part of.
Babel is a tome of revolution, linguistics, and history. As much as I was entertained by the plot and the characters that fill the story, I also felt like I was learning so much about the etymology of languages and the translations or near translations between languages. Babel is intellectual reading as much as it is entertaining. I was holding my breath for the last few chapters of the book - and even when it was all over, I was still reeling from it. Partly because of the masterpiece that is Babel. Partly because I knew that I had to put my thoughts down for this review and I honestly don't think that I can do it justice. Nothing I write about Babel will truly encapsulate the essence of Babel. And so I can only strongly urge you to pick up a copy and let R.F. Kuang draw you into this fantastic world of revolution, languages, history and power.