A review by alireuter
Babel by R.F. Kuang

5.0

what a book. before delving into this extraordinary story, i had heard some great reviews met with some not so great ones. i’m happy to say that i’m absolutely in love with this novel & the themes surrounding it. it tells the story of a quiet rebellion, filled with academia & the question of identity. the setting of oxford is magnificent, an epicentre of intellectualism but is not hard to grasp for the reader. the weaving in of magical realism elevates the risks & further reveals the depth of the issues of the british empire. at first, it makes the reader analyse with rose tinted glasses, yet illustrates a sense of doubt that
 grows throughout the book. the most prominent thing that is like to applaud is the writing of kuang, who balances the variety of elements that makes this book so interesting, enchanting & overall enlightening. it’s a hefty story, but deals with the characters’ stories & the intense themes so well that it doesn’t patronise the reader at any point. at 500+ pages, it’s a lot to get through but it really doesn’t feel that long. i’ve realised that my big book fear was only down to me not reading the right ones. it entices you from the first page, & what unfolds is a great epic of secret societies, expression & loss, along with discussion around translation which are just fascinating. kuang may just become one of my favourite writers of all time.