I read Babel from netgalley for free in exchange for an honest review.

I am in love. Let’s be honest. I was fairly sure that I was going to at least like this book. The author wrote the Poppy War and that series of books is amazing, and even in this book, opium and China makes itself known.

Honestly, this book made me fall in love with it. The story itself was amazing. Let’s be clear, I have only the most cursory knowledge of the history of Oxford itself and even the colonialism of Britain. What I know is what you learn in school and a little expanded on as I read a lot of British books in college and the history around those books during that time for papers. My professors were always pushing us to really want to dig into the history, and I did look into certain historical interests, but nothing has made me attracted and interested in really digging into the past of not just Oxford but of British colonialism than this book. I want to start first with all places that were mentioned in Babel and then continue my research beyond, as far as I can.

Of course, this book did more than make me fall in love with learning all over again, but that’s at the heart of the book. This book is set in a magical world, a type of dark academia world where language runs supreme. Where multiple languages are important to the working of the magic, but anyone from those other places are seen as lesser. Our protagonist is born in China himself. A boy from Canton who you quickly identify and know will never see him as truly his. He names himself Robin early in the book, and we never find out what his birth name was. And this fact stuck with me through everything I read. Through every hardship, through every time, he wore his Oxford uniform and was questioned for it. When his father called him inherently lazy and wicked because of his blood.

The very essence of this book is to make you question what happened back then. What is happening now. To look at the past that you were fed about a China soaked in opium and xenophobic to outsiders and to really see why that was. To see where the violence and anger come from. Thus, the title of the book.
And at every moment will be questions from the adults of “aren’t you grateful for what we gave you”. Even as they talk about how the abolition of slaves was a mistake. How they are better than everyone else. How savage everyone who isn’t English is. How dirty, lazy, and disease-ridden they are.
That said, I had fun reading as first Robin and then he and his friends all learned about different languages. I have no ear for languages myself, but just reading as he parsed them and figured out where certain words came from or how they came together was fascinating. It really showed how he dug in and appreciated all that it had to offer while his guardians looked down on the roots and the people that used them in everyday conversation.

As a whole, Robin was my favorite character. Out of the four friends, there is a reason to love them all for different reasons. They are all outcasts, even Letty isn’t welcome since she’s not the right gender. Though they need the three others for their languages, they find quickly that people like them often go missing without any real mourning or loss from those around them. As if something less than human was lost on an overseas trip.

The weaving of the academic and the intrigue is masterfully done, and I’ve already bought a hardcover of this book, and I cannot explain how much I loved this book. Seriously, this is one of my top reads this year, and I’ve read a lot, if you like fantasy, history, or dark acedemia books, then this should be right up your alley!

MAJOR AND BASICALLY ALL OF THE SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT!!!!!

The facts are if you’re paying attention then the fates of all the characters are spelled out for you throughout the text. Even what will happen to Babel itself. The only one that I never had any real fear for, and thus had a bit of confusion about was Victoire. Which is explained in the last Interlude. You will find yourself hoping things go different to a lesser or greater degree. Robin’s father you half hope will redeem himself in some small way, that he will see that Robin and his people aren’t just resources to be exploited before he’s sacrificed or murdered. You hope that Letty will connect and emphasize with her friends even though we know that can’t happen based on what we’ve been told before. That their backgrounds are too dissimilar. And then we remember that she’s been brought up told and “knowing” her people are better and that Oxford isn’t perfect, but it’s as close as can be.

Her being a traitor should not be the surprise it is to us as it is to any of them. The writing was on the wall. The way she refused to listen. The way we all can’t stand the violence. The way the world turns and the narratives that they and all of us are told. I know I can’t stand violence.

Her actions that cut so many characters from our tale are all the more proof of this overwhelming need to make a change. The body of Ramiz is a churning hatred of what has happened in the narrative that led to this moment.

And in this, I have to say Robin is the one that I find myself most drawn to. You could say that this makes sense. He’s the protagonist. He was chosen by her to be our lead through this story of great academic discovery and violence. Also, I’m white. My people came to America and encroached and took over land through trickery like the political and word games they used while pushing opium onto China to get the resources they wanted. But I’ve written characters like him. Written those characters that hate violence until all they want is home, but all the people around them want is for them to give them the power they have. I wrote myself pulled from home and offered every luxury until I betrayed them for a chance to get home.

Robin starts out wanting to survive, then killing, then reaching for something greater, until only hate rests in his heart. Even as he’s told that the rich laugh as it’s only the poor that suffer their protest against a war on China. And, as the text has always told us, as he dies bringing down the tower of Babel and everything it stood for.

4.25-4.5 stars

R.F. Kuang wrote a compelling dark academia novel that opens up discussion on real world issues and injustices that often do not get enough page time. Babel is set in the 1800s at Oxford University and follows 4 new students of the translation program. Kuang managed to take the dark academia concept and put her own unique spin on it. She was able to invoke that feeling of love for scholarly pursuits, while also showing the damaging toll it can take. She showcases the beauty of language, but also how we can completely change the meaning of a story based on our own limitations/biases. The unique magic system also integrates the themes of translation perfectly.

<blockquote>Language was just difference. A thousand different ways of seeing, of moving, through the world. No; a thousand worlds within one. And translation - a necessary endeavor, however futile, to move between them.</blockquote>

The novel addresses the racism faced by three of our main characters, and how individuals that are not directly affected by this on a daily basis, truly have no idea what these the persons go through. I really liked the approach that she took with this, especially the discussion that took place between the main characters, because I have not seen as in depth of a discussion about this in many other fantasy books.

<blockquote>And he wondered if there would ever be a day that came when all of this was unnecessary, when white people would look at him and Anthony and simply listen, when their words would have worth and value because they were uttered, when they would not have to hide who they were, when they wouldn't have to go through endless distortions just to be understood.</blockquote>

Kuang also manages to discuss grief, depression, and societal expectations. Her discussions on grief were cathartic to read as it puts words to thoughts and feelings most of us have had or will have at some point. The pain and suffering is not hidden in this novel and instead it is put on full display. Each of our characters has their own challenges/struggles and we get to see how each one deals with their circumstances and how that affects the others around them.

<blockquote>Grief suffocated. Grief paralyzed. Grief was a cruel, heavy boot pressed so hard against his chest that he could not breathe.</blockquote>

<blockquote>But they could not touch that abyss of grief. It was too early yet to give it a name, to shape and tame it with words, and any attempt would crush them.</blockquote>

The novel is separated into five books. The first half of the novel is a slow burn that introduces you to the characters and allows you to get an overall sense of our setting. The pacing in this section was a little too slow for me, though beautifully written, and I found myself putting the book down often. Once I reached the second half of the book, it truly took off and kept me engaged the whole time. The pacing and slight issues with character development towards the end of the book, are the only things that kept this from being a 5 star read for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed my reading experience and would highly recommend this book, not only for the plot/characters, but because it opens up a discussion on so many topics that so desperately need to be addressed.

Robin Swift, plucked from his home at a young age in Canton by an Oxford professor, is brought up to study various languages. When Robin is old enough, he attends Oxford and studies at Babel, the prestigious institute that provides silver bars and spells that keep the world running efficiently. When Robin and his friends discover a corrupt plan by academics, Robin is faced with the challenge of continuing as he has been or creating change. Which side will he choose?

This may be my favourite book of the year. I know this book is getting lots of hype, but for me, it lives up to the hype. Even though it’s a very long book, I was sucked in right away and would think about the book when I wasn’t reading it. The world, the characters, the plot – everything was so well done and so well written. I loved the commentaries on classism, racism, and the politics of academia. This was my first book by Kuang, but it won’t be my last. If you like dark academia like Ninth House or A Deadly Education, I think you will like this magical historical take.

Thanks to Harper Collins Canada for the eARC!

TW: Racism, Sexism, stereotyping, death, torture, suicide, murder, drugs, alcohol

It took me anywhere from 47-54% of the book to be truly hooked on reading it. Kuang straddled the very fine line when it came to the descriptions, almost stepping over the line. At many points, I struggled with deciding if this book was fantastic or entirely too wordy.. Ironically. 😅

Despite the slow start, I'm incredibly moved by this book. For most of the book, I didn't know what I was reading or why. Honestly, the mystery of it all kept me turning the page. But maybe that is what distinguishes a good book from a great one: When you have no idea what you're reading or why, until it all comes to a head and explodes in a miriad of light, enlightening you and making you feel as if you had no right to question this book to begin with. That's how I felt at the end of the book. Overall, I had no right to question Kuang's style. This was beautiful. (Although, I am of two minds when it comes to the footnotes. Not really sure the footnotes added enough to the story to be useful... But if you're gonna use footnotes, could have made more of them. There were too many tangents in the story. All in all, there seemed to be no rhyme or reason of the footnotes.)

Babel explored so many themes in depth. It truly is a well-written book. Loved the diverse group of young characters in this book! If you're a fan of LBGTQ rep, strong friendships, shocking betrayals, and strong world-building, you NEED to read Babel! I hope everyone enjoys the ride as much as I did.

THANK YOU to Harper Voyager & NetGalley for sending me this ARC. All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinions, always.

Silver is power, and the British Empire is its master.

In the year 1828 a young Cantonese boy, himself also in the throes of cholera, watches his Mother take her last breath.
Orphaned, decidedly weak, and inherently backward, the mysterious Professor Lovell takes the child under his own guardianship, back to the civilization & refinement of London. Reminded both of his privilege & position, here Robin begins the years of intense language study that will ultimately prepare him for his enrollment to the Oxford Royal Institute of Translation.

Babel.

Here, in this tower of erudite scholars, is where the truest meaning of translations are crafted. Carefully engraved onto the silver bars that power & enchant nearly every aspect of Britain. Silver upholds foundations, creates beauty & atmosphere. It's embedded into carriages and bakeries, employed as defense, hoarded as commodity. Silver is all, but it takes the work of the gifted to create.

Here, among books, lectures, and intense studying, Robin creates home, finds family, feels love. But when he's approached by the secretive Hermes Society, the illusion of utopia begins to fade in the light of truth; that his value is based solely on his abilities. He is, to the Empire, passably human, his cohort of mixed nationalities even less so. They are expendable cogs of the machine, grinding away at the rest of the world through colonization, exploiting their own Motherlands in the name of British prosperity, where the rich grow fat on the spoils of foreign nations. Caught between to halves of himself, Robin must decide what he is willing to sacrifice, and for what cause.

Revolution begins as a single silver bar.





Incredible. A tale of conflicting emotions & loyalties, crafted to take one's heart to the edge of breaking. This book begins slow, & falls into beautifully stepped pacing, taking the reader along with Robin as he grows, learns, evolves. The first half of the book gives ample time to really connect to the cast, to feel the atmosphere & emotions that Robin experiences. There are no frivolous paragraphs, every sentence counts toward the story that unfolds.

Within the walls of Babel, I found myself leaning in to each lecture, wanting to know more about the magic system, as desperate to learn as Robin. Within his cohort of found family, there is vast representation, immersive backstories, ones you love & ones you keep at arms length. These are the people the reader abides with, each moment shared, from glorious sunsets & crumbling scones, to an academic workload that threatens to break the mind. Even so, I wasn't ready for many of the events, where I had to put the book down a moment & dry my eyes. Revolution, mystery, & sheer companionship catapulted my reading forward, towards an unexpected ending that has me eagerly awaiting the continuation of Babel.






Content Notes: Childhood abuse, racism (in light of British colonization) minor swearing. The book contains only the hints of romantic feelings.

Ah, I love a good resistance of an Empire.

This is a 10/10 for me. This book is THICC but I enjoyed every bit of it. It’s super in your face about colonialism, racism, appropriation, and to be honest that was a huge draw for me. It was such a satisfying journey to make me, a white woman, think about all the ways I benefit from the indentured servitude of others, let me feel icky about it, and then dazzle me with cool magic—but don’t stop feeling icky, we have a resistance to organize.

The characters were all interesting, and each had their own motivations and flaws. The Oxford experience is well-explored, it’s clear even if you skip the intro that Kuang has lived it (or a modern version of it).

The linguistics and localization lessons are well done and interesting. I loved that the magic system was built around these subjects, both praxis and practical. I suppose if you’re a person who does not give a hoot about translation and localization, you’ll feel bogged down in these pages, but I hope at least you won’t feel caught off guard by them. The book is called Babel, after all, with a big ol’ Tower on the cover.

For any lover of languages or systems of magic, I fully recommend Babel. It was a delight to read.

The irony that I have no words to explain this experience is…. hilarious to say the least. But I shall try. The writing was beautiful. The setting was astounding. The story sucked me in immediately and never let me go. I finished this a while ago but wanted to wait until I had the right words to explain the beauty of this book, but I still can’t find anything worthy to say! This is not the sort of book that would normally interest me, but after reading the Poppy War trilogy, I was so very excited. If you love Dark Academia, READ THIS BOOK. If you don’t, READ THIS BOOK. This book was a masterpiece from beginning to end.

Seriously. I think this might be the most ambitious historical fantasy/dark academia book ever written. Tackles colonialism ✅ Fictional Oxford/student revolution ✅ Etymology/linguistic lecture ✅ incredibly original system of magic ✅

A stunning delivery by the goddess, R. F. Kuang.

“Languages aren’t just made of words. They’re modes of looking at the world. They’re the keys to civilization. And that’s knowledge worth killing for.”

Let me start this “review” by giving thanks to the publisher for gifting me a digital galley of this book during Asian Heritage Month.

Last June 16, 2022, we HCC Influencers received an e-mail about their Late Summer ARCs for us to request, and one of those titles was Babel by R.F. Kuang. As soon as I saw it, I immediately sent the request form and waited for approval of my request.

Fast forward to more than a month later, I noticed that mainly white influencers were holding physical ARCs of this book while I was browsing both Instagram and TikTok. Then I saw an ARC giveaway post of this book on the @hccfrenzy account.

Worried that I might have missed the e-mail that I was assigned a physical ARC of this book, I immediately checked my spam folder, and when I saw that I didn’t see anything from there, I immediately contacted the HCC Frenzy Team.

After a few backs and forth e-mails from them, they have graciously told me that they received 300+ requests for this ARC and were only able to give 75 copies to their influencers. Since they have 170+ Asian-identifying influencers on their list, they weren’t able to meet that demand—according to them. When I pointed out to their team and asked them why their white/caucasian-identifying influencers (and mostly white influencers in North America and Europe) were holding physical ARCs of the book, they weren’t able to answer it, and they reasoned out that those white influencers are booksellers themselves—which is not an excuse. Plus, not forgetting the fact that they hosted a giveaway of TWO physical ARCs of this book (which they have given to two white Bookstagrammers when they announced the results on the post itself on July 29, 2022) instead of giving them to two of their influencer who are of Asian descent—which is disappointing on their part.

Let me end this statement with this: give physical ARCs of queer and BIPOC authors to queer and BIPOC reviewers only, and not to the cis, white, hetero influencers/reviewers.

Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by a mysterious benefactor, Professor Lovell, where he trains for years in Latin, Greek, and Chinese, in preparation for the day he will attend the Royal Institute of Translation (aka Babel) at Oxford University. Babel is the center of silver-working, where enchanted silver bars keep England as the most powerful country. As systemic racism, colonialism, and the increasing divide between the wealthy and poor become more apparent to Robin, he must choose between the beautiful utopia Oxford provides and joining a revolution of change.

I am going to be in the minority when I say that I did not enjoy this book. 😬 Perhaps I’m not highbrow enough or intellectual enough but the book was incredibly long and way too slow for me. While I enjoyed the plot premise and the astute commentary about systemic racism, unequal global resource hoarding, xenophobia, white privilege, and colonialism; and while the word etymology and meanings were interesting, I would have appreciated that part in less detail as well.

Read this book if you enjoy dark academia, have a passion for words, languages, or translations — and you are interested in reading a book with insightful commentary about social injustices.

Thank you to @netgalley @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Poppy Wars is one of my favorite books of all time, so I was extremely excited for Babel. R.F Kuang is one of those authors that pulls you into this fantastical worlds and you can't help but love it. gothic Academia is slowly becoming one of my go tos for reading this year and the characters here are amazing. This book has everything you may want for a back to school, fall read. Perfect for crisp, fall air and just sitting on your porch.

The deeply creative and thoroughly crafted dark academia novel we didn't know we needed. Babel was an absolute TREAT to read!

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

<i>Babel</i> is a complicated work of fantasy, and requires a complicated review. It takes place in an alt history 19th century, wherein the might of the British empire is being empowered through the strength of magic derived from the use of silver and linguistic word play. The narrative primarily follows Robin, born and raised in China. After his mother dies, he's taken in by a white Oxford professor and brought to England, where his linguistic skills are cultivated with a goal of eventual education at the great tower known as Babel in Oxford.

As a work of research, this book is masterful. Kuang knows languages, knows Oxford, and this is a novel that word geeks will delight in... or like me, delight in to a point. The book succeeds in channeling an academic voice, footnotes and all, and is a slog to read. The plot isn't big on action, but on revelation. The deep criticism of colonialism and empire-building is fascinating, educational, and quite often horrific, because it's very clear that everything is based on fact even if given a magical bent. The characters are incredibly well-done, too, complex and real. If you've read Kuang's other books, you know she handles the dark shades of people with deftness, and she does so again here.

The book slowly yet surely built up to an ending that left me surprised only in that the major point of plot resolution was blatant very early on. I expected it to go a different way but it didn't, leaving me feeling flat at the conclusion.

"One thing united them all – without Babel, they had nowhere in this country to go. They’d been chosen for privileges they couldn’t have ever imagined, funded by powerful and wealthy men whose motives they did not fully understand, and they were acutely aware these could be lost at any moment. That precariousness made them simultaneously bold and terrified. They had the keys to the kingdom; they did not want to give them back."

Robin is brought from Canton to London under the tutelage of Professor Lovell yo Babel. Babel is a center for translation. It is also the main source of silver, a magical element with many uses.

To me, this book is basically in two parts (it's actually split into several mini books). The first part follows Robin and his classmates as they study translation. This basically reads like an academic paper. It is long and frankly a slog to get through. I found myself flipping through as fast as possible. It's clear that the author is an expert in this area. If I was interested in translation at all I would probably find this interesting. But I'm not and I didn't after The first few pages.

The second part is where things take an interesting turn. That's where this book becomes more of a dark academia story with a taste of revolution in it as well.

So reviewing this story is tough for me because it didn't feel like one cohesive story.

Overall I'll give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC! I'm not sure that I have the words to properly convey my thoughts about this book. I found the magic system to be fascinating and grounded, but the heart of the book was/is the characters, the relationships and the focus on colonialism. This book has dark academia vibes if you are into that, but it is not dark academia. I wish I had better words, because I feel like this book deserves a lot of praise and attention. This book is one that will stay with me for a long time. It's haunting and affecting, and I simply loved it.

This is genuinely the best book I have read all year. RF Kuang is a master writer, and this book is a tour de force. I have not stopped thinking about it since I finished it. Not only is this book incredibly well-researched but it has the perfect pace, beautiful writing and wonderfully drawn characters. Read this book!!

Usually, when I love a book I will breeze through it in a week or so. Babel took me about 2 months to get through, but not because I didn't enjoy it. This story was so different from what I expected and I wanted to savor the story and the characters. This book deserves to be savored. The unique magic/science aspect of silver working and etymology creates a complex world around language, race, and colonialism. I was recommending this book before I even finished it. A must-read for those who enjoy fiction and nonfiction alike.

Quite possibly one of the smartest books I’ve ever read. It’s pure dark academia and is perfect for fans of Donna Tart’s THE SECRET HISTORY. It’s an incredibly moving story of colonialism, but also one of found family. There were moments when I laughed but also moments when I cried. Kuantan is clearly our next star author. I don’t think I have ever read a book white so unique and riveting. The only element keeping me from giving 5 stars is that I felt the novel had moments of lectures, which while fascinating, did seem to go on for too long at some points.

A brilliant exploration of the insidious harm of colonialism, detailed in magic and breathtaking prose.

I spent so much time wondering why this book wasn’t working for me. I love dark academic books. I love wizarding school books. This magic system is interesting because it deals with words, but there was too much lecturing about etymology to the point where there might be a quiz later. R. F. Kuang put all her creative energy into the magic components that she forgot the characterizations.

This book unflinchingly examines England's racism, colonialism, and sexism during the 19th century. I respect Kuang for not having a problem making the reader uncomfortable with the ugliness of a time and place usually romanticized. My problem is that when we first meet the characters that will be Robin’s friend group for the rest of the book, Robin narrates that one of them betrays him. The book is not subtle about who it could possibly be. After the halfway mark, when the book starts to pick up steam, I wondered if the betrayal would happen at this scene or maybe this scene. Nope, it’s going to be this scene. If there weren’t that line at the beginning, that betrayal wouldn’t have been so anti-climactic.

It confuses me. As her world-building demonstrates, Kuang is a talented writer, but the characters were flat.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.