I mean this deserves absolutely all the hype it gets. it was moving and beautiful and said so much. I think that despite it's length, it's not too dense to consume and should be on everyone's list. The great irony that Harper Collins isn't responding to its striking union after publishing this story is pretty wild. Hopefully they can take a page out of their own book.

“English did not just borrow words from other languages; it was stuffed to the brim with foreign influences, a Frankenstein vernacular. And Robin found it incredible, how this country, whose citizens prided themselves so much on being better than the rest of the world, could not make it through an afternoon tea without borrowed goods.” ― R.F. Kuang

Hmmm I honestly have no idea how to start this review. There is so much to unpack here.
Babel enamored me. It's a book everyone should read but not all will like or even enjoy. Babel is academic. It is dense and it will ask you to sit in some uncomfortable truths.

Babel spoke to me on two different fronts. As someone who is bilingual and a person of color so many of the passages resonated with me particularly those about belonging ( or not), about being made to feel like a stranger in our own home. It also spoke to me on the ways in which I am complicit in our system to the violence and oppression of other people of color, and immigrants.

If you're wondering if you should read Babel the answer is 100% yes. If you're an avid reader and wondering if you'll enjoy this then I would need to ask, "what's your primary reason for reading?" If you read for escapism Babel will feel like an academic text at times. So much research has gone into the making of this masterpiece. If you read for curiosity or learning or themes, I think you'll slowly fall in love with this book. If you have a deep appreciation for languages you may also love this book.

I would highly recommend to play " The Joys of Sorrows and Life" by Johannes Bornlof as you read the last few chapters. You won't regret it.

Even though I LOVED Babel. There are some things I wish Kuang would've done differently to elevate the story. One would be to expand the view points throughout the book. We have a very limited scope from Robin's POV.

Babel is an alternate history critique of dark academia and uses fantasy elements by using language and silver to give certain properties to items.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this book.

This intellectual novel is unlike anything that I have read so far. It is truly beautifully written and the take on colonialism is spot on. Throw in dark academia and magical elements, it was truly set to be a huge hit with readers. I got intimidated by the chunky book, but I'll say just read it and savour it yourself!

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

INCREDIBLE book! There are so many layers to this book and its too much to explain! All I will say is READ THIS BOOK! You won't regret it!

This book is absolutely stunning. Beautifully written and I came to care so deeply about the characters. I can't wait to read the next book from Kuang. Thank you for the early read!

Best smack-down of colonialism I've read in years.
Reading this book will help you understand why talk of decolonization is so pervasive.

For me I think that if this ever gets turned into a movie that I will devour that so well. But as for the book my brain just couldn't do it with all the descriptions. It was far too complicated for my poor brain to really keep track of everything. However, those who can deal with all of that will most likely love this book. I am super sad that I just couldn't keep up, because I really wanted to read this one.

R.F. Kuang has immediately jumped to my favorite authors list after just reading the Poppy War trilogy, but Babel completely blew me away. Dark academia isn't necessarily my favorite genre, but her ability to make the reader truly think about the implications of a fantasy story in the real world, and how, despite the magic, there are real-world ramifications to the ideas she writes about is truly a masterpiece in it of itself. The characters were interesting and the silver was such a cool concept. The ending made me sob (obviously) but I genuinely think I'm a better reader for it.

This was a beautiful, intellectual novel that is not Comparable to anything else I’ve read before. Some parts seemed slow, but there was so much information that a slower pace seemed to fit. I loved the unhappy ending.

Wow! Babel was one of my top 10 reads of 2022.

It was a weirdly wonderful and successful mix of history, fantasy, with a lot of etymology and the history of language sprinkled throughout. Wonderful world building, strong characters, and an deep dive into colonialism. While I DO wish that Kuang took more liberties with the magical elements she introduced (and less apologies for introducing a tower in the middle of the Oxford campus - it's your alternate universe, girl - do what you want with it and no apologies for taking liberties!), in the end, she kept me turning pages. Dark, imaginative, academic...I loved it.

RF Kuang is such an amazing writer! I absolutely loved this story. Her originally trilogy was brilliantly composed and this new book did not disappoint!

Stunningly beautiful, with a prose that is just perfection this book takes the reader on a complete journey. I feel like no words I write can do this book justice. Simply read it.

Thank you #Avon and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was hard to get into for me, but I still very much enjoyed it. I loved the dark academia vibe and the fantasy element blended nicely with the time period. Very much a high fantasy historical read.

This book is thoughtful and well-crafted. The size is a little intimidating but it's very worth it. Kuang's take on colonization is interesting and worth reading.

Babel is a book that deserved all the praise, yet it’s hard to come up with the words. It’s haunting, and beautiful, and everything that R.F. Kuang made it up to be and even more. In this response to The Secret History, fantasy and real world collide in the city of Oxford. Robin Swift grapples with his conflict between the British Empire and his motherland of Canton, China– feeling the creeping grip of the powerful vs the powerless.

It left me with so much love and awe.

I’m going to be very much in the minority with this one. It was beautifully written, but unfortunately, not for me. Which is a bummer, cause I was so sure I’d love this one.

Others will love it. I just personally found it boring.

Wow what an incredible book! My first five star and only five star review this year. The concept is incredible and the plot is amazing. I found myself constantly excited to see what happens next and it’s just a beautiful book. Can’t wait to see what else she does.

Babel by R. F. Kuang is, without a doubt, the best book I've read this year. Its theme of language usage is a fascinating commentary on imperialism, revolution, and resistance. As compelling as the story is, and it delivers a little nugget of insight on almost every page, the language of the story is the true star of Babel. Ms. Kuang's writing style is perfect. While it most definitely is prose, each sentence has a beauty that feels like poetry. Between the story, that magical setting that is Oxford, and the language, Babel left me in awe. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

RFK said decolonize the dark academia genre and we thank her for that. Babel is definitely a love letter to academia.

As a lover of languages, I found myself quite giddy when I recognized some of the names and publications Kuang referenced in the narrative. She obviously put a lot of love and effort into researching this project, not to mention the native speakers she must have had to consult in order to get the multiple languages grammatically correct.

The magic system is wonderfully creative. I'd never seen anything like it before. Postcolonialism is also an obvious theme, something she also explored in TPW, but it also reiterates the necessity of violence and how far should you go in fighting colonizers.

This book was so incredible, from the intricate plot, to the rich history, to the complex and loving characters. I think every single person would get something important out of reading this, and even if you think you won't, you need to give it a try.