hiba's Reviews > Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution

the rumors are true: it's pretty phenomenal.

babel is by far the most ambitious historical fantasy book on colonialism and resistance that i've ever read, and it surpassed all my expectations. i loved how the themes of colonial oppression, revolutions, worker revolts, violent resistance, and the power of language were tackled - and the way rf kuang managed to weave in an original magic system throughout all these themes is honestly brilliant.

the prose is packed to the brim with commentary and taking apart complex themes - it makes the reader work but it also presents itself in a straightforward, easy manner. some people might not like just how straightforward and lacking in subtlety the themes are but i loved it - in my opinion, this is exactly how the ugly truth of colonialism should be written: blunt, unsubtle, upfront, so that no one can look away or hide from it. i like how babel confronts violence of the oppressed - so often fantasy books on colonialism shy away from the reality of violent resistance (and fall into the trap of completely vilifying it) but babel approaches it with honesty and understanding. i also love how student revolution is shown here: knowing the sheer impossibility of fighting against the colonial empire, and trying anyways.

not only does this book set out to examine revolutions but it revolutionizes the dark academia genre itself: THIS is my standard for dark academia now - a book that oozes with passion for academia while recognizing its brutal colonial roots, a book that showcases all the wonder and struggles and small horrors of student life. the writing is so immersive, i felt like i was walking the streets of 1830s Oxford, sitting beside the characters in the classrooms, learning new subjects and debates, stressing out during the ruthless exam period.

i never thought i'd be this captivated by discussions on translation theory and linguistics and how it all ties into imperialism but babel makes sure to leave the reader just as fascinated with these topics as the characters (and author) are.

i'm also in awe of the unique translation-based magic system rf kuang created - silverworking is so intricate and grounded into the world it genuinely felt real to me. we get to see how this magic ties into the economy and geopolitics of britain's colonial empire and how it's used in the vicious exploitation of countries - but most of all, i love how silverworking shows the beauty of different languages and cultures.

a note on the footnotes: so so good, i always looked forward to them - loved the historical tidbits and interesting anecdotes they contained.

as for the characters, we get a cast of distinct personalities and varied backgrounds. if there's one thing rf kuang knows how to do, it's write an undeniably compelling, sympathetic protagonist who you can't help but root for. robin swift has my whole heart - i was with him every step of the way; every decision he made, every stance he took, every hurt he felt, i understood and was always on his side. robin's fear of losing his mother tongue is something that particularly struck me - honestly, this book had me reflecting on my own relationship with my mother tongue and culture.

of course no book is perfect and where babel stumbles for me is with the side characters. don't get me wrong, i did love them - ramy, griffin, and eventually victoire were my favorites (also, i have to appreciate the author for writing such a respectful portrayal of a practicing muslim character who takes pride in his religion and culture). however, the way certain character arcs ended up left me really frustrated and dissatisfied - the author clearly favored plot and themes over developing certain characters and while i understand rf kuang is more of a theme-driven writer, it was still maddening to see. letty and victoire are an example of this: although i get letty's role in showing the more insidious forms racism can take, i think she got way too much page time that victoire deserved instead (or was this a meta look at how white people take up space that should've been given to others??).

ultimately, even my frustrations felt worth it - because what an incredible ending that was. those last couple of pages really put my emotions through the wringer; it was so gutting and so beautifully written, i'm still trying to process.

rf kuang has accomplished something magnificent here - this book is going to stay with me for a long time.