Babel is a historical fantasy novel exploring the importance of translation in colonialism and the ways in which power manifests both in academia and in the world. Robin Swift was taken from his home in Canton to England by a mysterious guardian after his mother's death, learning Latin and Greek in preparation for the future his guardian has planned for him at Oxford's Royal Institution of Translation, Babel. It seems a haven, a place where Robin makes a group of close friends and despite the huge workload, finds happiness. However, it starts to become clear that Babel may not be such a haven after all, and the implications of the translation work and the silver-working magic that translation allows have dark and far-reaching consequences.

The concept of this novel is fantastic, centred around ideas of translation and how they could both evoke magic (by having translations that have slightly different meanings, bringing in something extra) and be used as tools of power and colonisation. The dark academia type setting (being set in the nineteenth century makes it different to most of the popular dark academia books, but it definitely tries to expose the dark side of academia) will bring it a lot of appeal, and the narrative centres around four main characters, with Robin the protagonist but his friends Ramy, Victoire and Letty being crucial to the story, which makes it engaging despite the huge amount of heavy academic linguistic content.

Reading the book on Kindle I wasn't quite aware how long it is, and I will say that you really feel the length. For me, it did drag at times, and though the length is partly due to the writing style and use of footnotes to elaborate, maybe the pacing didn't quite work for me. In terms of the style, I really liked the third person removed narrative style, which matched the academic nature and allowed for a lot of context (it's clearly a heavily researched novel). The footnotes I was less keen on, as a lot of them served to make obvious points and took you away from the story. It was clever, though, that they were used to explain the racist attitudes of people cited/mentioned as a sharp commentary on the people in the novel who believed in translation, but still saw the languages they needed for silver-working or trade as lesser and the people who spoke them very much so.

The language used to discuss race, class, and gender was at times strangely modern for a novel that was so placed in a historical setting, which occasionally felt too notable to be ignored, but in general the book engaged interestingly with the historical setting. It's quite different to something like Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which integrates magic fully into its historical setting, as in Babel the silver-working element, which is the only fantasy part, is more of a structure that impacts the workings of the country, but not in ways that make it particularly different than in real life. Personally, as someone who isn't really a fantasy fan, I enjoyed this, and I was pleasantly surprised that the book was much more about translation and academia than magic.

The depiction of Oxford is an interesting one, with some brilliant commentary and satirical jibes atthe attitudes of different kinds of people within the University and an accurate depiction through the Babel institute of the kinds of workloads and the ways in which people end up cocooned from the outside world. Even though Babel is fictional, and Kuang's opening author's note explains a range of inaccuracies with the Oxford depiction specifically, it did feel pretty true to life. Occasionally there was too much day to day university stuff which slowed the pace down, but at the same time that is what people are probably looking for from something marketed as dark academia. What was perhaps strangest was that the changes to the realities of Oxford (like having a somewhat anachronistic commemoration ball with oysters served at it) were only explained in the author's note, and not made a feature based on being an alternative history with the silver-working magic integrated into it.

There's a lot to say about Babel, as it has a lot to say both in terms of length and content. Generally, it's an engaging and insightful read that, as a fan of dark academia and not so much fantasy, I enjoyed. There's plenty of other things I've not even gone into in this review in the book (like arguments about models of resistance and protest, violence and non-violence) and it combines the academic and conceptual concepts like ideas of translation, languages, and power with a good story about a group of friends finding their way at Oxford.

Just a quick one for this.

This has so much hype surrounding this I think it's made it more difficult to get into. I'm finding it really slow but for now it's just not for me but will give it another go in future!

This book was so good! is one of those books you sit to read and when you stop you realise it hasn't been just 10 min but 5 hours, and you have to pee badly but didn't even notice it. That is how absorbing and fluid this was.
I think this could have also been separated in two smaller books, because there is a clear diferent from the first part of the book and the second, but it works perfectly as one book too.
This is a great story about racism, colonisation, revolution, strikes during an industrial revolution in the British empire supported by a kind of magic based on silver and language but that despite everything fantasy it doesn't go that far away from our actual history.

I love the way Robin the main character, wonders about the etymology of words when he is little, cause I have always done the same, and don't really know other people that do the same, exceptfor maybe this author(?).
I should've know better than to get attached to a character this is R.F Kuang, is not like I'm new to the game, so yes my heart broke so many times... so be ready when reading this.

This books have many similarities to the poppy war with the characters starting from a poverty position, to a school where they are very good, to revolution. Griffin have a similar presence for Robin as Altan have for Rin. For a time I was worried that this book would disappoint me as the poppy war series did, where I loved the 1st book but disliked the last one, but being an stand alone this didn't happen, and I loved this book from start to finish.
I think this is a must read for everyone, I learned a lot about racism, colonialism and white privilege, all themes I am passionate about, and also about language and translation another topic I'm passionate about.

This is a book about the power of words (literally).

In the Tower of Babel in a fictional Oxford, translators work on carving words into silver bars that help the world run more smoothly. However this power is not used for the general good but is tightly controlled by a state to enrich an elite. This involves exploiting other nations under the guise of a benevolent colonialism.

We first meet Robin in a poor hut in China with his dying mother. His British father "rescues" him and sends him to be educated with him eventually gaining a place at the prestigious Babel in Oxford. Its in his father's best interests as they are short of translators of "Oriental" languages.

Despite his seeming privilege he experiences racism and will always seen as an outsider, just like his housemate Indian Ramy. This ostracization also applies to their two friends Letty (from the British upper class but a girl in a man's world) and Victoire of Haitian origin.

However he finds some measure of comfort and love for Oxford and Babel until he meets his half brother who is involved in a mysterious society, Hermes, who are plotting against Babel. Difficult challenges and choices follow.

What differentiated this from others in the genre , The Atlas Six, Novik's Deadly Education etc was its ambitious canvas. I loved all the linguistic footnotes and the power of words being made manifest. Its exploration of themes of colonialism, racism and personal responsibility /humanity made it all the richer. Another theme was what Kuang (in an interview with Waterstones booksellers called "found family"
Kuang in the same interview also mentioned how she likes history with a "light fantastical" element and Victorian novels. She mentioned Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell in this context.
It's also a well structured book with its "5 acts" and has peaks that are symmetrical, according to the author.

As a reading experience its's immersive and creates a very detailed secondary world. What's best is the characterisation. The dynamics between the four scholars are constantly changing as events occur. From them sharing scones in a teashop to what follows is a big narrative arc. No character is left without a motivation/exploration of what has brought them to a certain point, even if their acts are misguided/harmful.

It is the most original fantasy I have read for a long time. Talking to lots of customers about it , they have been very excited. I have been telling them that it lives up to the "hype"

I am neither a fan of dark academia nor familiar with any other books by R.F. Kuang, so this review is for us.

I really liked Babel, which follows for new students at an Oxford Institute of languages. The plot reveals the applications and motivations of the work being done at this institute and how the students feel and interact with that work. I went into reading this book knowing less than the summary I’ve just given and they don’t want to provide any more information because I think it’s more enjoyable with less context. The romance around and passion for language that comes through this book is really beautiful. I particularly enjoyed the interactions between the academic life and the action sides of the plot. I think that the author handles topics including racism, colonialism, and empire sensitively without ever sparing the feelings of people who are frequently protected around these themes.

For some people, the pacing of the first third of this book will be too slow. The set up of the characters and the world building takes time. I also think that if you don’t care about academia, Oxford, collegial life, or languages, the opening chapters will feel a little pondering. That is in extreme contrast to the pace of the last quarter of the book in which we are almost entirely presented with action. I felt that the action/drama was the focus of the book more than the personalities. Therefore, I think that all four of the main protagonists could’ve been more richly developed but were also sufficiently well rounded to serve our interests.

For me, this is a four star or 4.5 star read because of the inconsistencies in passing and also because I think that there were sections where I disengaged even though I was very emotionally and intellectually invested. I hope Babel gets all the love and attention it deserves. For someone who used to be a fan of Wilkie Collins, it was very exciting to access a new kind of book that allows people of colour like me to take up the story line rather than be accessories to it.

A powerful, provocative fantasy novel exploring important themes of colonialism, exploitation and resistance. Like Robin and his cohort, the reader is simultaneously drawn to the mystical, enticing world of Babel while repulsed by what it stands for. This book has all the wonder if a fantasy novel with the intrigue of alternative history.

B A B E L

‘Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.’

Students who wish to attend Babel, Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation, are raised to know the languages they will study so intimately that they even dream in them. Only then can they truly have the linguistic understanding needed for silver-working - the craft of inscribing silver bars with a match pair of words that share a similar root, imbuing the bar with the power of their meaning.

Our protagonist, Robin, is taken from Canton as a child and raised in England by a Babel professor, Professor Lovell, who sets him on a path to become a Chinese scholar. With his cohort of other translators - Ramy, Letty and Victoire - he finally begins to feel a sense of belonging, but not all at Babel is as it appears. This is 1830s England, and Babel’s research isn’t shared with the countries whose language it benefitted from. Instead, silver is sold to the wealthy, and used as a tool of oppression by the Empire. Can one student stand against it?

Babel felt much more like a dark academia historical novel than fantasy. It masterfully explores race and colonialism in the 19th century and is a language/etymology nerd’s dream. Even though it took a me a while to get into it, and there were a tonne of footnotes which got a little confusing when reading an e-copy, I was soon fully invested in Robin and the gang’s story. Discussions of identity, rebellion, morality and friendship are central to the novel and I cannot recommend it enough.

Babel is out in the UK on September 1st; thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc.

I would give it a 10 out if 5. It is clear from page one the level of thorough research Kuang has done to write this book, with characters well thought out, complex and living within the books pages.
It has been so long since I’ve been fully transported into a book, and what a superb book it was.
It will easily live on as one of my favourite books of all time.

Wow. Babel was an incredible book to read from start to finish. It's a piece of literature that should be read by everyone to understand the importance of colonialism and imperialism with gutwrenching scenes and characters you can't help but fall in love with. Easily one of my favourite books ever.

Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution (Babel for short) is an impressively complex and ambitious book. The newest release from bestselling author R.F. Kuang is a highly masterful, dark academia which explores themes such as identity, class, racism, colonialism and the power of language.

In 1828, Robin Swift is left orphaned from the spread of Cholera in Canton and finds himself whisked off to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There he spends his days relentlessly studying Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese in preparation for the day he’ll enroll at Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation — also known as Babel.

At first Babel—and the tight knit group of friends he finds there—seem like paradise… but Babel’s pursuit of knowledge is geared solely towards accumulating power—with the help of Silver-working (the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation into enchanted silver bars, to create magic-like effects.) Thus allowing the empire to use its wealth to colonise everything in sight.

For Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, serving Babel means betraying his motherland and, as his studies progress he finds himself caught between Babel and a shadowy rebel organisation dedicated to bringing down the empire.

When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide: Can a powerful institution really be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence? And what is Robin willing to sacrifice to bring Babel down?

It’s difficult to put into words just how important this book is, with it’s exquisite attention to detail and the meticulous research (both historical and etymological.) It’s an unflinchingly honest and emotionally compelling portrayal of the everyday experiences of diasporic communities, and the harm that racism, sexism and the legacy of colonialism causes. It’s an emotional read but one I’m absolutely glad to have experienced.

It’s told almost exclusively from Robin’s perspective which allows us to place ourselves in Robin’s shoes; experiencing every struggle, dilemma, every moment of grief or joy which made for a far more emotional and thought provoking read than I had anticipated.

I absolutely loved Robin who was such a relatable and endearing character—I could help but empathise with all the challenges and double standards he’s forced to face, alongside Ramiz and Victoire. They were all exquisitely well developed characters (even Letty and Professor Lovell, both of whom I found dislikable were full of depth) with reactions and responses to certain circumstances that felt incredibly realistic—though excruciatingly heartbreaking at times.

I’m honestly in awe of R.F Kuang’s intricately woven narrative and the complexity of each character’s ties to Babel and its oppressive, magic based system. I’m actually still reeling from that phenomenal ending which had me in an emotional chokehold the entire time.

I haven’t read any of R.F Kuang’s other books yet but I’ve been told by fellow reviewers that Babel is definitely tamer than The Poppy Wars but I’d still recommend checking trigger warnings before reading just in case.

Honestly this is a book that needs to be experienced to be truly understood and I, honestly still can’t quite convey just how amazing and deeply emotional this was!

It’s definitely a bit of a slow-burn though, so if slower-paced, academia based books aren’t really your thing then this might not be enjoyable for you, especially as it’s well over 500 pages for the standard edition.) but if you love dark academia or historical fiction then I highly recommend picking this up, it’s Magnificent!

Also, a huge thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the e-arc.

I finished Babel last night and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. The book has had a very deep-rooted impact on me. Writing this review is going to be an immensely difficult job because I do not know if I have the words to summarise everything that this book was and the impact it will have on others. So I'll begin by praising R.F Kuang's writing. I have always been a huge fan of her writing style. Her prose feels simplistic, yet incredibly magnetic. It draws you into the story and immerses you in the world Kuang creates; it makes you feel so much at the same time.

If there had to be one book to represent the genre of dark academia, it would have to be Babel. It is the best example of this genre, going well beyond the aesthetic setting and showing us the dark underbelly of what goes on in the walls of ancient institutions. Babel portrays a rigorous culture of students studying exceptionally hard to specialise in their fields but also shows what happens when the pressure gets to them and the cracks being to appear. The magic system of this book has, at its heart, language and translation. It portrays a nuanced and complex picture of the evolution of words and how some words can have different meanings in the same language or how some words share the same origins in other languages. I am personally not someone who has ever taken an interest in linguistics, but with the way Kuang wrote about the field, I was truly fascinated and I am going to be looking a lot more into this field.

I think of the four characters, Robin, Ramy, Victoire and Letty. All of them band together, being misfits at Oxford. Through their eyes, we get to see a variety of perceptions about Babel, about the work being done in the tower. We get a full, all-around and incredibly complex picture of the going-ons of Babel, of privileges, of being needed at a place only because they need your hard work.

When Kuang described the loss of language, it hit home in ways I did not think. What she writes about it in Babel is exactly how I feel when I think about Hindi, the language I was born with. It is the manner in which Kuang portrays this, which elicited basically a visceral reaction from me. I felt angry as I read this book, knowing the impact of British and European colonialism in my country and around the world. This is the rightful kind of anger and it only grows as you read through, knowing how these rich colonial countries took everything from the poor countries they colonized. And yet, they still wanted more. More resources, more land, more of everything they wanted to take.

Babel is a book that will leave you thinking and questioning. It will have an impact on you that will sink deep into your bones. I will end by saying this; Babel is a book that everyone must read.

Content Warnings: colonialism, racism, racial slurs, child abuse, misogyny, violence, death

Wow. How to even begin. Babel is the low fantasy dark academia novel of my dreams. This book is so exceptionally clever and fascinating. Truly, this is one of those occasions where I truly wish goodreads had a six star option.

After his mother's death, Robin Swift is taken from his home in Canton to live in London with a wealthy white man who raises him on languages so that he can grow up to study at Babel, Oxford's institute of translation. Though Robin loves Babel and the rest of his cohort, his life is complicated by the appearance of a secret society dedicated to redistributing the magical silver bars Babel produces - sharing them with the colonised countries whose languages are used to create them yet who see no benefit from their use.

Okay, so I could wax poetic about this book for DAYS. I'm having no issue calling it my favourite read of the year thus far. Allow me to rant about how much I loved it for a couple more paragraphs:

At its core, Babel is a story about colonialism. It's a deeply political book. Kuang's exploration of the historical and political issues she includes in this novel is given deep care and consideration. This is an exceptionally well researched novel, not only in terms of language (which is, naturally, a central tenet of the book), but also in terms of its historical and sociological aspects.

The magic system? SO good. It fits the theme of the book so seamlessly, and the concept is absolutely fascinating. When I first twigged what the system was - how the magic is created - I was momentarily in awe because man, that is just so smart! Not to mention the amount of research and creativity that has clearly gone into the various examples of this type of magic we are given - I was just blown away.

Characters. Always a crucial part of any novel for me, and such a strong element in Babel. Robin is such a great main character. First off - making your MC a book lover is immediately a great way to make me love them. But honestly, Robin's character development is just exquisite - we really see his growth as a young adult in a very compelling way. He is complex and morally grey at times, but you can completely understand where he is coming from and root for him. Victoire is also an amazing character, I loved her from start to finish.

Yeah. This book had me giggling, it had me sobbing, it had me staring at a wall in disbelief for five straight minutes (multiple times). It's certainly one that will stick with me. I absolutely couldn't recommend it any more highly.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The Poppy War trilogy is one of my favourite series of recent times, so when I heard Rebecca Kuang was writing a book based on the academic world of Oxford, I was all in. And this doesn't disappoint. I think the comparisons to The Secret History and Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell are very astute, particularly the latter - if you don't like JSaMN then you aren't going to like this. You probably also need a vague interest (if not grounding in) linguistics as well, otherwise the text risks being pretty dense.

But I loved it. Kuang deftly entangles issues of colonialism and imperialism with language while also telling a compelling story. Robin's story will be familiar to anyone who's tried to fit in with a system that blatantly privileges anything white and Western and exploits anything else to imperial advantage. I also really liked the way Letty's story was dealt with and the way Kuang refused to make excuses for her behaviour. This book definitely will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's an excellent entry into the current canon of authors exploring the legacies of empire.

<b> This book needs to be on your TBR. You have to read it.</b>

Dark academia, set in Oxford in the year 1836 and written by the bestselling author of The Poppy War - this is all you need to be convinced to read Babel.

This book put a spell on me, the moment I saw it, I wanted to read it. When I got approved for the eARC on Netgalley by the publisher, it felt like the best day of my life as a reader. This book is worth the hype, it's worth creating more hype and getting everyone to read dark academia while listening to a classical playlist on Spotify in the background. I listened to these playlists while reading: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4wdX4ihSv6Qr1NrQNphf4y?si=c3a9e3bb34ec40b2
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0NvuNtZJJw481mC0jblp09?si=f8a46c4c5138452a

I'm not going to go into detail about this book except that it's brilliantly written and the characters are memorable. If you have a love for language, you'll feel right at home in the halls of Babel. There is more to this story than simply language. There is a magic that leaves the reader in awe, allowing the reader to dream alongside the characters about Babel and the possibilities it holds. But there is also a sinister shadow looming over the students and secrets that are too heavy to carry alone.
Some themes include student revolutions, colonial resistance and translation but there is much more to this book that can only be experienced and understood by reading it.

I buddy read this with @abooktropolis01 and we were left speechless at certain plot twists. This is a standalone novel but after reading it, it feels as if Babel has embedded itself into my memory. The story is bigger than just a few hundred pages. This was one of my most anticipated reads for the year and it exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend reading this if you enjoy dark academia.

Endless thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for gifting me an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

This chonky book took me the better part of half a month and all I can say is it was so worth it. R F Kuang has done it again. She gave us a rich world, admittedly built in an existing city but we'll ignore that, full of conflict, crisis, loveable characters you're cheering for and also packed it full of emotional turmoil.

The book starts slow with Robin adjusting to life in the UK after a tragic circumstance in Canton. Of course he reaches Oxford, his goal that he has toiled for since arriving in the UK with Professor Lovel, surely this is good news and the start of bigger and better things! Certainly bigger.

Once in Babel, Robin finds his feet with his cohort Ramy, Victoire and Letty. These four share so much in their time together and it is woven with complications that can only come from close friend's relying on each other, for better or worse in this case. Within his cohort and the walls of Babel, Robin really finds his inner conflict of being Chinese in a British world and, like all foreigners in Babel, the constant spiel of 'But you're one of the good ones' dribbling out of British men's mouths. The question is: Do you argue for your identity or don't rock the boat because everyone insists you should be grateful for what you've been given? This question is where conflict really grows and the Hermes society gets its strength and that is wielded as a slow build and burn of successes and catastrophe at once.

The book focuses Robin Swift but the short interludes for Ramy, Victoire and Letty fill in some gaps that cannot be ignored. They are wonderfully woven in to answer our questions 'What happened? What did they do? Wait, what?!', giving extra context and background where you didn't think R F Kuang could fit anymore context and background.

You can see R F Kuang's scholarly ability shine throughout the book, her footnotes and detailed explanations of wording, history and historical figures only add to the richness of the story (I also learned a lot about things I may never use outside of a very intense pub quiz). I will admit that this sometimes does slow down the story and drag on in certain parts of the book but by the end you cannot imagine it written any other way. It all pieces together to become a fantastic, and somewhat devastating, end to our new favourite characters.

Word by word are books born and tales told. While being the raw material of any story, words in Babel do not just serve the purpose of narrating, they are the subject of this book, making our reading experience an original and knowledgeable one. Rebecca F. Kuang, creates a complex story where she reminds us of the power words hold and grant to those who master them. More than tools to express oneself, they can maintain or destroy the status quo. A fantastic read where linguistics is accessible and truly magical.

There is little I can say here that hasn't already been said in other reviews by fellow booksellers, so I'll be brief.

This book is easily one of the most impressive and fascinating books I have ever read. The sheer amount of research that has clearly been put into writing this book is truly astonishing. There is truly not one thing that I would change about this book.

As someone who isn't a native english speaker and who still thinks in two languages, this book truly spoke to me. I loved all the talks of linguistics and etymology.

I simply loved this book and truly cannot recommend it enough.

A beautifully written book. Really enjoyed reading this. Thanks to publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read.

The best book I have read this year.

Thanks to Harper Voyager and R. F. Kuang for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have sat on this review for a few weeks and still don’t know how to put into words how magical this experience was. To summarise, it was a beautiful exploration of identity, belonging, colonialism, and the engines of empire.

Despite the heavy subjects, and dark nature of the book it is incredibly readable (as I always find Kuang’s prose to be) and I found I was flying through it with ease.

The characters are so well developed – Kuang makes you feel for them as if they were your friends. Her forte seems to be writing complex characters that make morally grey decisions driven by their experiences (and subsequent effects on their psyche). Robin is one such character – he is not always the hero, you don’t always agree with his decisions, but you can fully understand the difficult situations he is put in and the choices he is forced to make.

Babel was another brilliant manifestation of Kuang’s style of historical fantasy – a breathtakingly well-researched depiction of the milieu (in this instance early 19th Century Britain), combined with a unique magic system that really feels like it could have been a real part of the history. Silver-working was subtle enough to feel plausible, whilst complex enough to be a fantastic metaphor for the driving factors of British colonialism and how Empire utilises language and culture as a resource, gathered through exploitation and violence.

I am honestly in awe of how Kuang’s brain works and I truly think that Babel is one of the most complex, thought-provoking, engaging, and ultimately entertaining pieces of dark academia/historical fantasy on the market.

This book took me completely by surprise, in the best way possible.

It felt as though I was reading a love letter to languages and translation. As it's an academic background that I come from, I can't help but love this book already. Following Robin and his friends navigate their time at Babel and silverworking was so interesting, and I never felt as though I was lost with what was going on,

This is the first dark academia book I've ever read and it won't be the last. R. F Kuang is absolutely incredible, and I can't wait to see what she does next.