Kuang crafts a dense and engaging critique of colonialism. I particularly enjoyed Victorie's character and appreciate Kuang authentic and respectful Muslim representation.

I couldn't get through this book. It just wasn't too my taste, the lace was too slow and I found myself counting the time before the book ended.

I loved this book in physical form so I was delighted to be approved for the audiobook. The story is still the same, incredible look at academia with a twist of magic. The narrator read really well, and I like them, but the editing was a bit odd. It kept changing volumes and took away for the story. Plot amazing, narrator wonderful, but the editing was bad

Epic dark academia books always appeal to me at face value, but I just struggle a little with the vibe in general once reading sadly

Wow this book. THIS BOOK. I was really blown away. It made me feel smart and stupid at the same time, but one thing for sure is that R.F. Kuang is a brilliant.

It made me realize how colonialism really works. I mean i knew the general concept but it showed me parts i never thought before. The characters are lovely (except the whites for obvious reasons) and i kept hurting and sobbing long after i finished the book

The narrator did a very good job to narrate the story, i love especially how Ramy literally sound just like how I imagined him to sound: sassy, witty, brimming with confidence and highly intelligent.

I might be 2 years too late, but this is definitely one of my best reads this year.

I started to listen to this however I then got hold of the kindle version so I am going to read it instead.

I loved this audiobook, I think it really helped me get when reading this book and I would highly recommend giving the audiobook a go!

“That's just what translation is, I think. That's all speaking is. Listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they're trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone else understands.”
― R.F. Kuang, Babel

A unique topic, dark academia at its best!

Was it easy to read? god no, you need the right mindset going in, especially with a topic of horrors of colonialism or racism. But Rebecca F. Kuang writes and explores this topic in a brilliant way.

I tried this book a few times and ive just been struggling to get into it and be gripped. I also found that i had to keep going back as i was missings part of the story which again comes back to the story not gripping me. I feel that R F Kuang writring style is just isnt for me.

I was reading and listening at the same time, which really helped with the different languages and the foot-notes . I loved how the foot-notes were narrated by a different narrator as it really cleared up the story from the extra bits.
Chilling, haunting, and really bloody good. unlike the British Empire which was just bloody horrible. The narrator really brought the characters and story to life. I really enjoyed it, I’d 100% listen to more audiobooks read by Chris Lew Kum Hoi and Billie Fulford-Brown. I’m also going to read more by R.F. Kuang as her writing style is incredible and not like anything else I’ve read. A great start to the month.

Sadly I can't finish the audiobook, I swapped my phone and the netgalley app didn't keep the download.
Based on how far I got and the sypnosis I think my rating is correct. I do have a physical copy of this book so I'll be updating my feedback once I've finished reading that book.

Christ this was good. I love how RF Kuang doesn't shy away from hard topics and makes you pay attention.
I was reading and listening at the same time. I loved how the foo-notes were narrated by a different narrator - it really cleared up the story from the extra info-y bits.
I think this book will stay with me for a long while.
Chilling, haunting, and really bloody good. unlike the British Empire which was just bloody horrible

In love with kuang’s writing and world building. So glad I listened to this, I really felt myself fall into the world and cognitively (I have cognitive and learning disabilities) it made this book accessible to me, thank you!

Sadly, I did not have the experience I’d hoped I would and certainly not the same opinions as the vast majority of readers.

The last thing I want is to cause harm to people who loved the book, particularly because it is so politically charged and reckons with heavy topics and themes.

My issue with Babel stem from the *craft* of the novel, not the message it aims to convey.

If there was ever a book that was going to be a masterpiece it would be RF Kuang writing dark academia. It was poignant, had some great themes delving into privilege in academia and the (very) corrupt British class system. The writing was beautiful and the characters were very compelling (some to love and some to hate).

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars rather than 5 is because there were two things (both the same thing really it just happened twice) where a character dies for shock value and then seemingly vanishes off the radar of the main character, leaving a lot of threads unresolved and (in my opinion) a missed opportunity for some good emotional angst and drama. I think this might have been because the author needed to keep the plot moving forward but it just felt like some great characters were being killed for a sudden shock but then it fell flat because it was just brushed off.nn

Babel was a five-star anticipated read for me - based on what I knew about the story and having read 2 other books from this author now - both of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The underlying theme of Babel is that translation is the key tool of the British Empire. Our focus is Robin Swift and we see him trained to enrol in Oxford University's Institute of Translation where we then join a few other key characters and follow them through their first couple of years at the institution. We are introduced to the magic that comes from silver-working which is key in most of the power in the world. The students realise that perhaps their work isn't serving everyone and war is on the cards.

A very interesting concept. I liked the secret organisation that was determined to make things right in the world. There were tests of loyalties and tests of friendship. It was quite intense in places.

I enjoyed this book however more so the first half which was more a 4 out of 5 star with the second half being a 2 of 5 star so I've rated this in the middle at 3 of 5 stars. For some people they may find the drama in the second half more interesting. I personally liked the origin story of the main characters and the experience of him and the other students at the university.

Some very important messages in this book, particularly about the power of the wealthy and the need for resources to be split fairly.

Oh I'm so disappointed. I had such high expectations for this book. I love Rebecca F. Kuang and she is one heck of an intelligent woman, but this fell so very flat for me. I just kept waiting for something to happen and when it finally did, it seemed like any action we may have got was glossed over in favour of more lecturing. Because that is what this book felt like...one big lecture. I felt patronized, and I'm hoping that wasn't the intent, but I felt too stupid to understand what the concept of this book was supposed to be other, other than showcasing how much work and understanding the author has of language and words (which is a lot, and it's impressive). It is marketed as fantasy, and it is definitely not that. The magic system and world building is almost nonexistent. This is an historical fiction novel, I don't know why it couldn't have been marketed as that. I would have DNF'd this but I kept hoping it would get better, it was a lot of hours to waste on an audiobook that was drier than a sandy flip flop.

Babel is a standalone dark academia book by R.F Kuang. I enjoyed this audiobook overall and it clearly showcases Kuang abilities as a writer. The narrator did a good job. I found the first half to be the stronger one as I found the second half dragged a little for me. The characters were well written and the world an interesting one.

A beast of a book so perfect to be able to listen on audio. I really enjoyed this one. Dark and mysterious and utterly enthralling

I’m so sorry but this was honestly so boring and repetitive that I had to DNF at 40% after absolutely forcing my way through it. I felt like listening to a dictionary or a lesson about history/language.
Initially I was intrigued by the story and the magic of silver. I liked the MC and the forming friend group.
But I thought this was a fantasy book, but there is barely any fantasy. The only magic there is is the people writing words on silver, which then can do things…there’s not even a real magical system and somehow everyone just accepts that this is possible and nothing else.
Barely anything happened in the 10 hours I listened to and I was almost half way. It might be me expecting a fantasy book, but if I have to listen to the origin of another word I will throw myself into the ocean.

I found the overall story so interesting. The way magic was woven into the ‘real’ world was unique, and the idea of translation creating magic due to change and loss was truly something different. The way people were also utilised because of the magic was a great way to get the overarching story the author wanted to portray across. Though I do think that the world veered too close to the real world despite the magic, which I found slightly confusing as I think the Industrial Revolution would have been altered due to it.
I also think that at times the racial aspect became heavy handed and the author was spoon feeding it to the reader. I think it had incredible potential and achieved what it aimed to do but could have been just slightly better.