Loved it! Really well written with interesting characters and amazing world-building. The history behind Babel was interesting. Really excellent book.

Unfortunately, this book really wasn't for me. I found it incredibly dry, and the characters bored me. With no real plot AND no character I liked enough to root for, I found I wasn't invested in the story and instead felt like I was being lectured at about translation for hundreds of pages. I loved the premise and the ideas the author was trying to explore were interesting and important, but I didn't think it was well executed. Or at least not executed in a way I enjoyed reading.

The narrator did a great job, and if it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't have kept reading. Their tone and voice were perfect for the historical setting and they created a good sense of the mood of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. I think the blending between historical fact and magical realism was intertwined wonderfully. I have read a lot of historical fiction without magical realism that doesn't feel as believable as Babel. As with many historical style fictions there is a message to take away, a reason for the reader to experience some introspection into human experiences and how our lived experiences differ from others on the intersections of race, gender, social class and how historical events like colonialism have effected these. I feel that the characters were constructed well and had good character development. The story line kept up intrigue throughout while making important statements or allowing me to think about some of the things I was hearing and understand the importance from the character point of view. The ending wasn't what I was expecting but that's all that I will say to not spoil anything about it.

I listened to this audiobook as a free eARC from NetGalley (with thanks to R. F. Kuang and the publisher) but I would recommend this book to other readers and I would buy a physical copy to reread if I passed it in a shop.

What was your last five star read? Babel was mine! R. F. Kuang is a massive talent, her stories not only captivate me but also give me the drive to learn more. It is a hugely ambitious book that I feel was a HUGE success. In my opinion it needs to be read slowly to give readers the opportunity to really soak up the words, it needs to be savoured. It is a slow-paced book that builds over time, don't go in expecting a fast pace.

Like many have said before me, this book is truly inspiring and one that is important to the world of literature. Kuang is unflinchingly honest, direct to the point it hurts, and she has put in the effort to make Babel as historically factual as possible.

If you, like me, loved The Poppy War then I recommend you read Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution. Similarly they include themes that should be talked about more often.

What an absolutely remarkable read, the buzz around it is completely justified. A real epic. I'm glad I listened to it as an audiobook so I could take my time with it.

The first half is so filled with curiosity and discovery, which takes a sharp turn for the second half. I found myself caring so deeply about this group of people, especially Robin. They cover a short amount of time in this novel but with massive impact.

I also thought the fantasy element was weaved in fantastically well. You forget you're not reading historical fiction for many parts of it. The only bit I didn't love was the footnotes but I think that's particularly stark in the audiobook format. Overall a definite must read.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect with this book. But I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed the story and connected to the characters. It isn’t my usual kind of read but I’m so glad I gave it a chance!

DNF'd at 20%.

I tried to keep going, but I just couldn't. The descriptions were great, but I found the storyline extremely slow in a frustrating way, not a slow-burn way. I often found my mind wandering away from the story, unable to keep focused on it. I just found myself constantly bored and waiting for some action. I appreciate that I can't review properly, as I didn't get the whole experience of the book to be able to do so. If it picks up at any point further along, I have no idea.

3.5⭐️

This audiobook took me a long time to finish (mainly because I kept taking breaks from it), but I really enjoyed it!

Babel is so well created. I did find it slow in some parts, but overall the story flowed nicely.
The book tackles many themes like racism, colonialism, and the wonders of language. If you’re a fan of historical fiction I definitely recommend you give this a go!

This was so well crafted I'm mad it took me so long to finish it! Babel really does live up to the hype. While the story was a little slow in parts, I was really wrapped up in the themes explored, the characters and the world that Kuang has crafted. I'm not a huge historical fiction reader but this was able to hold my attention and keep me entranced throughout. I'm still processing some of my thoughts but yup, it is definitely a great read.

Babel is an absorbing tale set in an alternative 19th century. It tackles revolution, colonialism and the magic of language. It takes a while to set the scene but this didn’t bother me at all because it’s a scene you want to spend time in: Oxford, its university, and the tower where the action builds and culminates, called Babel. Definitely recommend as an audiobook.

Babel by RF Kuang, narrated by Chris Lew Kum Hoi and Billie Fulford-Brown
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

‘Translation is showing yourself up to the world and hoping someone else understands’

I thought I’d start 2023 by finishing out the books I’ve been reading slowly throughout the last few months. Babel is a sizeable tome and it took me a while to get into it. Once I did though, what an astounding book!

Set in an alternate 19th century Oxford university, the British empire is powered through silver and an academic army of translators who can instil power into it. We meet Robin, a boy in China who has been orphaned thanks to cholera and is on the brink of death himself. He is rescued by an Oxford professor with some silver and whisked away to a privileged upbringing in Oxford. He delights in all the opportunities it affords him - plentiful food, a doting nanny and endless books to read. He is trained in languages with the aim of working as a translator for the British empire.

It’s not long into his training that he begins to struggle with the conflicts of doing what he loves with fuelling the cruelties inflicted upon other countries by the Empire. It is a powerful examination of colonialism, racism and sexism that is sure to get your blood boiling. I listened to this on audio and thought the narration added an extra layer given that language is such an intricate part of the plot. I found the pacing a little off but the final quarter really made up for it. This is definitely a book that is going to stay with me.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollinsire for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended if you enjoy dark academia.

#babel #rfkuang #darkacademia #bookreview #bookstagram #irishbookstagram #netgalley

I received an Audiobook ALC of this work from the publisher, via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have a tendency to listen to audiobooks at 1.25x speed or above but I never once felt the urge to Chris's grippingly beautiful narration. Particularly enjoyable were the voices and accents he gives to the different characters that really makes the story standout. The French accent could be better, but what really puzzled me was how badly the Mandarin was butchered. I could hardly understand what Chris was saying most of the times. Perhaps it'll be better if the Mandarin words were spoken more slowly so as to let the sounds ring out more.

Babel was a clever and imaginative tale depicting the racism and domination exhibited by the British Empire. Kuang did a brilliant job writing a thought provoking novel however I felt at times the characters came across as slightly one dimensional. There were also times that I felt the magical element was not necessary to move the plot along. Overall, this was a very unique and powerful read that many audiences will enjoy.

Babel is historical and speculative fantasy at its finest, using the very real issues of our world and its past to tell its story in an only slightly altered one.

Kuang's strengths definitely lie in worldbuilding, and the way this book read almost like a history text was a fascinating change of pace to my usual fantasy reads which I enjoyed immensely.

Though the characters themselves do not have much in the way of character, the focus of this book ultimately lies far more in plot, worldbuilding, history, and message, and thus their mostly 2D nature is far from the issue it could have been.

As a white reviewer, I will not go into commentary on the messages of this book, except to say that Kuang communicates the horrifying legacy of empire, the awful treatment and conditions of people of colour, and the infuriating double standards with incredible efficiency and skill. To other white readers (especially given certain recent reviews) I would say that if this book makes you feel uncomfortable, Good. Address the source of that feeling, and look into resources to continue educating yourself on how to be anti-racist, not just claiming support while still benefiting from the racist society that we live in.

The audiobook narrators did a fantastic job, and it was especially nice to hear the other languages spoken aloud as I would not have the first clue on pronunciation if I had been reading the physical text.

5/5

I started the physical copy of Babel by R.F Kuang and DNFed at 50 pages. I saw so many good reviews and really wanted to give it another go. I was pretty daunted initially by the writing style and foot notes within the story.

This was the first audible book that I’ve listened to. The audible narration was great. I listening along side reading the story which made Babel a whole lot more enjoyable.

I feel the narrator made the story alot easier to follow and the foot longs slid in nicely within the chapters. I would definitely listen to other books by HarperAudio. Thank you so much for giving Me access to this.

Oh. My Gods. Five Stars do not do this book justice. It was stunning and gorgeous and horrifying and devastating and so, so believable. The way R.F. Kuang grounds every aspect of her worldbuilding in real-life history (documented in copious footnotes) makes the progression of the story logical and feel true. It also makes the horrors of colonialism creep up on you until it's overwhelming.

I adore the magic system, based on translation between languages, and the shades of meaning that are lost in the process. It is these lost shades of meaning that power the magic when inscribed on silver bars.

The academic setting feels incredibly realistic and nostalgic (in that weird way that brings back memories both good and bad).

The way everything is tied together and carefully plotted, the slow revelation of the horrors of the web of colonialism that traps them all, the slow and inevitable way the characters grow and grow apart -- it's all masterful.

Did I mention devastating? Because I cried more than I have at most books I've read this year. I got so wrapped up in the characters and their struggles that it felt so incredibly real

The audiobook was performed beautifully, with a different narrator reading the footnotes and pronouncing the things being translated from other languages, which made it easy to separate them from the main text. I couldn't put it down and if it hadn't been for the holidays would have flown through it in just a few days.

11/10 highly recommend.

*Thanks to NetGalley and HarperVoyager for providing an early copy for review.

I can’t easy find the words to describe how good this book is.

For one more time, R. F. Kuang showed the world how brilliant author she is.

I loved everything in this book. From the dark academia vibe, to the characters and their differences, the linguistics in it and history and languages. To all the subjects raised in the plot, the difficult relationships and the feelings harboured.

It’s an amalgamation of so many dear and important ideas! Just brilliant!

Excellent read, just as good as the poppy war, especially loved the atmosphere with this one and the way the characters were written.

Firstly thanks to Netgalley for the audio version of this. I'd heard so many conflicting reviews I wasn't too sure what to expect.

First off the narration (by Chris Lew Kum Hoi) is excellent (footnotes are given by a different narrator (Billie Fulford-Brown) and are not intrusive at all).

The story is utterly epic in stature. When I think of the amount of research needed for a book like this I am in awe of the writer.

The story is mainly that of Robin Swift, a Cantonese boy plucked from his plague infested home and transplanted (finally) to Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation to learn ancient languages in order that he can become a translator and silver worker.

In this version of history the power of the British Empire is held and expanded by the use of silver bars which, when imbued with translations of certain words can make that bar do almost magical things. An example might be easier - so a silver bar engraved with the word warm and it's origin language may be placed in a home to keep the heat in. This is a very simplistic version of what the book describes but I'm simple so ...

Robin is part of a 4 person cohort who all study and play together. However things change dramatically when Robin is recruited by a group calling themselves Hermes who tell him the real reason for his being in Oxford.

The story takes another dramatic turn after a translating trip to Canton where Robin's attitude to his life in Oxford is changed forever.

The story, as I said, is epic in dimension even though it only covers a short span of time. The characters of the four young people are well written and are mostly likeable.

The story deals with some huge subjects such as colonialism, slavery, racism and poverty. The backdrop and background are equally awesome. Also the whole tenet of the story - that of mother languages, translation and the power of words really appealed to me. It has certainly given me a new appreciation of any translated work I read from now on (and I'm a suckered for a translation but I'm language poor - like most English people I suspect).

Any way you look at this book it is worth reading. Even if you aren't interested in alternative histories it is still a good story. There's plenty of action, you learn a lot and the ending has a very satisfying conclusion.

All in all I truly enjoyed this. I'd definitely read more of RF Kuang's work if this is an example.

This is a chunker of a book.

Luckily, I got to listen to the audiobook via Netgalley. And what a treat this was.

Absolutely amazing and spot on narration with two narrators, the male voice narrating the story, the female voice offering the explanations as offered in the book as footnotes.

The story is captivating from beginning to end and touching down on so many subjects that we currently are still faced with, racism, language, translation, colonialism, empire, to name but a few.

Personally, I think, everybody should read this book, as R.F. Kuang has written something new and different into the fantasy genre, and has done so superbly.