A review by nere
Babel by R.F. Kuang

fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

thursday, march 2, 2023
one major selling point of this for me is that i totally forgot i’ve ALWAYS been obsessed with the etymology of words. just something innate in my interests like shakespeare and the history of medicine. so this totally scratches a niche itch for me. 

this is everything dark academia was always SUPPOSED to be. critique of: academia as an institution, the centering of the white male perspective, and the gatekeeping of education. the message is not left to subtlety or negotiation. it tells you in no uncertain terms that revolution requires violence—to reap benefits we will not sow. 

also, this book does a pretty fantastic job of depicting the unspoken allegiances and fraught relationships present in young adult friend groups.

“But that’s absurd,’ said Letty. ‘Language is just words, just thoughts – you can’t constrain the use of a language.’
‘Can’t you?’ asked Anthony.”
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