An Ambitious Dark Academia Novel
However, there are a few problems with Babel. First and foremost, the book is very dense and slow-moving. This can be a bit of a turnoff for some readers, as it can take some time to get through it. Additionally, the plot is rather thin and undeveloped. While the ending is satisfying, it could have been more exciting or complex.
Robin Swift is an orphan from Canton, brought to England by the stuffy Professor Lovell and trained for a higher purpose. With strict schedules for studying language rigorously, Robin is raised to attend Babel, the Royal Institute of Translation. This tower, powered by magical silver bars, is where all the power for the British Empire stems from. But as Robin starts to learn more about her heritage and her place in the world, she realizes that she doesn’t fit into either of those roles very well. She’s frustrated with Professor Lovell and his expectations of her, and she’s also starting to feel like she’s not really English at all.
Robin quickly falls into a deep depression after her initial excitement at Babel turns to disillusionment. She is joined by Ramy and Letty, two other students who share her disillusionment, and they all start to explore the dark secrets of Babel. They soon realize that the Empire is a false construct and that Britain is nothing more than a tool of the French government. The book ends with Robin discovering the true nature of her friends and herself, and coming to terms with her role in the empire.
But Babel also has its own strengths. For one, the writing is strong and the characters are well-drawn. The plot is interesting and the ending is satisfying.
Babel is a mystery novel with fantasy elements and a strong thematic message about linguistics, belonging and race. The latter comes in the form of an undercurrent of racial prejudice, which becomes much more prominent during the latter half of this book (more on that in a minute). ..
The story is set in a world of magical bars and fantastic creatures. The magical elements are well blended into the world, while there is still spellcasting here, but it’s much more restrained and used sparingly across the book. In its simplest form, these silver bars can only be activated by scholars who have in-depth and fluent linguistic skills in more than one language.
The book is set in a small town in the Empire, and the main characters are students at a magic school. The school teaches students about the Empire and how to fight against it. The book is filled with slice of life moments, where the characters learn about the Empire and take exams. However, some of the chapters feel slow because Kuang doesn’t always move quickly with his writing. This makes for an interesting read, but it can be frustrating when something big happens and the chapters feel like they’re dragging on. Overall, though, Babel is a very interesting book that keeps you on your toes.
This book is a page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. You never know what’s going to happen next and the stakes are high. There are some truly shocking moments near the end that will have you gasping in disbelief and desperate to read more.
Counterbalancing this though is Kuang’s desire to really hammer home the thematic weight of why certain events are happening. Racial prejudice and one’s belonging in a foreign land are big parts of this book and it certainly helps us empathize with the characters. However, it also has the adverse effect of becoming alienating and one-dimensional toward the end. Every single white male character is deplorable, while language like “their kind” and changing from describing old men and scholars to “those whites” feels sloppy and almost takes on a passive-aggressive tone. It’s also at complete odds with Robin’s layered persona; a fascinating internal struggle as this man is caught in his biracial identity. ..
The plot is simple but compelling, and the ending is satisfying. The supporting characters are not particularly interesting, but the bond between Ramy and Victorie is more important. The visual elements of the book are gloriously effective in demonstrating this.
The four friends outside the tower, laughing in relief at their exam scores, are one such example. Another depicts them all walking through a graveyard together after being at a Ball. These moments help to solidify their close bond.
Kuang seems to be aware that these characters needed more characterization, and adding little “interludes” from the 50% mark of the book onwards to explain character actions. While one could argue it’s a clunky way of exuding exposition, personally I found this to work well in breaking up some of the dramatic plot beats, allowing you to really take in what’s happened, while simultaneously fleshing out the history for these three students.
Babel is a great book. The prose is detailed and zingy, while Robin Swift is a complicated protagonist with multiple layers to his persona. This one is well worth reading.
