Rating: ★★★★★
I listened to Babel by R.F. Kuang on audiobook, and I was completely blown away. Going into it, I expected this to be a pretty intimidating read. It’s a big book with a lot going on, and it definitely looks like the kind of book that requires a serious commitment. But once I started listening, I realized it wasn’t nearly as intimidating as I had expected.
Set in 1828, Babel follows Robin Swift, a boy from Canton who travels to London to study at Oxford’s Royal Institute of Translation. At Babel, translation is more than just language. Silver working allows translators to use the meaning lost between languages to create magic, giving Britain even more power as it expands its empire. But as Robin learns more about the institution he’s dedicated his life to, he begins to realize that the knowledge he’s pursuing comes at a cost, especially when it means betraying his own motherland.
One of my favorite things about this book is how sharply it critiques colonialism, imperialism, and the way powerful institutions use knowledge to maintain control. The magic system is genuinely brilliant, and I loved how it connects to the themes of language, translation, and power. There’s so much thought behind the world building, and it all feels meaningful to the story rather than just being there to make the fantasy elements more interesting.
The characters were another highlight for me. Their relationships, struggles, and choices made the story feel even more impactful, and I found myself getting completely pulled into everything that was happening. The storyline was so well written, and I thought the book did an incredible job balancing its fantasy elements with the bigger questions it wanted readers to think about.
And the ending. I was absolutely not prepared for it. Honestly, it’s one of the best endings to a book I’ve ever read. It was shocking, emotional, and left me sitting with everything that had happened. I don't want to say too much and risk spoiling anything, but I thought it was incredibly powerful and such a fitting conclusion to the story.
I also have to give credit to the audiobook because I had a fantastic time listening to this one. Sometimes a big fantasy book can feel like a lot to keep track of, but the audio format worked really well for me and made it easy to get swept up in the story. I'm so glad I finally picked this one up!
Overall, Babel was an incredible reading experience. It’s a sharp, thought-provoking critique of colonialism wrapped in a brilliantly imagined fantasy, with memorable characters, an immaculate storyline, and an ending that absolutely blew me away. If you’ve been putting this book off because it seems intimidating, I definitely recommend giving the audiobook a try. I can’t recommend this book enough!