Babel by RF Kuang
Babel is a fantasy novel set in an alternate 19th-century Oxford where linguists have learned to harness the power of translation through silver bars. In finding match-pairs between words whose translations lose some portion of the original language’s meaning, silver-workers can harness this power in a kind of magic. The story follows four new students at Oxford’s Translation Institute, referred to as Babel, as they study languages on their way to becoming silver-workers and learn about the darker side of colonialism and the British Empire.
I liked this book, but maybe didn’t love it. It is an exceptional novel conceptually and thematically — it explores empires, empires, racism, sexism, friendship, coming-of-age, political dynamics, technology and the working class, and colonialism in a wonderfully creative way. There are complex layers to the conflicts depicted in the story, both on a personal level between the four main characters and on a higher level between classes, countries, and cultures. The author has done an incredible amount of research. The etymology discussed are fascinating and delightful. The ending is done in a satisfying way, in my opinion, that illustrates the tragedy and difficulties of these power struggles, as well as the differences even within the protagonists.
However, the prose seemed a bit pedantic at some points, and the writing style had a sort of dramatic flair that felt too on-the-nose for me. I felt like the story didn’t progress in a subtle, natural way that I wanted, and the author painted an explicit picture of the moral message she wanted to get across rather than letting the reader find it themselves. I didn’t feel like I got to know the characters very well; their personalities seemed to shift depending on the situation. This took away the weight of some deaths. I suppose I would have wanted to see more character development and a more subtle writing style.
Overall, though, it was a fascinating and thought-provoking read, and I did enjoy it. It is probably one of the most creative premises I’ve come across in a while and was just fun to explore.
