Babel: An Arcane History

Babel: An Arcane History

R.F. Kuang

Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a thematic response to The Secret History? and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he'll enroll in Oxford University's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation--also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working--the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars--has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire's quest for colonization. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide... Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?


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  • heyjud
    Mar 16, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

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  • xnoell
    Mar 09, 2025
    Enjoyment: Quality: Characters: Plot:

     Say it with me: R.F. Kuang does NOT disappoint.

    This book sounded extremely interesting: an academic setting, a critique of colonialism, racism and elitism, as well as its themes of linguistics and translation.

    A lot of people complained that this 'read as a lecture' to which I can, to some extent, agree. However, as someone who is interested in linguistics and translation, I found myself intrigued as I was learning everything alongside the cast of characters.

    This isn't just about translation, though. R.F. Kuang does not shy away from the brutality of this world which reflects in the entire story, particularly the second half in which she captures the horrors of colonialism, racism and elitism. 

    Tissues are advised. I've read this book twice and each time it had absolutely shred me to pieces.

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  • eastrawberry
    Mar 09, 2025
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    La première partie du roman est très introductive et peut paraître longue pour les personnes qui veulent de l’action (pas moi). L’autrice met en place tout les éléments et les enjeux du récit avant la troisième partie, il y a beaucoup de world building et de tensions qui apparaissent. Lorsque ça éclate, tout s’accélère et j’avais juste envie de retourner aux parties calmes du début. Les larmes ont coulé plus d’une fois et R.F. Kuang sait ce qu’elle fait. Son travail est monstrueux et on ressent vraiment les heures de recherches vis à vis de la traduction. C’est un livre qui parle de colonisation et de son impact sur les populations. C’est une lecture aussi intéressante que passionnante. C’est un immense coup de cœur !

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