This book was written for white people. I'd wish it'd spend more time word building or establishing the characters than doing colonialist is bad 101. 😮‍💨 Also there's way too many characters. It would be nice to have a list or something.

That being said I did enjoy the characters for the most part.

In the beginning of the story Robin, the main character whose mother is Chinese and whose father is white (and also very racist towards Asian people) adopts a white name because "white people can't pronounce Chinese names". He tries to get as close to whiteness as he possibly can. As the story progresses, he chooses to identify as a Chinese. Exept his Chinese name isn't even mentioned. Like it makes sense for him to at least consider going by his Chinese name, especially considering that many Black and Brown Babel students kept their foreign names.

I also feel like Letty and Victorie being discriminated against for being women vs the boys being discriminated against for being POC wasn't explored enough. It feels like the boys have no idea what's going on.

I personally understand adopting the identity out of spite. So Babblers indentifying with their homelands because since they'll never be considered English they might as well.