What To Expect - - 'Babel' is a standalone historical fantasy & dark academia novel that spends a lot of time talking about colonialism and translation.

My Feelings - - This was my second time reading Babel, and I did not enjoy it as much as the first time. This book has something to say, and says it really well, but I felt that there was not a lot to hold and engage me for a re-read. The themes are well crafted (if a bit heavy handed), and the knowledge and research that went into it is very impressive.

Unfortunately when it came to the characters, I found myself mentally bouncing off of them. I couldn't sink into their lives and enjoy this book as a story. It felt like an interesting class rather than a story to escape into.

The beginning and the end of the narrative did grab me, but I found myself not enjoying the middle as much.

Overall this is a great book and I am really glad I read it, but once was probably enough for me and I didn't need to read it again.

Recommendation - - If you like dark academia, stories with strong messaging, and love learning - this could be the book for you!

3.5 ⭐️ = great story, i’m glad i read this

in-short: A tragic, dizzying love story spanning a millennial with fantastical elements that is so much more than two people yearning for each other: it’s about the appeal and the danger of legends, idolizing what you’ve been told and how easy it is to rewrite history. A story to lose yourself in, a story to re-read, a story to think about long after you finish it.

in-depth: This review will be spoiler free, but I would recommend going into this book knowing as little as possible about it and then reading it in as few sessions as possible for the ultimate reading experience. So proceed at your own risk!

Okay. This book made me cry, blush, stare into the abyss and cry some more.

The writing is flowy and fairytale-esque, full of yearning and aching. I normally don’t read romances, let alone historical romances (which this book only kind of is?), but for some reason I was immediately sold on the love story. I can see why people would find it maybe unsettling at first, with one character being obsessed with the other evoking a feeling of imbalance, but it worked very well for me.

In theory, these characters should feel like reversed stereotypes, but they never do: they feel real, tangible and vulnerable. Their actions feel authentic to who they are and their arcs are therefore convincing and truly earned. This also applies to the side characters, which have strong personalities despite not playing major roles and being in only a few scenes.

The plot is nothing short of breathtaking, the themes are woven in so organically and compellingly; I went “WHAT” multiple times while reading. As I slowly uncovered the truth behind the legend of Una Everlasting, I found myself completely absorbed in the story, unable to put the book away. It’s so layered but not simply confusing for the sole reason of being confusing; there’s sense in the madness. Every time we got a new piece of information, something clicked for me and I felt a rush of accomplishment and adrenalin, as if my own life was on the line to solve the mystery.

It’s the first book I have ever annotated, and it was well worth it. Also, the illustrations by Alice Cao are wonderful and whimsical and I adore every single one of them!!