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ClareR (5726 KP) rated Babel: An Arcane History in Books

Feb 14, 2023  
Babel: An Arcane History
Babel: An Arcane History
R F Kuang | 2022 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Babel is a college in Oxford - the Royal Institute of Translation - where all of the languages in the world are spoken and learnt about. It’s also where all the power of the British Empire originates from. But not in the way that you would think.

Robin Swift is brought to England by a mysterious Englishman after he is orphaned in Canton. The Englishman educates him, and then sends Robin to Babel to continue his studies. But is Babel everything that Robin wants or expects it to be?

This truly imaginative novel looks at colonialism, the power of language, resistance and sacrifice.

I loved the narration as well, it really added to the story, I felt, particularly the footnotes that were inserted into the rest of the dialogue explaining pronunciation and etymology (I really liked these parts, more than is normal or socially acceptable, probably! 🤭). I’ll admit that there were some mispronunciations of the Oxford colleges which would have been easy to avoid (I have to admit to mainly learning how to pronounce them by watching University Challenge 😆).

If you love language, languages (I do!), fantasy and an alternative history, then this will really appeal to you.

I do feel that I should have finished the book having learnt at least one more language though. Ah well 🤷🏼‍♀️
  
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Lexi (8 KP) rated Red Queen in Books

Aug 14, 2018  
Red Queen
Red Queen
Victoria Aveyard | 2015 | Young Adult (YA)
7
8.0 (64 Ratings)
Book Rating
Strong female character (2 more)
Engaging story
Plot twists a plenty
Characters aren't fully developed (1 more)
World isn't fully explored/explained
The story follows the main character of Mare. A girl brought up in poverty where, in her society, she is considered lesser because of her red blood. The elite members of society have silver blood and a range of special abilities which are introduced throughout the book.
Through a series of events Mare ends up living in the Palace with the silver bloods working as an accomplice and spy with the newly formed Scarlet Guard (or the resistance to you and me).
The book sucked me in after a clichéd start to the novel (a fact which is openly mentioned on the front cover of the novel). Once it gets past the sections of the story you swear you've heard before, the plot twists and unexpected elements of the novel come out to play.
There's special powers, secret plots, war, love triangles. Everything you need to make a really exciting read.
My bug bear with this series was the lack of depth. I wanted to know more about the characters and their motivations, I wanted to know more about the world. I felt like too many big (and interesting) concepts were only mentioned in passing rather than given the attention they deserved.
Overall, I did really enjoy this story and I feel compelled to read the other novels in the series but it isn't a favourite.