The exportation of language and translation, along with the discussions that stem from this, unreal, and I could read the way R.F. Kuang writes these topics all day long. The deep dive into colonialism, woman’s rights, racial discrimination, imperial dominance and the use of resources ‘then having an issue with how they are acquired’…. Urgh, honestly slow clap Kuang. Nothing pleases me in a book more than being made to think and question. 

For a while I was left wanting thinking this was not going to be nearly dark enough, that the main characters where all far to kind, nice, moral and so on. But all preconceptions were thrown out the window at the half way point. The characters went from being somewhat flat to very dimensional, moral dilemmas were put to the forefront and human nature was explored in all facets of light.

There is a part of me that dislikes that fantasy was introduced in to this storyline, another part of me is pleased that people might find themselves reading this, expecting an epic fantasy and instead getting a very ‘subtle?’… no a slap in the face with some very emotive and important topics.  

On the fantasy note, from books one to three I can’t say I cared much for the magic system and again I wished it had been left out. It felt as though it was a completely different book thrown into this story line. That being said… my opinion starts to slowly change; it wasn’t until right at the end however that my appreciation for the silver ‘witchcraft/wizardry’ really fell into place and I loved and saw the importance of it in this story line. 


Finally, dam did that ending make my heart drop, it was so beautiful in its destruction. The way the magical system was tied back in, the way history and memories came back in full circle, nothing short of poetic even in all its brutality.

Anyone could read and enjoy 'Babel. or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution' Novel, from contemporary literature lovers to massive fantasy readers it has it all.