"Languages are easier to forget than you imagine… Once you stop living in the world of Chinese, you stop thinking in Chinese… Words and phrases you think are carved into your bones can disappear in no time.’ Robin has to decide whether he should continue to pursue knowledge and stay in Babel, or will he choose to side with the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to sabotaging the silver-working, which in essence, defies Babel. But for Robin, a Chinese boy raised in Britain, this means inevitably betraying his motherland. It is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, and knowledge means power. Oxford, the city of dreaming spires, feels like a fairytale for Robin. Silver-working has made the British Empire unparalleled in power, and Babel's research in foreign languages serves the Empire's quest to colonize everything it encounters. Babel is the world's center of translation and, more importantly, of silver-working: the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation through enchanted silver bars to magical effect. Professor Lovell brought Robin to train him in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese-even though Chinese is his first language-in preparation for the day he'll enroll in Oxford University's prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel. In 1828, Robin Swift lost his last surviving family due to cholera, and he was then brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. The story in Babel is told almost exclusively from the perspective of Robin Swift. It makes you appreciate the complexity of the ones you know already.’” It should feel like an enormous undertaking. “‘But that’s the beauty of learning a new language. And with Babel, Kuang proved, once again, that she is indeed one of the best fantasy authors to appear within the past five years. The Dragon Republic and The Burning God proved that notion. I am proud to say that I was one of the first reviewers for Kuang’s debut, The Poppy War, and I mentioned in my review of The Poppy War that Kuang will be one of the queens of modern fantasy. The cover art by Nico Delort looks spectacular, and I think many of you know that I am a fan of The Poppy War Trilogy. Babel was-and still is, until August-my most anticipated release of the year. Also, because this is the longest book title I’ve ever witnessed, to make this review more digestible, I’m going to call the book simply Babel. And unlike The Poppy War Trilogy, which I consider a grimdark fantasy series, Babel is a standalone dark academia novel. And later, together, they fall.”īabel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of Oxford Translators’ Revolution is Kuang’s newest novel. “Language was always the companion of empire, and as such, together they begin, grow, and flourish. Kuang has triumphed over The Poppy War Trilogy-which I loved so much-with this one book. Ĭan powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?ĪRC was provided by the publisher-Harper Voyager-in exchange for an honest review.īabel was absolutely impressive, ambitious, and intelligently crafted. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide.
As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion.
But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. Silver-working-the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars-has made the British unparalleled in power, as the arcane craft serves the Empire's quest for colonization.įor Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. 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. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.ġ828. Kuang comes Babel, a historical fantasy epic that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British Empire
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