The one in which I rant and rave about the genius of Babel by R. F. Kuang

Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution by R.F. Kuang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The dark whimsy of 'The Night Circus', the historical depth of 'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell' and the dark academia of 'The Secret History', R. F. Kuang’s 'Babel' is quite possibly everything I could ever ask for from a historically grounded fantasy novel. And that paragraph at the end detailing the love story that had been there all along? The icing on the cake, the cherry on the scone. I think Kuang might have written the most perfect novel.

This review comes far too late. I finished 'Babel' weeks ago; it left me a sobbing mess in my bedroom, struggling to breathe as I came to terms with the heartbreaking eloquence in which this story ends. At this point, I had struggled to connect with a book for a while, so I needed something like 'Babel' to drag me away from the world: something with prose I could never fault, with narrative influences seemingly designed just for me - I mean, that opening reeks of Erin Morgenstern’s 'Night Circus' in the best way and I am completed besotted with 'Strange and Norrell' despite the fact that it was assigned reading for my third year of University, a task I considered unbelievably cruel until I actually committed to reading the thing — and characters I could irrevocably fall in love with.

'Babel' has all that and more. In fact, Kuang had me before the plot even began. Her introduction of her alternative Oxford reminded me of the power of a good freaking book and I knew right then that I wasn’t going to put it down. Something about her slightly sarcastic and self-assured tone (a tone that she absolutely deserves to take after writing a book like Babel) hooked me and I was ready to sink into the world she carved out.

Let’s start with the prose. I can’t hope to get across the beauty with which Kuang writes in my own clunky words, but try I must. I am yet to read her 'Poppy War' series, but it has jumped to the top of my list, alongside her upcoming novel 'Yellowface' (shoutout to the team at HarperFiction for sending me an early copy!) It’s more than just beautiful imagery and heartbreaking turns of phrase, though. She is so utterly confident with every utterance, and the more I read the more I understood how on earth she was able to be so succinct and magnificent. She’s a bloody genius. I love a book with footnotes and Kuang gets the balance just right. She knows more about the art of translation than I thought it was possible for a human being to know and I will simply never read another translated book the same - and this book isn’t even about translated fiction, not really. Sure, it makes up some elements, but that is why this novel is so all-encompassing, this book is about everything, because, to some degree, translation is required in every part of life. Granted, I already considered myself a little etymology and language nerd so that might be why I found this novel so fascinating. But I do believe her writing would leave anybody speechless and unable to do anything but finish the book.

There is something so comforting about the world this novel submerses you in. For a good half of it there is very little plot. You simply exist along side Robin, Ramy, Victoire and Letty as they experience the trials and tribulations of studying. I had visited Oxford once when I was about 14 or 15, and had more recently visited Cambridge, but the University I studied at had a vastly different feel to Oxford in the 1800s (because it was Birmingham in the 2000s) so could only vaguely assign real places to the landscapes she references.

But now I feel that I have gone to Oxford. I too studied at the Institute of Translation and dreamed of one day actually succeeding at the art of Silver Working. The locations burst into life from the page, from moody Oxford streets to the hull of a trans-atlantic ship, you are right there in them all the way through this book.

Having now mentioned them by name, I am itching to talk about the characters. Robin got under my skin, perforated my heart and now lives within its chambers. I don’t think I have ever read a more sympathetic character, one who is so easy to love and I have never wanted to reach into a novel more to give one a hug. By following him along every step of his life, every decision he eventually makes is utterly justified. I felt every single pain that he felt throughout the novel; the tragic ending, whilst almost unthinkable, makes sense for who he is. His friendship with Ramy was undoubtedly my favourite thing about the novel. But, the love story always is.

I am a fussy gal. I don’t read romance novels but I demand a good love story in pretty much every piece of content I consume. Kuang hints so painfully about the love between Robin and Ramy that I had contented myself to the thought that my only critique of the novel would be the lack of it.

I feel foolish for ever doubting her.

The paragraph that hits near the conclusion of the book, where Robin admits to the reader and to himself what he and Ramy had been all along broke my heart and healed it all at once. It is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever read.

The world of the dark academia novel is unbelievably crowded now. I have read a fair few: 'The Secret History', whilst obviously a masterpiece of the genre, did ultimately leave me wanting because of the weight it holds. 'The Betrayals' by Bridget Collins was close to becoming one of my favourite books, until a plot twist completely broke me and it now hurts me to think of it. Naomi Novik’s 'Deadly Education' quite simply just didn’t do it for me. I adored 'The Atlas Six', but that has a level of pretentiousness that just can’t be ignored. I think that’s what is so transcendent about 'Babel'. I’ll speak more about this in a moment, but let me just say now that this novel is in no way pretentious.

This novel stands out from the crowd.

I truly hope it manages to assert itself as one of the best books of the year, of the decade, of the century. R. F. Kuang has transcended the genre to write an important piece of literature, and it deserves to be taken seriously. As a bookseller, I am fiendishly excited for the paperback release so I can thrust it into the hands of every unsuspecting 'Secret History' fanatic and tell them that this is where it’s at.

'Babel', despite what the full title would suggest, and let’s just take a moment to appreciate it in it’s full glory: 'Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution', is not a pretentious piece of academic jargon that vaguely resembles a compelling plot. (Also, I want to stress, I am a huge fan of books that are pretentious pieces of academic jargon vaguely resembling plot, one of my other favourite books of this year alongside 'The Atlas Six' is Julia May Jonas’ 'Vladimir', a meditation on 'Lolita', containing a horrible protagonist who actually thinks sleeping with students is okay, even when her husband does it - it’s a wild story that doesn’t quite stick the landing that I love despite it's frightening unlovable protagonist). 'Babel' takes care to be a human story and it is shockingly easy to read, despite the heaviness and complicated backstory you have to ingest. The book invites you in, with its loving descriptions of Oxford (you can feel Kuang’s adoration for the city in almost every line) sitting comfortably next to critiques of the wider political context in which it sits. Quite simply, you want to be there with them. You are there with them. So, when the city they love betrays them, you are betrayed too. Emotion is at the centre of this novel. Love in all of its forms is what pushes it forward.

I can’t quite believe it exists.

I am so glad I chose to read it.

I am spoiled for every other novel now and I will constantly be searching for another Robin to love as much as I love this one.

Read this book, fall for this world.

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