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Content Warnings: Racism, Classism, Death, Alcohol Use, Blood, Gore, Blackmail, Torture, Child Abuse, Gun Violence, Colonialism, Misogyny, Sexual Assault, Slavery, Self-Harm, Death of a Parent, Murder, War Rating:
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal. 1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. 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. The tower and its students are the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. 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. For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide . . . Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?
Babelis my first experience with R.F. Kuang, as I have yet to read The Poppy Wars, and I was not disappointed. While I may not have rated Babel as high as other reviewers, it was still high up on my list of reads this year.
"Betrayal. Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes."
Babel is an in-depth look at the harm colonialism has and is continuing to enact on society at large, set in a fantastical, alternative version of our own world where "magic" exists through the act of translation and silver bars. Despite it being set in an alternative reality, the message is no less an honest reflection of our world, where colonialism has led to the worst atrocities we have ever witnessed. Kuang ruthlessly explores the themes of colonialism, racism, and resistance, leaving very little up to interpretation.
Some readers have remarked that Kuang is "heavy-handed" in her writing, but I disagree. Just because the exploration and commentary are "obvious" doesn't mean the writing is heavy-handed. In a world where people are arguing that books are not political, I think we need more authors to be clear in their messaging.
Kuang not-so-politely holds up a mirror to the reader and modern society and asks us to confront our darkest demons. Under all the glamour and illusions, we find there is nothing but a failing system leading all of us to our inevitable doom. Robin, our main character, and his friends, who are largely non-white immigrants, are faced with the harsh realities of an oppressive system that is failing everyone except the ultra-wealthy. From capitalism and colonialism to misogyny and racism, our characters, and therefore we as readers, experience the very worst society has to offer, and things never get better.
"Only it builds up, doesn’t it? It doesn’t just disappear. And one day you start prodding at what you’ve suppressed. And it’s a mass of black rot, and it’s endless, horrifying, and you can’t look away."
It's through this exploration that we find ourselves siding with what society calls "terrorists," the individuals fighting against the system. The lengths our characters are willing to go to fight against oppression are the same lengths that so many people have gone through for centuries. This is a culmination of resistance, the desire to fight for freedom and liberation, even when death comes knocking. I was sobbing by the end of Babel, my heart aching for our characters and the world. From the language to the setting to the themes and magic system, Babelis a masterpiece.
“Power did not lie in the tip of a pen. Power did not work against its own interests. Power could only be brought to heel by acts of defiance it could not ignore. With brute, unflinching force. With violence.”
While I thought the story dragged in some parts and could have probably been about 150-200 pages shorter, I loved every minute of it. From the linguistic lessons to the footnotes, my breath was consistently taken away. I am such a sucker for footnotes, whether they are real or not; I believe they are a unique and interesting way to world-build. I loved the footnotes just as much here as I did in the Emily Wilde Trilogy. However, some parts were read like an academic textbook, with very little actually happening in the story. This was my biggest qualm with the book.
Furthermore, the magic system was profoundly unique. Translations were written on silver bars, which were then used to perform different tasks, like shielding the building or speeding up carriages. What was even more interesting was that the silver bar's function waned over time, and eventually, some word pairs no longer worked because the languages became too similar to each other. French and Spanish end up having words in common with English as societies intermingle and trade, resulting in a Frankenstein language. This was such a clever idea, and I ate it up.
I cannot recommend Babel enough, especially in light of current events, not just here in the United States, but all over the world. Alt-right ideologies and politics are on the rise, which is a threat to all of us, not just a few. I encourage you to educate yourself through diverse viewpoints and take whatever actions you can to fight against oppression.
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A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid Series: A Study in Drowning #1 Published by Harper Collins on November 5, 2024 Genres:YA Fantasy, Dark Academia Pages: 432 Format: Hardback Source: Purchased
Content Warnings: Sexual Harassment, Sexual Assault, Misogyny, Violence, Drug Use, Abuse, Mental Illness, Death, Sexism, Racism Rating:
2025 certainly feels like my dark academia era as I continue to dive deeper into the genre. I ate A Study in Drowningup, and while there were certainly some issues, I deeply enjoyed Reid's storytelling. The best way to describe A Study in Drowning is a dark academia version of Crimson Peak. If you loved the film Crimson Peak, you'll love this story. The dark and decrepit house is haunted by an otherworldly presence while the once wealthy owners seek to save it, potentially through nefarious means. The Fairy King haunts Hiraeth Manor in such a way that it often feels like you are slipping into madness with Effy. I loved every minute in Hiraeth Manor.
Apart from loving the vibes, I appreciated Reid's portrayal of trauma, particularly that of Effy. Not only is she dealing with misogyny, but she is also trying to prove herself in a world that thinks she slept her way to the top and that, because she is pretty, she is asking for it. There are multiple times Effy is put into a situation she did not ask for simply because she is a beautiful young girl/woman. While it absolutely broke my heart what Effy suffered, it's a story we both share; one I know many women unfortunately share. Effy consistently proves everyone wrong, and I loved every minute of it.
Despite how strong and noteworthy Effy is, she is not without her flaws. You would think a character who is constantly belittled and underestimated would not be prejudiced, but here we are. I mean, this isn't an uncommon trope, as it's incredibly common in real life. White women, despite experiencing prejudice, will still center white supremacy, and that's exactly what Effy does. Preston, while white, is half Argantian. Argant and Llyr are rival nations, not just politically but culturally as well. Llyrians strongly believe their "Storytellers," known as Sleepers, magically protect Llyr. Llyrians believe themselves to be more intelligent, rational, and superior in every way to Argantians and, unfortunately, Effy sings this tune loudly.
The conflict between these two nations is underdeveloped, which actually didn't bother me because both nations seemed to have reached somewhat of a stalemate. The prejudices still existed, but much of the battling was fading, and the war was fading from the public mindset. Because it was fading, our main characters didn't expound on it, allowing more pressing matters, even if trivial, to be the main focus.
What I did not like was Effy's disregard for intersectionality and her constant pestering of Preston. She uses racist stereotypes and insults, despite Preston being in a similar situation to hers. The disparaging doesn't end until she falls in love with him, but she never addresses her prejudice nor grows as a person. This reeks of, "I have a black friend, so I can't be racist." Because she fell in love with a half-Argantian man, suddenly she can't be racist. Yeah, that's not how that works, and it made me uncomfortable. I am hoping this is addressed in the next book, which is set to release later this year.
A Study in Drowning is certainly not for everyone. Many other reviewers have mentioned they were bored or couldn't connect with the characters. I can definitely see why that would be the case, but I still found the eerie setting, mystery, looming destruction, and the characters to be enthralling.
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Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang Published by Del Ray on October 29, 2024 Genres:Fantasy, Dark Academia Pages: 448 Format: Hardback Source: Purchased
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry. When Sciona finally passes the qualifying exam and becomes a highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome—and, instead of a qualified lab assistant, they give her a janitor. What neither Sciona nor her peers realize is that her taciturn assistant was not always a janitor. Ten years ago, he was a nomadic hunter who lost his family on their perilous journey from the wild plains to the city. But now he sees the opportunity to understand the forces that decimated his tribe, drove him from his homeland, and keep the privileged in power. At first, mage and outsider have a fractious relationship. But working together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever—if it doesn’t get them killed first.
"So many parents will try to kill everything brilliant about a girl in the name of giving her a good life, a safe life, a chance at happiness."
There are a lot of trigger warnings when it comes to Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang, but trust me, it's entirely worth reading. Blood Over Bright Haven follows Sciona, the first ever female High Mage in Tiran, and Thomil, a Kwen janitor turned assistant, as they uncover a dark secret and grapple with the social and political implications of their discovery. The story hits the ground running right from the get-go, detailing Thomil's clan's attempt to make it across the barrier into Tiran to escape Blight, a light that rips every living thing it touches to shreds. I didn't even know these characters yet and I was sobbing by the time Thomil successfully made it to safety heart racing the entire time. Thomil is by far my favorite character, his devotion to his family, clan, and the good of all is something to be admired.
Wang takes on some heavy social and political commentary but does it in such an amazing, eye-opening way. Sciona is not meant to be a likable character. She is self-centered and bigoted, and despite the misogyny she faces, she still seeks to uphold the oppressive systems against which she struggles. Sciona is a perfect depiction of many white women in the United States, which is probably why her character rubbed so many readers and reviewers the wrong way. It's hard to come to terms with your behavior when it's reflected back to you in a mirror. Sciona isn't meant to be the good guy, even though she does some good with her knowledge and power, but again, mostly for selfish reasons.
Blood Over Bright Haven shines a bright light on xenophobia and how the dominant culture dehumanizes those different from them to justify their abhorrent treatment. From mass sterilization to downright murder, the Kwen are routinely referred to as being dumb and animal-like. This is the same rhetoric colonizers used to dehumanize all non-white people around the world. The US continues this same rhetoric when referring to the Latine community and now seeks to remove anyone they deem "unworthy" of being her. Racial profiling has already begun, and Wang does not hold back on showing us just how wrong such an opinion is.
"You’re the worst kind of murderer, I think… The kind who won’t even acknowledge her crime. You’ve never worshipped a god of truth… You worship a delusion."
Everything Wang does in Blood Over Bright Haven is a mirror of what is currently happening in the United States. It was scary just how much overlap there is between us and Tiran. It would behoove us all if everyone read this book. Maybe then some would open their eyes to the propaganda being sold to us as truth.
"It’s much easier to tell yourself you’re a good person than it is to actually be one."
On top of loving Wang's social and political commentary, the magic system in Blood Over Bright Haven is the most unique magic system I have ever encountered. I know I have mentioned other systems being unique, but there is nothing that comes close to Wang's creativity. Sciona and the other mages siphon their magic from the otherworld, a realm beyond ours, a realm gifted to them by their god. Their entire religious system is built around siphoning, which is done through computer programming. The whole thing is absolutely genius and I loved every minute Wang spent describing how the system worked. She does an incredible job teaching the reader about siphoning and locating magical sources within the context of the story, so it doesn't feel like we are being educated. Her beautiful prose, world-building, and story-telling ability shine so brightly, I forgot I was reading a book and not watching a movie.
I absolutely devoured Blood Over Bright Haven and wish I could read it again for the first time. I haven't stopped thinking about it since I finished it a couple of weeks ago. My only complaint is there was some slight enemies-to-lovers romance going on, which can only be done when both parties are equal. Sciona and Thomil are not equals, making this more of a colonizer romance which I am not fond of. The romance, however, is light and not the main purpose of the story. While it does drive the plot and ultimately leads Sciona to make the choices she does, the story is more about tearing down oppressive, unjust systems, than it is about falling in love.
"Because good people can turn desperate when the horrors are upon them—especially people whose culture of plenty has left them with no systems to cope with scarcity or cataclysm. Good people will turn monstrous when it’s down to their survival or someone else’s."
If you want to watch the world burn, especially in light of recent events, Blood Over Bright Havenis certain to light that fire in you. First two reads for 2025 have been absolute bangers and I am thankful for that.
