Rescued from near death in Canton and raised in England, Chinese-born Robin Swift prepares to assimilate into the Royal Institute of Translation, or Babel, to power the silver bars that hold Oxford together. Yet shifting loyalties and a plot to expand the British Empire through war force him to choose between a comfortable life at Babel or defiance that would endanger him but crumble the empire’s foundations.

Set in an alternative history of 1830s England, R.F. Kuang’s “Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of Oxford

Translators’ Revolution” explores the British Empire through a fascinating form of magic: scholars who specialize in silver-working at Babel are tasked with translation, breaking down the meaning of words to achieve effects such as ringing the clock towers automatically or maintaining the lifespan of artifacts to maintain daily life. At the same time, the covert Hermes Society aims to dismantle Babel’s immense control over silver, which drives its need for conquest of China, which receives much of Britain’s silver in exchange for tea, porcelain and other goods.

Introduced to R.F. Kuang via her 2023 release “Yellowface,” I had high hopes for “Babel” after hearing high praise and scrolling through pages upon pages of five-star reviews on Goodreads. Although I’ve found most recent young adult novels drab and running through the same structure, “Babel” cuts through that monotony with its fresh concept based in history. Unlike many love-driven books with flimsy setup, any romance is minimal and at most implied. Kuang uses the term “love” mostly to describe platonic affection, and every introduced plot element contributes properly to the rest of the story.

Kuang blends direct and abstract sentences to create smooth-flowing prose. She writes with a preference for telling over showing, which, though preventing some opportunities to peer into Robin’s mind, didn’t hinder the overall experience, keeping the narrative and pacing well-written for a nearly 550-page book.

The single aspect of “Babel” that easily gives it a high rating is the worldbuilding. For an entirely imagined tower within Oxford University and a magic system reliant on the etymology of words, Kuang enriches the narrative with vivid imagery and descriptions of academia. I could feel myself ascending the steps of Oxford with Robin, marveling at the magical silver bars or suffering during final exams.

I also loved the dynamic characters and the connections between one another, particularly the deep friendships. Robin is not a perfect protagonist in the least, but his experiences feel real and his thoughts natural. Kuang drives Robin’s actions with raw emotions like guilt and anger, portraying a college student exposed to the cruelty of his gilded life. Supporting characters are equally as flawed and yet just as sympathetic.

As a fan of history, I was enthusiastic when I found myself recognizing the text’s references. Kuang scatters footnotes throughout and gives more details about historical figures and events such as the abolishment of slavery in England that ground readers in a larger setting. The narrative largely critiques imperialism and patriarchy of the time and doesn’t shy away from showing outright discrimination directed at Robin or his friends.

Another integral part of “Babel” is language. Kuang often dissects the etymology of a word or phrase in the footnotes; otherwise, characters provide an explanation for one another and the reader’s understanding. Rarely, words in a different language are left untranslated, but non-translated words are largely inconsequential to the narrative. An understanding of English is all one needs to enjoy the book.

“Babel” sometimes overwhelms itself with too much information; the explanations, especially toward the end, occasionally seemed more like a history lesson than a brief note. Despite that, Kuang maintains the momentum of “Babel” to deliver a spectacular ending as grandiose as Babel itself. Though long, the narrative provides much to ponder about in a beautiful setting and remains a thought-provoking favorite of mine. As Kuang writes, “How can we conclude, except by acknowledging that an act of translation is then necessarily always an act of betrayal?”

Rating: 4.8/5