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Hidra Editorial

BABEL. An arcane history.

BABEL. An arcane history.

Our Review

A demanding read. R.F. Kuang immerses us in 1830s Oxford University, where magic is extracted from translation and silver. Babel is not only a novel of fantasy and silver magic, but it also offers a brutal dissection of colonialism, racism, and the hypocrisy of the Empire.

Following Robin Swift in his rise and disillusionment within the Tower of Babel is a journey that reveals fascinating subjects, such as translation, while getting you hooked on a heartbreaking plot.

It is a dense, political, and ambitious book, one of those works that force you to highlight, to think, and to take a stand.

💡 DROJANIAN TIP: This is not a light read for an afternoon. It's a book to savor, to discuss, and to study. Take your time with it, because every page is worth it.

Book Details

Synopsis

The year is 1828. Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel, is the nerve center of the British Empire's power. There, magic is created through language, by engraving words onto silver to unleash meanings lost in translation. Robin Swift, an orphan from Canton, is brought to England to be educated and become one of Babel's translators.

However, he soon discovers that serving Babel means betraying his homeland and strengthening the empire that oppresses it. Trapped between his love for knowledge and the fight against colonialism, Robin must decide if the only way to achieve real change is through violence.

About the Author

R. F. Kuang (Canton, 1996) is a Chinese-American writer who has revolutionized fantasy literature. She immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of four. Her bicultural perspective permeates all her work, exploring themes such as colonialism, identity, and language as a form of power. She is a graduate of the prestigious universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and is currently pursuing her doctorate at Yale.

In addition to "Babel" (winner of the Nebula Award), she is the author of the successful "The Poppy War" trilogy and the literary satire "Yellowface."

Technical Specifications

  • Pages: 704

  • Author: R. F. Kuang

  • Publisher: Editorial Hidra

  • Binding: Hardcover

  • Edition: 2022

  • ISBN: 9788419266286

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