BabelBabel
What it's about
In 1828, Robin Swift is taken from Canton as an orphan to England and trained to study at Babel, Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation. Babel is the heart of the British Empire's power, because translation fuels its magic: silver bars engraved with matched words in two languages do impossible things. As Robin sees how that power is used, including to force war on China, he has to choose between Babel and the people it harms.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Nebula Award and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's an ambitious historical fantasy about language, empire and revolution.
You'll love it if you liked
Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell
The Name of the Rose
UprootedGood to know
It's long, with footnotes and lots of etymology. Its message about colonialism is direct, and the ending is violent.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics54 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #47 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #63 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #90 of the 481 new books we rank
- #505 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving, Thought-provoking
More by R. F. Kuang
If you like this, read next
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Outlander
The Dispossessed
Beautyland
Sea of Tranquility
Bliss MontageExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Babel worth reading?
Yes. It won the Nebula Award and was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #505 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Babel about?
In 1828, Robin Swift is taken from Canton as an orphan to England and trained to study at Babel, Oxford's Royal Institute of Translation. Babel is the heart of the British Empire's power, because translation fuels its magic: silver bars engraved with matched words in two languages do impossible things. As Robin sees how that power is used, including to force war on China, he has to choose between Babel and the people it harms.
How long does it take to read Babel?
About 14 hours (544 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Babel won?
Nebula Award winner (2022).
What should I read after Babel?
If you liked it, try Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco or Uprooted by Naomi Novik.