aroldo's reviews
89 reviews

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Meditation Is Not What You Think: Mindfulness and Why It Is So Important by Jon Kabat-Zinn

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

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challenging emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Babel by R.F. Kuang

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Summary:
Robin Swift is removed from everything he knows when at a young age he is transferred from
his home in China to his adoptive home of England under the cold and distant guardianship of
Professor Lovell. His upbringing is devoid of love and emotional care, but Robin is provided
with all the resources needed to prepare him for his future at Oxford University Academy of
Language. Once at Oxford Robin goes through the rigors of learning how to be a translator with
the hopes of learning silver work (magic). He makes deep friendships and goes through the life
of a normal college student until it starts to come crashing down around him.
Like:
The blunt exploration of colonialism, Babel does a wonderful job at introducing the concept.
Secondly it presented differing ideologies on how the colonized peoples living within the imperial
core can respond. Babel creates a hard magic system with clear limitations used for some
minute effects (plates that keep food warm) to amazing abilities (becoming an invisible ethereal
conscious form). The magic system was implemented in a subtle realistic way and leaves a lot
of room for continued exploration. The relationships between friends and collegial peers were
very appreciated. The way that college life and the illusion of the scholar’s life in a pursuit of
knowledge with no effect on the world around them are dissected were standouts. Lastly, the
other major thematic pillar of Babel, the role of higher education in justifying and facilitating
empire (explored through the studies of language) was so deeply explored that I could only
scratch at the surface of all that was being said.
Disliked:
Would have liked more time with some of the characters specifically Victoire, Anthony, Ramy,
Griffin. Would have liked an interlude for Anthony. The ending could have been longer. These
are very minor dislikes.
Conclusion:
I have very little to complain about this novel. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and when I
finished it, I spent around 2 hours just laying in my bed. I just looked up at the ceiling thinking
about what I had just read. In my opinion we cannot ask more from art beyond that it makes us
feel something and Bable did that for me. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
Recommendations:
If you’ve enjoyed The Poppy War trilogy, One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Day Before the
Revolution or The Martian Chronicles, I think you will like Babel and vice versa.
Disclaimer:
If discussions of racism, colonialism, sexism, sociology, and empire offend you I would say skip
this one.
There are very light criticisms of white people which could be triggering for some.
The book is dark and does not flinch, consider what you are reading before you start this novel
and what comes after. I recommend having two palate cleansers with happy endings at the
ready.

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced

5.0

El Coloquio De Los Perros by Miguel de Cervantes

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adventurous reflective slow-paced