babel: the translators revolution & important conversations
- paigenherbooks
- Dec 28, 2022
- 5 min read
4/5
Babel was a wild & emotional ride of a story.
Imagine diving into a world that is colored by fantasy themes but pumped full of real world issues, conversations, and facts. You've just entered into the world of Babel, a story that is intense, deep, intellectual, heart breaking and raw. A story that I am so glad to have read and will be referring to anyone and everyone. This story had an ending I couldn't have predicted, conversations I didn't think I would have, and a plethora of knowledge woven expertly into the story that I closed the novel feeling informed and educated. Babel lives up to her "hype" and is one hell of a novel, to which I say good fkn job.
Synopsis: When the family of a young boy named Robin Swift dies of cholera, a stern English professor takes him away from China. He arrives in an alternate Oxford, England, in 1828 and is thrust into lessons in language so that he might one day join the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel.
Where to even start...Lets begin with the premise of the story, some background if you will. Babel is the translators institution that thrives in the middle of Oxford University in Britain. Babel is ran mostly by "foreigners" or those who dream in other languages: meaning if you're bilingual and not traditionally "white" you might just have a shot at attending Babel, because the economy and the crown need you. England is ran by silver working, which is essentially bars of silver that when inscribed with word phrases that translate into other meanings runs the city.
All the sewers, electricity, military power, baking, driving, literally everything is fueled by these silver bars, almost like economic magic. "Bablers", as they're called, work day and night learning everything and anything about translation, normally from their native language into english so that they can not only invent more phrases to inscribe on the silver bars but to also further progress the economic trade and colonization of other poorer countries. Our story follows four students, Robin, Ramy, Letty, and Victorie, all doing their best to fit in and utilize their unique backgrounds to "help make the world. a better place". Though they quickly learn the true meaning and weight of their education as well as slowly learning the truth behind what their professors are having them do. We watch as our students battle betrayal, death, colonization, prejudice, racism, heartache, and homework across the almost 500 page novel, and let me say, not a moment of it was dull.
Robin Swift is our main narrator, plucked from his dying household in Canton, a providence of China by a professor of Babel, we see as he is taught in the ways of Latin, Greek, history, and is then shipped off to Babel, to become the next generation of translators. I loved Robin, seeing this whole world start to build and come together through his eyes was vivacious and hungry, but realistic as well as intriguing. He, at first glance seems like a basic character, a young man who is happy to have what he's always wanted and is happy to live in blissful ignorance. But watching as Robin starts to understand the way the world truly works, to see him get angry and stay angry, to see him grow from a timid child into a strong and passionate young man was inspiring. He was a raw and real character, never just black and white and seeing him take Babel by storm with all of his flaws was simply beautiful.
The rest of our characters: Ramy, Letty, and Victorie were equally as interesting to read about. The four easily became a cult like friend group and all valued the relationship they had grown, even if things weren't always easy nor did they always like each other. Each character received one chapter where we as the readers were able to see a glimpse into their lives and who & what made them who they are. These chapters were insightful and sometimes even a little heartbreaking as we saw past the curtain of these characters and what they showed to our main pov, Robin.
This story is hauntingly beautiful and I think it's important to go into this story without truly knowing what is happening or any details overly explained, so for that reason the rest of this review is going to be in response to the content matter that this book poses and the important conversations surrounding her.
The novel does a wonderful job of educating the readers while they're reading the story. The author utilizes footnotes to further explain plot points, word meanings, as well as interject small history lessons that relate to the story that is unfolding. I had a love hate relationship with these. On one hand they were super informational and interesting. I felt like I was reading a fictional story but also learning quite a lot from it as well. Though on the other hand I felt as if it took away from the story at times, having to take yourself out of the plot to read these footnotes, sometimes resulted in the feeling of being taken out of the story, which I didn't always love.
This novel does a beautiful job of talking about the issues and real realities of colonialism and colonization in a way that details out the atrocities and raw events that occur when this happens. It brings up the pointed subject of the fact that colonialism & colonization isn't some old-age concept that is written in history books with black and white photos, it's a real and ongoing issue the perpetrates even into today. Babel showcases this issue in a way that I felt was respectful and genuine to those that have been affected by genocide, conquering, and decimation of their towns, cultures, and more. A story that doesn't revolve around a "white savior" complex but instead shows the minorities suffering and then taking action all on their own. It's a liberating story that echos with thousands of people groups who have suffered at the hands of this issue. Babel sheds a bright and blinding light on the corruption of politics, economic gain, as well as the issue with thought processes of "for the greater good".
The way that the story progresses is gross, dark, and grimy. It doesn't end with everyone holding hands and singing kumbaya, quite the opposite actually, which is exactly how this story goes. The anger, hatred, prejudice, the community that is built around being able to simply exist in spaces as well as the conversation concerning being able to put yourself in someone else's shoes to understand. This novel does a stand up job of using a "fictional" story to really lay out the beauty & destruction of these issues. I could write a whole essay on this novel, I think it will easily become a modern classic and I whole-heartedly think this should be a mandatory read within the classroom alongside To Kill A Mockingbird. This story is out of this world and I can't talk enough about the haunting beauty that is found within these pages.
As you can tell, I really loved this book. I sobbed at the ending, I laughed throughout, gasped, and felt like an academic baddie while reading it. Babel has easily earned it's spot on my "dark academia I wish I could live in" shelf and I know I'll return to her story often, to walk to Babel with Robin, Ramy, Letty, and Victorie.
Babel has become my new special interest and I will probably dive deep into my thoughts from now on sober & with a drink in my hand...friends watch out.
Happy reading & happy holidays :)
love, paige :)
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