Language was just difference. a thousand different ways of seeing, of moving through the world. No; a thousand worlds within one. and translation - a necessary endevour, however futile, to move between them.
Babel is a huge book and you definitely need a certain amount of time to get through it. It’s also quite complex, so it demands a certain degree of attention. Fantasy is not my favourite genre (anymore) and I am always sceptical when I pick up a new fantasy novel … but I liked this one.
I liked the way it blended history with fantasy, I thought the magic system was interesting as well as the whole idea behind the book. However, I have to agree with some of the critics that I have read about Babel. The magic should have had a greater impact on the life of the people. The power of the so called silver bars is mentioned a lot, but you rarely see it - while I was reading, I was waiting for more. Kuang could have integrated so many more magical elements! That is why Babel sometimes does not appear like a fantasy novel, but more like a historical fiction. In some passages; I also had the feeling that I was sitting in a lecture about etymology and history - and to be honest, it was not always that interesting.
All in all, I enjoyed reading Babel. It’s a great book, but … it could have been even better if the author had been more creative.
