Babel by R.F.Kuang

Babel is a fantastical retelling of colonial past, where the domination by the British Empire in the early 1800’s was brought about using language turned magic. If you’re a fan of language and linguistics, this is the choice for you. Babel uses its well-researched linguistic theory and historical knowledge of real-world events to encapsulate the grounded tone that readers relate to. The magic system is complicated, but for due reason, as one (within the book) must know multiple languages to the point of fluency. The book critiques British colonialism, racist propaganda and the erasure of culture due to colonialist structure. I thoroughly enjoyed Babel, it was an easy read yet still gave me satisfaction upon reading it, simply a must read.

- Patrick