Reread Oct 2023:
This book hits even harder on a reread. RFK is my favorite author. Truly this is one of my all time favorite books. I loved re-reading every second of it, and picked up on so many things that I didn't notice the first time. I loved how much I learned reading this book about language and about history, truly fascinating. This book leans a bit more on the character side vs plot heavy (until probably about the last third of the book). I was sobbing (again) at the ending. 
Update: it's been ~12 days since I finished my reread and I can't even read much else because I can't stop thinking about this book and how good it is.



Initial read Sept 2022:
I need time to collect my thoughts, but this is for sure a new favorite book of mine. I would give it higher than 5 stars if it was possible.

Ok I'm back - so basically this book is a masterpiece and I really don't say that lightly. R.F. Kuang is a GD genius. It's now my goal in life to get pretty much everyone I know to read this book, because it is SO IMPORTANT.

I think the most important thing to know before reading Babel even if you're someone that doesn't like to know anything before reading a book (me): you must go into this book being prepared to learn and think critically. I might also add that this is LOW fantasy. If you've read Kuang's other work, this is very different (in this way), as it leans even more heavily on history and I would really consider it more historical fiction with a bit of magical realism.