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Babel
- Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
- Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
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Written by: Natalie Haynes
Publisher's Summary
From award-winning author R. F. Kuang comes Babel, a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire.
Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.
Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…
Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Featured Article: 27 of the Best Fiction Audiobooks That Are Worth Listening To In 2022
There is nothing like finding a new fiction audiobook to fall in love with and escape the challenges of everyday life. We’ve curated a delightful list of some of the best fiction audiobooks on Audible to curl up with and find a few minutes of escapism. From blissful love stories to alternate realities full of dazzling adventure, we’ve chosen these must-listen titles for their ability to transport you to new realities, if even for a little while. Life can get overwhelming, but the thrill of finding a new audiobook to get swept up in is unmatched. So press play and get lost in these worlds of short stories, fantasy, magic and escapades that will leave you breathless.
What listeners say about Babel
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- nuanc
- 2023-03-01
Great concept with disappointing storytelling
Expected to love this but it took me forever to read (listen to). The plot didn’t really begin to go anywhere until halfway through when they went to China. Even then, there seems to be a promise of momentum that doesn’t pan out. The biggest issue was far too much narration for my tastes. The main character has only one dimension to his growth arc and dithers his way through until the very end. The magic system and translation info was great but not enough to make up for a so-so plot and the endless exposition that kept the characters at arm’s length.
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- Aud
- 2024-04-15
An absolutely brilliant look at colonialism and it’s tangible fallout
This book spends far more time than expected looking at and attempting to understand the effects of colonialism and imperial Britain has on its characters and the larger world. Slow and gut wrenchingly beautiful if you really want to get to know the inerlife and concerns of a character affected by an oppressive system this is for you. I saw a review that said something along the lines of “the author doesn’t know how to write and just tries to tick as many woke boxes as possible” which still feels like a deeply reactionary way of assessing a truly intersectional discussion. After all it was did you really expect Britain to be kind to protagonists it sees simply as a resource.
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- Martine
- 2023-02-01
Best book I’ve ever read
I just finished the book and I am in awe. I know I’ll be thinking about it for a while. The narration is also perfect, I loved getting to hear the footnotes in a nondisruptive way.
The themes discussed by the author are so important & well presented. I am a HUGE dark academia fan. This was an incredibly refreshing take on the genre.
There were a couple of anachronism when it came to the way the characters spoke, but I think it might’ve been to make the book more accessible to its readers. It didn’t bother me enough to lower the score.
This was a really ambitious project and the author excelled in executing it.
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- James Koiou
- 2023-02-09
excellent!!
the narrator(s) is/are wonderful and bring life to the characters. The story is touching, riveting, and deep. Excellent production. The author's ability to dive deep into emotions, thoughts, and actions shines bright when they matter the most. It was one of the most engaging stories I've had the privilege to listen to on Audible.
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- Samantha
- 2023-02-28
wow
i’m not sure how to put into words a coherent review after that ending. i’ll come back.
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- Esther S.
- 2023-06-04
Thought-provoking.
Wonderful story. Moving meditation on race and colonialism. Loved the footnotes. Gifted narrator. Strongly recommend.
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- Zack Robinson
- 2023-01-05
Masterwork
A Masterpiece of fiction, and the narration made sure the listener knew the linguistics by sound as well, which was very helpful.
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- Kai
- 2023-03-06
Really good story
The overall story and voice acting is really good. Only gripe is the voice actors needed better mics, you can hear clipping and a lot of pops at times.
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- Amy Braun
- 2023-08-14
A Powerful, Brilliant Story
Thought-provoking, intelligent, and filled with raw truth, BABEL is an incredibly important book. It takes the harsh realities of history and forces its readers to understand the facts. The topics it raises invite introspection and discussion, but also provide an education for us to learn from our mistakes and strive for a better, inclusive future.
BABEL is the story of a young man named Robin Swift who is taken from his homeland to be educated at the legendary Oxford school known as Babel, which gains knowledge from language and translation.But the longer Robin stays there, the more he comes to see the corruption inside Babel's tower and the weight it puts on anyone who does not conform to it or its ideals.
Robin is a great character as he is witness to many of the hardships and atrocities that Babel gives to its students. Hearing how the world viewed him and his friends, whom also had dark skin, made for some challenging dialogue and conversations. His responses and actions made sense throughout the novel and I found myself empathizing with him and his friends for the entire book.
The story is very light on the fantastical element, focusing on history and where an institute like Babel would have fit into our own world. The bulk of the plot was centered on Robin, his friends, and how they navigated some truly appalling circumstances.
Kuang writes in a crisp, honest style that I've always enjoyed, and found myself entirely focused on what she was saying through her characters. BABEL is a powerful book that should be read by everyone, as it sticks with you after the final page and forces you to think about how certain words and actions reflect on others around you. Highly recommended to every reader who wants to acknowledge the past and work for a better future.
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- Anonymous User
- 2024-02-21
Not bad, but I didn't love it
I was expecting a lot from this book, but I was a little disappointed. It's not a bad book, but maybe not as exciting as it could have been. The story and the characters were so interesting and could have been much better developed, but most of the book keeps repeating (in my opinion) unnecessary details. I was bored by the 2/3 of the book but finished it anyway. The end was neither shoking nor exciting.
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