Translation means doing violence upon the original, means warping and distorting it for foreign, unintended eyes. So then where does that leave us? How can we conclude, except by acknowledging that an act of translation is then necessarily always an act of betrayal?

Babel, p. 153

Synopsis

When Robin Swift, orphaned in Canton, 1828, is discovered by the mysterious Professor Lovell, his life changes forever. Lovell brings him to London to begin training for the renowned Oxford Royal Institute of Translation, also called Babel. But Babel is known for more than literary and legal translation. The very top floor is home to the silver-workers, who enchant silver bars using meanings lost in translation. Thus, Babel is essentially the center of British power.

At Babel, Robin finds his first true home and friends. But he soon comes to realize that he is expected to obey Babel’s loyalty to the British empire, and with it, betray his homeland of China. Robin falls in with the clandestine Hermes Society, dedicated to preventing British expansion. But tensions rise as Britain orchestrates a war with China over silver and opium. Robin and his friends must make the ultimate choice: change Babel from within, or resort to violence?

Review

The scope and emotional depth of this novel set it apart from anything else I’ve read. It’s obvious how knowledgeable Kuang is about the many challenging subjects laced into this book: race, colonialism, language, and British history. I am extraordinarily grateful that this book exists, not only because I’m a total history, race, and linguistics nerd, but also because its popularity brought its infinitely important message to so many readers.

Aside from the large-scale themes in Babel, its characters and emotional resonance truly shone. Kuang used every bit of the 542 pages to give each character an incredibly complex and tumultuous personal journey. The characters at the end of the novel are truly not the same kids we met in the exposition. The deep friendship between Robin and his friends, forged by shared experiences, close proximity, and heartbreak over years of intense intellectual growth, gave the novel true heart under its dark exterior.

I can’t express how much value this novel has. Please read Babel, if only so I can scream to you about it without fear of spoilers.