Chris

As a premise, the concepts of language and translation being magic is brilliant because in reality they are. In Babel, this novel concept is elevated from novelty through the intermingling with colonialism and what history would look like if language was a resource that England could pillage. Additional concepts like race, class, and gender resound and clash with 1800s privilege, classism, and imperialism. This makes for a great political / ethical environment and a gripping book ... without a pleasing payoff. Overall a great read, but with an abrupt second act, and an unfulfilling third.

Interesting read, with a mix of suspense and head scratching surrealism that propels you through to the end. A further mix of mundane details and deep symbolism leads to piles of questions that leave you thinking about the book for days to come.