« Translation, from time immemorial, has been the facilitator of peace. Translation makes possible communication, which in turn makes possible the kind of diplomacy, trade, and cooperation between foreign peoples that brings wealth and prosperity to all. »
- Release date : August 23rd 2022
- Publishing house : Harper Voyager
- Pages : 544
Spoilers ahead
Babel was a spectacular book. I’ve studied translation for 5 years and reading a book about language was a treat! I also written a dissertation on the way poor children were treated during the Victorian era so a lot of the things R. F. Kuang said in the book rang a bell.
The novel begins in 1828 with Robin Swift, a Chinese child and the death of his mother from cholera. He’s found by Professor Lovell who brings him back to London to be enrolled into the Royal Institute of Translation known as Babel to train in Latin, Ancient Greek, Chinese and other subjects.
Babel is mainly known for the art of silver-making – manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars – and this has made Babel and the British Empire absurdly rich and powerful.
Language is a means for the Empire to colonise everything and to bully other countries into doing what they want.
Will Robin betray his country for the Empire who gave him a new life or will he side with the Hermes Society which has been seeking to undermine their efforts?
« Betrayal. 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? »
When Robin first saw the tower, he was completely captivated by it and who wouldn’t be. Wherever he looked, everything seemed perfect thanks to the silver bars.
We mostly follow Robin and his friends working really hard to get a better comprehension of their respective languages. They also study history, literature and some other topics. This leaves little room for anything else. These lessons were really interesting and it took me a few years back.
Other themes are developed in the book: belonging, power and of course race.
It was evident from the get-go, especially with Professor Lovell’s disgusting remarks. Gradually, these remarks are more numerous and vicious. Robin and his friends reached the conclusion that belonging in this new country never was possible.
Robin’s transformation all along the book is spectacular and in a sense sad. At first, he was completetly pacific – even if there were some conflicts going on inside his mind because of his brother – and violence wasn’t something he thought was useful. R. F. Kuang did a good job at describing Robin’s emotions wether it be anger, grief, kindness and so on. I empathised with him quite a lot. As the book goes on, the rot corrupting the empire becomes more and more visible. The various events in his life make him realise that this empire which has been forcing entire countries to do its biding only understands the same things.
« Only it builds up, doesn’t it? It doesn’t just disappear. And one day you start prodding at what you’ve suppressed. And it’s a mass of black rot, and it’s endless, horrifying, and you can’t look away. »
“Power did not lie in the tip of a pen. Power did not work against its own interests. Power could only be brought to heel by acts of defiance it could not ignore. With brute, unflinching force. With violence.”
Robin’s friends – namely Ramy, Victoire and Letty – had a great dynamic even if their relationship hangs by a thread. Even if I didn’t particularly grow attached to one of them, the interludes to tell their story, although quite short, helped me connect with them a bit and understand their reasons for their choices.
Babel explored the dark past of the British Empire through a well-thought and interesting story. It’s grim, full of social injustice, gripping moments. I loved the translation parts and the footnotes!
L'Antre de la Fantasy 