This book is fascinating, beautifully written, and has some of the best characters I’ve ever read. The setting, magic system, and themes all weave together to form a brutal critique of the British Empire, colonialism, capitalism, and systemic racism. Those critiques can, of course, be applied to the world we live in. “Babel” is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and I cannot wait to read more of what R.F. Kuang’s work.