by R. F. Kuang
First published 2022
Orphaned in Canton, Robin Swift is brought to London and trained in ancient languages, all to enroll at the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation - Babel, the world's center of language magic. As a Chinese boy in Britain, Robin realizes Babel's silver-working powers the Empire's quest for colonial domination. Torn between his studies and his motherland, Robin's quest for knowledge collides with a shadowy resistance fighting imperial expansion. When Britain goes to war with China, Robin must choose: can Babel be reformed from within, or does revolution demand violent sacrifice?
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, adventure, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Period: 1828
546 pages · Paperback · HARPER COLLINS
Content warnings: colonialism