R. F. Kuang’s Babel is a powerhouse of a novel—dense, brilliant, and unapologetically critical of empire, language, and resistance. At its core, the book argues that language is never neutral; it is wielded by those in power to maintain control, and breaking free from that system often requires violence as uncompromising as the oppression itself. It is the kind of book that grabs you by the collar and refuses to let go. It’s not just a story—it’s a sharp, unflinching commentary on power, colonialism, and language as both a weapon and a battleground. Kuang makes this argument not just through…