Babel, or The Necessity of Violence

a very good and clearly very personal book, written by someone with such an innate understanding of the subjects at hand (namely language/translation, academia, and the role of race in colonial powers) that it's hard not to get swept up in it even when you can't personally relate or understand some of the specifics. the worldbuilding it both really fascinating but in some ways frustrating - the idea of silver is unique, but its effects on the world and history at large are understandable yet limited. the exact political stance this book takes is also a little unclear to me, particularly in how effective a revolution is, or whether the only way it can be brought about is violence. the ambiguity in the epilogue as to what the result of robin's actions are leaves this a bit unclear, and i would really love to read a followup that takes place years in the future that could imagine a world where it's almost like the industrial revolution was stopped in its tracks, or one in which the opium wars might have never taken place? still, i had a great time reading this - loveable (and hateable) characters, an interesting world, and a story that becomes pretty gripping and fast paced by its end even if its a bit slower to start.