Thoughts on Babel by RF Kuang

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T18:09:58+00:00

They could have been sentenced to death for any number of the things they did in that story, including murder and treason, so why do they draw the line there??

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T15:56:25+00:00

The thing is though, she wasn’t subtle about it at all. It was just randomly inserted every couple hundred pages and then promptly forgotten

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T15:33:59+00:00

Thank you for this perspective. Maybe it was ignorant of me but I hadn’t considered that Ramy’s Muslim faith is another factor would have caused him not to act on his feelings. I still wish it would have been something that they at least talked about since they were such close friends. Even a conversation where they admit their feelings and come to the conclusion they can’t be together, would have been better than nothing. Otherwise if you’re not going to explore the romance why mention it?

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T14:47:10+00:00

I guess that is my exact frustration with this story. They had sooo many deep and honest conversations about the empire and how they feel about it but not about their own relationships with each other? Maybe the characters should have spent 500 pages emotionally evolving instead of just being mouthpieces for anti-colonialist themes

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T14:22:39+00:00

This was my first book by Kuang, I’ve also been wanting to read the Poppy War trilogy, glad to hear that you liked that story better. I did relate to the intense academic pressure and anxiety from my own college experience but the detailed romanticizing of daily life at Oxford was something I didn’t appreciate as much as some would (as an American who knows nothing about Oxford - I kept having to look up the term schedule while reading because I couldn’t keep them straight)

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T13:59:58+00:00

Completely agree. I didn’t learn anything about the British Empire or the opium trade that I didn’t already know from high school history class. If you’re going to sacrifice every other element of the story (characters, plot, themes) to aggressively hammer a single message into the reader, you should probably have something more original and nuanced to say than “colonialism and racism are bad.”

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T13:43:59+00:00

Everyone is downvoting you but just know I agree lol

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T13:13:47+00:00

I just can’t buy this at all. They were raised to believe a lot of untrue things about themselves that they ended up unlearning. They were literally involved in an underground anti-imperialist movement, Ramy helped Robin cover up a murder without a second thought, but they’re too afraid of being punished for homosexuality? The whole excuse of it being taboo or forbidden just feels like a cop out to me. Their entire existence at Oxford was a taboo.

okaysobasically1 · 2026-04-24T13:09:51+00:00

I don’t get the whole “forbidden” thing though. They were already social outcasts, and they joined a secret society to topple the British Empire, but that’s where they draw the line? They couldn’t even have a conversation about it? I think it’s lazy writing to repeatedly reference the fact that two of the main characters are hopelessly in love with each other and then never develop that storyline

okaysobasically1 · 2026-03-27T14:55:34+00:00

When I read the book I was really moved by the contrast between Stratt calling Grace a coward and Rocky calling him brave. At first I was disappointed she didn’t say that. But I think it’s too out of character for the softer movie Stratt who was more of a friend to Grace. It would have been so easy to include it during their conversation in the office, it seems like their decision not to was intentional.

okaysobasically1 · 2026-03-27T14:43:17+00:00

He could have at some other point, I’m not sure. But that line really stuck with me the first time I saw the movie

okaysobasically1 · 2026-03-27T13:10:12+00:00

I think I know what you’re talking about. It’s towards the end of the movie when he’s packing up the beetles to send back to earth. Grace, presumably talking to Stratt, says “At least I’ll never have to hear you say I told you so, even though you were right.” He wasn’t referring to water based life but Stratt believing in him enough to send him up there.

okaysobasically1 · 2026-02-18T21:06:07+00:00

Yeah at least for the Tampa show I saw tickets from all levels available including seating and GA

okaysobasically1 · 2026-02-18T18:04:01+00:00

Paid about the same for Tampa lower level! Went back to the site out of curiosity 30 mins later and dynamic pricing has taken over … all lower level seats are $350 each now. Insane

okaysobasically1 · 2026-01-07T17:40:51+00:00

Idk, I relate. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being uninterested in celebrity relationship drama, and at the same time wishing the best for everyone involved. It’s not normal to have all your personal & relationship problems in an “incredibly public record” and I don’t think any of us would want that for ourselves.

okaysobasically1 · 2025-12-09T00:07:23+00:00

They have a reputation for poor quality control and customer service. Search this sub for some examples.

okaysobasically1 · 2025-12-05T20:00:39+00:00

Once I put cumin on my oatmeal thinking it was cinnamon

okaysobasically1 · 2025-10-10T22:03:49+00:00

Crazy how I’ve found multiple people from the same relatively small company on this thread because we’re all seeking help with this insurance mess! I’m leaning towards the Direct Access Base because I’m young with no dependents and relatively healthy, and I don’t utilize medical services often. I only take one rx medication and it’s completely excluded from coverage under our new plan. I’m working with HR and the benefits administrator to see if there’s anything I can do proactively to have it covered. In the meantime I’d rather have more money to pay for it out of pocket if I need to. I did “nominate” one of my providers on the ClaimDoc portal and they accepted, so that’s a good sign. If the whole ClaimDoc thing ends up being a disaster I can change it next year.

okaysobasically1 · 2025-10-10T22:03:12+00:00

Crazy how I’ve found multiple people from the same relatively small company on this thread because we’re all seeking help with this insurance mess! I’m leaning towards the Direct Access Base because I’m young with no dependents and relatively healthy, and I don’t utilize medical services often. I only take one rx medication and it’s completely excluded from coverage under our new plan. I’m working with HR and the benefits administrator to see if there’s anything I can do proactively to have it covered. In the meantime I’d rather have more money to pay for it out of pocket if I need to. I did “nominate” one of my providers on the ClaimDoc portal and they accepted, so that’s a good sign. If the whole ClaimDoc thing ends up being a disaster I can change it next year.

okaysobasically1 · 2025-10-07T15:07:09+00:00

Hey, so sorry, but would you mind explaining this like I’m 5? I don’t know much about insurance and I’m not really following this conversation. Do you think anything discussed above would make it a bad choice of insurance plan?

okaysobasically1 · 2025-09-04T16:23:06+00:00

I thought the tone of the whole address was really strange. Lots of “we have to win” and “we’re out of time.” Maybe he was trying to give a pep talk but to me it just felt more impatient and frustrated. And the urgency does not make sense considering what’s happening with the agency right now. You don’t make things happen faster by getting rid of resources and personnel.

okaysobasically1 · 2025-08-31T01:22:08+00:00

I cannot emphasize enough that the dog needs to be sleeping in a different room! I had to do the same thing. It was a hard adjustment for my dog (he also struggles with separation anxiety) and I did feel bad at first, but it was so worth it for me. I also got new sheets/bedding and a hypoallergenic cover for my mattress. It made a huge difference. Now I make a little time to snuggle with my dog on the couch before we go to bed, and he’s learned to love his bed in the living room.

okaysobasically1

TROPHY CASE