The level of language analysis in this is what Babel-17 should have been.
Lots of info about language, I find myself trying to translate the Latin... maybe I should try and relearn it hehe.
Robin's mixed feelings on his colonizer and damn I feel so seen
I get mixed feelings about the theming of the novel as well, from the magic system I get the vibe that magic lies in the understanding of one another, while the overall tone and ending give me a more pessimistic feeling that no one can ever fully understand anyone else. I think is the part of what Kuang was going for but I am not sure I agree with this theme.
This is not hardcore fantasy by any means but I think it still works because it hits the ascendant theme.
Robin reaches to be a savior and end colonialism, cleary a task only a god can accomplish.
He reaches 'godhood' with the ten plagues and the fall of Babel.
This seems like a pretty straightforward allusion to the OG Babel story: Robin (as god) is punishing the Empire for colonization/globalization and destroys Babel tower, thus destroying understanding of languages and one another.
Pacing was stupid, this could have been 100 pages shorter - it falls in the the trao that all school year based novels do in my opinion.
Letty was a great character: she views the opression of women in general as an oppression on her specifically and thus behaves exactly in that way.
See also:
Mortal Ascension
Babylon