We have our first guest! My friend Kit joins me to talk about R.F. Kuang’s 2022 novel, and likely big scifi/fantasy award nominee, “Babel.” Kuang’s fourth novel published before she turned 26 (she has another out this year), this historical fantasy tale of a young Chinese man drawn into the British imperial apparatus as a translator and maker of magic driven by translation has drawn rave reviews. Kit and I have other ideas about the book, its mediocre prose, uninspired characterization, shallow politics, and all-around stifling, suffocating quality. We do a deep dive on what Kit has named “the new chosen one” narrative, where instead of simpletons being chosen for quests ala Tolkien or Star Wars, we get young people of marginalized identities taken into the bosom of the empires that marginalize them, only to lead rebellion against them. Some examples of these narratives are good, and some are bad, and it’s worth looking at their prominence.
Reading in the Time of Monsters 005 - Kuang, "Babel", and the New Chosen One narrative
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Reading in the Time of Monsters
The old world is dying; the new one cannot be born; now is the time of monsters. What better time to read, and read seriously? Every pedant on the internet thinks they're a critic because they have cultural preferences and their various streaming and social media services encourage them to state these preferences in little boxes. But some of us think criticism is something more. We know that criticism implies a way of being- a rejection of complacence, a dedication to searching high, low, and in between for insight and perspective, a constant development of the critical toolkit. Not only does that way of being point towards a better existence, but it also makes for criticism that's more fun to read. That's the gambit of this podcast- that there's an audience for something other than same-same mediocrity and parasocial agreement-clubs.
There should be one free episode a month. There will be another for people who become Citizens by subscribing at the Citizen (or Chieftain!) level at Melendy Avenue Review. MAR includes numerous text reviews a month, various life updates and guest posts, cute cat pictures, etc.
The old world is dying; the new one cannot be born; now is the time of monsters. What better time to read, and read seriously? Every pedant on the internet thinks they're a critic because they have cultural preferences and their various streaming and social media services encourage them to state these preferences in little boxes. But some of us think criticism is something more. We know that criticism implies a way of being- a rejection of complacence, a dedication to searching high, low, and in between for insight and perspective, a constant development of the critical toolkit. Not only does that way of being point towards a better existence, but it also makes for criticism that's more fun to read. That's the gambit of this podcast- that there's an audience for something other than same-same mediocrity and parasocial agreement-clubs.
There should be one free episode a month. There will be another for people who become Citizens by subscribing at the Citizen (or Chieftain!) level at Melendy Avenue Review. MAR includes numerous text reviews a month, various life updates and guest posts, cute cat pictures, etc. Listen on
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Reading in the Time of Monsters 005 - Kuang, "Babel", and the New Chosen One narrative