Review of Babel-17

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This classic by Chip Delaney left me more confused than entertained, though the premise that language shapes your brain is a great one to explore. Are you even capable of forming thoughts that you do not have words for? What happens to a person that doesn't know the meaning of the words 'I' or 'You?' as one example.

It's a thriller, but unlike modern thrillers, the prose is extremely hard to follow. A two-page sentence surrounded by several sentences of subtext in the margins will do that to you, especially when followed up by several very short sentences.

Overall, not that exciting, but interesting. I spent most of my time, however, trying to piece together what was actually going on, not because of the mystery aspect of it, but because of the prose itself.



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