Babel, Vol. 1: A Girl Embarks on a Journey of Words

Babel #1

by Kuji Furumiya

The sequel series to Unnamed Memory!  One day, college student Shizuku Minase stumbles from modern day Japan into a fantasy world. While wandering through a backwater region of this world of sword and sorcery, she meets Eric, an eccentric young man studying a magical script. The pair strike a deal, he’ll help Shizuku return home on the condition that she teaches him Japanese. Thus does the pair set off across the magical continent of Farsas in search of a way back to Earth.

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy

388 pages, Paperback

First published June 17, 2020

About the author

古宮九時

Reviews

[Krystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was mostly terrible, and here's a quote that demonstrates why:

'Shizuku stood firmly rooted in place. The word that best described the incredible sight before her was splash.'

SPLASH.

So yeah basically this wasn't for me.

I found the writing really immature and clunky, and the story took so goddamn long to get anywhere. It could easily have been halved.

Cared nothing for the characters and the plot was really weak.

I read the first 208 pages but skimmed the rest and have zero regrets.

Maybe those accustomed to reading light novels will enjoy this more but it just wasn't a style that agreed with me.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a highly anticipated read for me. Ever since finishing the Unnamed Memory light novels, I have not been able to get that ending, and the brilliant way everything is tied together, out of my mind. I think the author is really good at laying out plot threads that seemingly are completely unrelated only to bring them together in the most unexpected yet delightful ways in the end.

And so far, Babel is living up to that hype. I love, love the lead character Suzuku, she is such a delight in the way she barrels forward despite all the unexpected difficulties thrust upon her. The writing was filled with much more dry humor than the Unnamed series as well from what I can recall, and I found myself laughing at several times at the way characters were written as they experience some absurd situations. I can’t help but find the language aspect of the novel fascinating as well, though I do kind of wish it hadn’t only pertained to the written word.

That being said, some of the issues that plagued the Unnamed series are unfortunately very much still present here. While I do think the writing is overall better, there are still several moments where the story lags and the pace is suddenly set to a snail’s for seemingly no reason. Also some of the stories and side characters reactions and reasonings for acting the way they do are just… oddly written. This is especially evident in chapter four of this novel. I have faith everything is there for a reason, but there’s no denying there being some real head scratching moments amidst the more formidable action and character/world building sections.

All in all, I enjoyed this novel and can’t wait for future installments.

[Sabina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I randomly picked this up at the bookstore a couple months back and I’m so glad I did!! I absolutely loved it. I love the world building. I also really love the fantasy/action feel alongside the chill language study. It’s the perfect series for me. I didn’t even realize until I was halfway that this is a sequel series to Unnamed Memory and that’s why the countries and world felt familiar (LOL)! So stoked to read volume 2!

[Othy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Incredibly slow, plodding, and uninteresting. The narration is bloated and the conversation between characters doesn't do enough to make them come alive. There are some interesting parts, especially having to do with language, but there are also pretty bad parts. The chapter that suggests all ideas about the afterlife are just quaint methods to help us from seeing the blunt reality of nihilism was oddly placed in such an otherwise "light novel", nor did I appreciate it as a Christian.

I've read Furumiya's other series, which I thought was alright, but I couldn't drag myself through another. Furumiya is in desperate need of an editor who cops off some of the chaff. Only half of what is here is really needed.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I can address the intended audience. Though a light novel would typically be aimed at youths, this one can get gory and has some heavy themes, so it might be more for adult readers, unless you are the kind of reader I was when I was younger.

I bought this thinking it would be filled with linguistics babble, an interesting niche find at my local Barnes. I like a lot of educational exposition, and there is some, but in this first volume languages are not so important as the journey the cover girl and her companion embark upon. It should be noted, though, that having read through the second volume, it is important to notice and remember the elements of worldbuilding in this volume. Volume 1 does a lot of groundwork so that it really feels like the first in a series, building up to other books rather than being a semi-complete story in its own right. This world is fascinating when the author digs in. Among its most interesting features is the difference in what is considered ordinary. Shizuku gets something like culture shock and her traveling companion is equally confused by what he tells her. Obvious things about language development turn out not to be obvious at all so that we have an opportunity to think about the things we take for granted. In the new world religions are relatively few and less powerful. Atheism seems to be the norm. The most prominent religion is harmful, the gods are probably just high-ranking demons and even Shizuku is vaguely atheist. Maybe that is less surprising in Japan, but here in the US I am so accustomed to religious pervasiveness that anything even mildly critical of religion appears risque in an exciting way. Norms of our world are challenged in several ways. It is a great use of the device of another world which is employed much less by other writers of isekai. As we learn about the worlds' differences in language, we also learn about magic and its role in the structure of the world as well as how a traveler from afar like Shizuku might or might not be connected to it. In this respect the story, which I understand to be forming a quartet, has elements of epic fantasy, establishing a detailed world and magic system with plentiful action and high stakes. It is an epic fantasy in a distinctly Japanese format, told in episodic chunks as the characters move from place to place, each location a setting for a miniature story that furthers the overall plot but is also partially self-contained. It is a combination that I rarely if ever encounter and I like it. Between big events there are mellower scenes, slices of life in which we get the linguistics babble I came for and plenty of banter.

Unlike every other isekai apparently, Shizuku is not omnipotent. She is an ordinary girl stranded in a strange world with no skills or resources to her name. She has no secret magic that makes her the strongest in the world. She is often in real physical danger in a way that other protagonists are not since they can One Punch their way out of any problem. This allows events to have real stakes and keep a reader engaged. I also like that our female protagonist is not a useless lovesick damsel. She notices that her companion is attractive and maybe there a few hints of romance to come, maybe, but she is all business, determined to get where she needs to go and do what she needs to do. Shizuku is constantly comparing herself to her sisters, having developed something of an inferiority complex. She arrives in the new world without a firm sense of self as distinct from them, so there is a clear path of character development as she becomes more confident and aware of her strengths and weaknesses. She makes a good, relatable protagonist.

Since there are a few illustrations, I should make brief note of them. They exist. That is all I would really say. They are not highly detailed or amazing things to be hung in a home or anything, but they are not bad either.

In reality I would give this 4 stars (4/5 or 8/10 is not an insult by any means), but I want to give it an algorithmic boost so that others might give it a chance. It is worth a read.

[Zenith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was truly a slow read compared to other isekai books, and it's honestly a great change of pace. I love the overpowered protagonist in another world as much as the next person, but it can get tiresome. This change of pace was really nice to experience as they went into the cultural and literacy differences of both worlds. Shizuku was just a NORMAL unremarkable college student who got sucked into another and is now just trying to go home. This grounds the story in a realistic fantasy setting. It lets you experience this new world through her and makes it easily relatable. If you're looking for a grounded slow paced isekai world with a bit of action sprinkled on I'd recommend this book. Shizuku just started her journey and I'll definitely pick up the next book to explore and experience this new world.

[Eldon Siemens · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn't bad, but while I quickly fell in love with the characters in Unnamed Memory, I just couldn't connect with Shizuku and Erik. I'll give volume two a shot, see if things pick up at all.