We have a special treat for you this week! We featured a really insightful conversation between Editorial Director of Harper Voyager David Pomerico and his award-winning author Rebecca Kuang on the podcast. Rebecca (R.F.) writes historical fantasy, starting with the Poppy War trilogy. Her latest stand-alone book, Babel, is a thematic response to The Secret History and a tonal retort to Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell that grapples with student revolutions, colonial resistance, and the use of language and translation as the dominating tool of the British empire. The powerful subtitle is: "Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution." In this interview, David and Rebecca speak about their editing relationship, reading looming Goodreads reviews, and what it's like to commit to writing a trilogy. Stay tuned to the end where Rebecca asks David's view on her evolution as a writer.
There are spectacular quotes coming in:
"Kuang follows her award-winning Poppy War trilogy with an engaging fantasy about the magic of language. Her richly descriptive stand-alone novel about an ever-expanding, alternate-world empire powered by magically enhanced silver talismans scrutinizes linguistics, history, politics, and the social customs of Victorian-era Great Britain."
—Booklist ⭐️ review
"Kuang blends historical speculative fiction with dark academia to create a nuanced adventure that also serves as a critique of Western colonialism.... The novel is also an atmospheric and complex narrative with compelling characters...Kuang is a refreshing and essential voice in fiction, and her latest will have wide appeal."
—Library Journal
Listen to the interview here:
Also mentioned when talking about research:
Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation by David L. Eng and Shinhee Han
Thank you to David and Rebecca for taking the time to record such a fantastic interview.
Babel is on sale August 23, 2022.
Download an egalley on Edelweiss+
Download an egalley on NetGalley
-Lainey
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