Babel is set in London now and exposes the lives of five individuals residing in the same block of flats, but living different lives. Friction, difference and their complex personalities keep the plot alive. The plot delves into drug-dealing across county lines, what it's like to be lonely and isolated, into exploitation, affairs and the demanding work of carers. When the fire breaks out and destroys their already fractured lives, loyalties are redefined, and each character has a choice to make. Mukai, an amateur sleuth, persuades or tricks them into telling her their tale. This is the story of the polyglot nature of England from an insider's perspective, with each character telling a story about how they tried to eke out a meaningful existence.