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benegesserwitch's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Misogyny, Violence, Police brutality, Trafficking, Murder, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Drug use, Abandonment, and Classism
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Infertility, Car accident, and Alcohol
bettysbookishworld's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.0
This book was awful! I truly hated it even though I was so excited to start this series and I really wanted to be enjoy this one.
Let's start with what I liked about it. The book worldbuilding is based on Tower of Babel where each floor is a completely different world with different rules, and societies. The only thing that was certain was that the world is cruel and Senlin shouldn't trust anyone. I loved the idea and the author gets the credit.
Although, that's probably it. The whole execution was truly bad with the worst main character. Senlin was a British academic who had a lot of knowledge, particularly about Tower of Babel. He was very arrogant, full of himself and when it came to action, totally useless. He didn't have any drive to him, the whole plot just happened to him and there wasn't any driving force. His only motivation was finding his wife. And I do have a problem here, too. I didn't believe he loved her and he married her just because he had to marry someone. When Senlin talked about Marya, it always felt like he was talking about his favourite possession and not about a person he is supposed to be in love with. I didn't believe any emotion expressed by him as their whole marriage felt so superficial. Also, his descriptions of her were just sexist and dumb. In conclusion, I didn't buy it.
Apart from the main character and his marriage, the plot progression was just plain boring. Nothing happened. And when finally something exciting started happening, Senlin was very passive about it and eventually, I got bored again. I really think it was such of waste of opportunity because the world could be so intriguing.
The whole book Senlin is trying to find his lost wife but you know what got me? At the end of it, he still doesn't have any proper clue where she is and she's still missing! What was the point of it then? To only find a trustworthy crew for Senlin so he can finally start properly looking for her? Why was this book so long then?
I'm honestly disappointed as I had such big expectations that I would like it. I won't continue the series and I wouldn't recommend this one either.
Let's start with what I liked about it. The book worldbuilding is based on Tower of Babel where each floor is a completely different world with different rules, and societies. The only thing that was certain was that the world is cruel and Senlin shouldn't trust anyone. I loved the idea and the author gets the credit.
Although, that's probably it. The whole execution was truly bad with the worst main character. Senlin was a British academic who had a lot of knowledge, particularly about Tower of Babel. He was very arrogant, full of himself and when it came to action, totally useless. He didn't have any drive to him, the whole plot just happened to him and there wasn't any driving force. His only motivation was finding his wife. And I do have a problem here, too. I didn't believe he loved her and he married her just because he had to marry someone. When Senlin talked about Marya, it always felt like he was talking about his favourite possession and not about a person he is supposed to be in love with. I didn't believe any emotion expressed by him as their whole marriage felt so superficial. Also, his descriptions of her were just sexist and dumb. In conclusion, I didn't buy it.
Apart from the main character and his marriage, the plot progression was just plain boring. Nothing happened. And when finally something exciting started happening, Senlin was very passive about it and eventually, I got bored again. I really think it was such of waste of opportunity because the world could be so intriguing.
I'm honestly disappointed as I had such big expectations that I would like it. I won't continue the series and I wouldn't recommend this one either.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Slavery, Trafficking, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
rosalindiguess's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
i was slightly annoyed by the lack of clarity about what civilisation Ur was inspired by; you’d think it would be the Middle East, but the further you get into the book the more it strays from the historical/biblical view of Babel, which was irritating.
the descriptions were nice. i liked Senlin. the writer did go a bit heavy on the debauchery side, especially with the women; but tbf that’s something that comes with dimensions and isn’t just a detail thrown about for the sake of aestheticism. the origin of Senlin’s relationship with Marya made me cringe, tho
and i have been reading this book since september (and it is now february), so interpret that how you like
the descriptions were nice. i liked Senlin. the writer did go a bit heavy on the debauchery side, especially with the women; but tbf that’s something that comes with dimensions and isn’t just a detail thrown about for the sake of aestheticism. the origin of Senlin’s relationship with Marya made me cringe, tho
and i have been reading this book since september (and it is now february), so interpret that how you like
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship