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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
Book started off well. Quirky and it leaves you guessing what will happen next. Sadly, the last third becomes entirely predictable with Senlin and the people he knows suddenly capable of fantastic feats. It feels a bit like it jumped the shark. And it made me lose interest in the rest of the story. Too bad, I had high hopes for this one.
If I could give this more stars I would. Very few books have been able to enrapture me with the mystery and wonderment of the world such as this book. I’m in love. It’s everything I want in a book. The author’s writing style is an art. I live for the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I love the character development - Senlin and those he meets grow into an entirely new cast as they undergone hardships and personal growth and sometimes even the opposite. In the author’s interview he said he wrote this book on the basis of disillusionment. He did it wonderfully. This book is a masterpiece.
I didn’t realize this was a series going in. i just thought the MC was really bad at finding his wife.
what i liked: an engaging story that kicked off almost immediately, with a cast of charming characters and heists that go off with a myriad of hitches for the MC to work through. i also enjoyed the hypermetropolitan setting, very reminiscent of ‘snowpiercer’, but vertical.
what i didn’t like: the main character is literally that one teacher from your high school that IMMEDIATELY started dating that one former student after they graduated. maybe there’s a plot point later on to justify the weird age gap/power dynamic, but as of the end of book 1, it serves no purpose. she could have been the town haberdasher and it would hold zero bearing on the story.
also, the detour of the main character being pressed into service for months while his wife was missing was super jarring. like bro, go find your wife.
the back quarter was a bit weird and i wasn’t too fond of WHERE it ended, but it may be enough to get me to start the second book.
what i liked: an engaging story that kicked off almost immediately, with a cast of charming characters and heists that go off with a myriad of hitches for the MC to work through. i also enjoyed the hypermetropolitan setting, very reminiscent of ‘snowpiercer’, but vertical.
what i didn’t like: the main character is literally that one teacher from your high school that IMMEDIATELY started dating that one former student after they graduated. maybe there’s a plot point later on to justify the weird age gap/power dynamic, but as of the end of book 1, it serves no purpose. she could have been the town haberdasher and it would hold zero bearing on the story.
also, the detour of the main character being pressed into service for months while his wife was missing was super jarring. like bro, go find your wife.
the back quarter was a bit weird and i wasn’t too fond of WHERE it ended, but it may be enough to get me to start the second book.
This was a reread for me, and while I still loved it, it was definitely less fun the second time around. Having read hundreds of books since the last time I read this, the story was still memorable and enjoyable. I do think there’s a lot going on here, and it felt like there wasn’t a second to breathe from chapter one to the epilogue. Still such a fun read!
3.5 rounded up.
There’s a lot I like about this book, especially how conflicts and consequences come to fruition here. The setting is vibrant, as are the characters. The only thing I think didn’t work for me was the pacing. It felt like a really long book just because of its structure. There’s quite a bit of quirky things that may test your ability to suspend your disbelief. But once the internal logic of the uncanny things are divulged, things start to clip along nicely.
There’s a lot I like about this book, especially how conflicts and consequences come to fruition here. The setting is vibrant, as are the characters. The only thing I think didn’t work for me was the pacing. It felt like a really long book just because of its structure. There’s quite a bit of quirky things that may test your ability to suspend your disbelief. But once the internal logic of the uncanny things are divulged, things start to clip along nicely.
Im not sure if this was a disappointing read or whether the expectations I went into it with made it disappointing. I know there's a lot going on in it and a lot to explore but I really think it should have been a standalone ending with him finally reunited with Marya at the top of the tower. BUT NOOOOO theres three more books to read instead. Sorry Senlin but I'm done. Good Luck.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I just kept waiting for it to get better or interesting and it didn’t. I read two other books after starting this one and tried again and it doesn’t seem worth it.
Pretty fun read but woudn't pass the Bechdel test.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes