A review by lores
Senlin Ascends by Josiah Bancroft

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really really enjoyed Senlin Ascends. The Tower of Babel is an incredible setting, as is well-advertised, and it functions both as a wonder, allegory, and a mystery. It drew me in most by the dynamic of the Tower, and this main setting was one of my favourite things about the book, but the cast in the background also fascinated me and I can't wait to read more about them. It is probably necessary to know that this is part of a series, and not everything will be wrapped up or finished, but the development of Senlin, Edith, Adam and made me so excited to see more.

Also - I will say that the flashbacks reveal that Senlin's wife was a previous student of his. While I have problems with positive modern depictions of such relationships, and this book presents it as a pretty neutral fact, I didn't feel like it disrupted my personal experience of the book and it felt appropriate in the context of the setting and characters so far, and may be explored as a dynamic in the future. However, if that's a hard line for you, this may not be the book for you.
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