Changes

I started out pitying Thomas Senlin, the mild-mannered headmaster out of his depth in both marriage and the hectic surroundings of the Tower, thrown into confusion and despair at the loss of his wife. Soon, however, he developed in a believable way from the shy, rational, open and trusting man he started out as, into someone altogether stronger and more wily. Spurred on by hope, Senlin stumbles through his adventures and learns more about the Tower as he goes. It's clear from the beginning that this isn't a safe or cosy place, and there is a certain amount of violence including the occasional gruesome moment, though none of it seems out of place considering the circumstances. I liked the quotations from the Everyman's Guide to the Tower of Babel at the start of early chapters, highlighting the disconnect between the guidebook and reality, the version Senlin has taught in his school and the version he experiences.

If you're in the mood for another inventive steampunk-tinged thriller that's the start of a series, I can recommend [[Grandville by Bryan Talbot]]. It's a graphic novel populated with anthropomorphic animals, so a different approach but equally good on detailed world-building.