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banksyhater's review against another edition
3.0
“So whadda we? Some kinda Atlas Six?”
I keep waiting for this book to become what it believes itself to be. It boasts a cast of six +3 characters, who despite their diverse and unique backgrounds all manage to be the same shade of insufferable.
The author has a clear grasp of tone. A vibe that i can only describe as Tumblr Dark Academia permeates the prose, but the characters themselves and the events that unfold fail to feel interesting or consequential.
We are told at the end of the novel that the six ( ish ) of the main cast are actually in an Ender’s Game scenario, having been groomed meticulously by the titular Atlas ( who I could not stop envisioning as Giancarlo Esposito ) to be a world-changing and possibly world-ending squad of Medians— this world’s magicians.
The only remarkable plot development was when Libby’s recently-dumped beau revealing himself to be a time traveler and also Atlas’s newly-sworn enemy.
Parisa, despite being the most insufferable character, seconds Libby as the most sympathetic. She gets the most narrative love and is fleshed out due largely to her being the only character who does anything.
Others, like Tristan and Callum and Raina, are little more than set dressing for them, to highlight their features and make their shadows more distinct. This is especially unfortunate for characters such as Raina, who is alluded to be able to control life itself.
Given that this book takes place over the course of roughly a year, we learn shockingly little about the characters’ interpersonal dynamics. Libby and and Nico love to hate each other, Tristan and Callum have a Holmsian tension, Parisa and Tristan are in a largely one-sided situationship, everyone hates Callum, and Dalton’s just Ken: These dynamics are chiseled into the narrative’s supporting columns, but none of it feels real or visible enough to be meaningful. The brief death of Libby feels inconvenient rather than landing the blow it was clearly intended to deliver.
I really, really wanted to love this book. In fact, I’m so in denial of disliking it that i fully intend to read the sequel. However, my expectations are high— this meandering, unfocused and impersonal (yet effectively atmospheric and dramatic) narrative has either set up a devastatingly beautiful sequel, or a predictably tepid follow-up.
I keep waiting for this book to become what it believes itself to be. It boasts a cast of six +3 characters, who despite their diverse and unique backgrounds all manage to be the same shade of insufferable.
The author has a clear grasp of tone. A vibe that i can only describe as Tumblr Dark Academia permeates the prose, but the characters themselves and the events that unfold fail to feel interesting or consequential.
We are told at the end of the novel that the six ( ish ) of the main cast are actually in an Ender’s Game scenario, having been groomed meticulously by the titular Atlas ( who I could not stop envisioning as Giancarlo Esposito ) to be a world-changing and possibly world-ending squad of Medians— this world’s magicians.
The only remarkable plot development was when Libby’s recently-dumped beau revealing himself to be a time traveler and also Atlas’s newly-sworn enemy.
Parisa, despite being the most insufferable character, seconds Libby as the most sympathetic. She gets the most narrative love and is fleshed out due largely to her being the only character who does anything.
Others, like Tristan and Callum and Raina, are little more than set dressing for them, to highlight their features and make their shadows more distinct. This is especially unfortunate for characters such as Raina, who is alluded to be able to control life itself.
Given that this book takes place over the course of roughly a year, we learn shockingly little about the characters’ interpersonal dynamics. Libby and and Nico love to hate each other, Tristan and Callum have a Holmsian tension, Parisa and Tristan are in a largely one-sided situationship, everyone hates Callum, and Dalton’s just Ken: These dynamics are chiseled into the narrative’s supporting columns, but none of it feels real or visible enough to be meaningful. The brief death of Libby feels inconvenient rather than landing the blow it was clearly intended to deliver.
I really, really wanted to love this book. In fact, I’m so in denial of disliking it that i fully intend to read the sequel. However, my expectations are high— this meandering, unfocused and impersonal (yet effectively atmospheric and dramatic) narrative has either set up a devastatingly beautiful sequel, or a predictably tepid follow-up.
janagaton's review against another edition
4.0
This book has my new favorite quote of all time:
"Most women are less in love with the partners they choose than they are simply desperate for their approval, starving for their devotion. They want, most often, to be touched as no one else can touch them, and most of them inaccurately assume this requires romance...But the moment we realize we can feel fulfilled without carrying the burdens of belonging to another -- that we can experience rapture without being someone's other half, and therefore beholden to their weaknesses, to their faults and failures and their many insufferable fractures -- then we're free, aren't we?"
The world building/magic system and overall writing are all impeccable. So many of the characters are unlikeable, but I loved them anyway. The fact that they have such distinct personalities and unique powers made it such a fun (and slightly confusing) time. The ironic twist at the end made me so glad I stuck it out, as this took me over a month to get through because it is so dense, complex, and intelligently written. Dark academia vibes all around, as promised, and I can't wait for the sequel!
"Most women are less in love with the partners they choose than they are simply desperate for their approval, starving for their devotion. They want, most often, to be touched as no one else can touch them, and most of them inaccurately assume this requires romance...But the moment we realize we can feel fulfilled without carrying the burdens of belonging to another -- that we can experience rapture without being someone's other half, and therefore beholden to their weaknesses, to their faults and failures and their many insufferable fractures -- then we're free, aren't we?"
The world building/magic system and overall writing are all impeccable. So many of the characters are unlikeable, but I loved them anyway. The fact that they have such distinct personalities and unique powers made it such a fun (and slightly confusing) time. The ironic twist at the end made me so glad I stuck it out, as this took me over a month to get through because it is so dense, complex, and intelligently written. Dark academia vibes all around, as promised, and I can't wait for the sequel!
megnkatie's review against another edition
got this for free on kindle unlimited and still didnt care to read it
if felt like a chore
if felt like a chore
ctrent532's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
arrk33's review against another edition
3.0
This book starts so strong and the question I had been asking (what happens to the 6th?) gets answered about halfway through. After that gets answered though, I kinda became uninterested? I hate Callum, am bored by Reina, pity Tristan, enjoy Nico and Libby’s banter, and am intrigued by Parisa. All their interpersonal relationships are so new, fresh, and raw in the beginning but they get stale after the question is answered. The “twist” in the last quarter of the book felt a little unearned and didn’t answer a lot of the questions I had. I know it’s setting up for the sequel which I will read, but I felt like the conclusion left much to be desired on the back end of a really interesting and exciting front half of the book. (3.5 stars)
lyor's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
s0ngsparr0w's review
Started reading on a trip and couldn’t get into it at the time.
smr12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
everluvly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Strong academia vibes a lot of new words for me personally. I did enjoy the cast of characters at times it was a little hard keeping up with all 6 povs. I recommend keeping notes because there’s not a leading character. Each chapter is a new pov it’s a little hard to follow with all of the new information each chapter. Was a bit of a slow start then I was hooked and had to finish it. One 🌶️ on the spice scale.