Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

41 reviews

allisonwonderlandreads's review

adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Academic rivals are a trope that I typically take only minor interest in. School was more often a collaborative than competitive affair for me, so it clashes with my experience, leaving me baffled at who has the energy for it. This book had me convinced within the first chapter. YES Libby, Nico is clearly the worst. Continue with your banter. Shoot to emotionally maim. Not only was I convinced, but I was having a great time. 

In fact, all six POVs quickly brought me under their thrall by eliciting strong reactions with their voices. I could give an itemized summary of how I feel about any of them and why because each character is so carefully formed and fills a specific role in the group. The sometimes vicious competition among them adds another layer, as I came to support certain alliances while wishing other liaisons a swift death for the threat they posed to themselves or others through their choices. I found myself irrevocably interested in all the characters' sharp edges, their darkest thoughts, their jangling worries at odds with their lofty ambitions. I admired the unexpected pathways the characters followed, the twisty growth to their relationships, and the queer (pan representation at minimum--most of the characters seem fairly fluid in terms of sexuality) and BIPOC representation (Black, Japanese, Persian, and Cuban protagonists). 

I did get stuck on a couple points. For one, my initial investment in the characters was a bit frayed by the end. This was partially due to choices made in the quest for power and partially related to the way the cast would fixate on each other's perceived weaknesses, amplifying them for the reader. A related concern is that I'm not sure there was a single relationship I wouldn't ultimately categorize as toxic and/or unbalanced. It's not glorified, which I appreciate, but I personally need at least one strong, supportive bond to hold onto in a story. It's what keeps me motivated and excited to come along for the darker bits. 

In terms of world-building, the magic system isn't necessarily revolutionary, but the periods of academic contemplation regarding different abilities and talents left me in the dust as a matter of both mental fortitude and attention span. I may be a science teacher, but honestly, ew physics. 

I liked that the story seems to be winding up for some intriguing commentary on power and institutions, on knowledge and ambition. Already, there were some fun asides and acute observations that I highlighted as fuel for my dark, cynical worldview that Tristan would surely appreciate. Dark academia fans will especially find a lot in these pages to live up to the hype. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Sexual content, Suicide, Colonisation, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

caseythereader's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Thanks to Tor Books for the free copy of this book.

 - THE ATLAS SIX shouldn't work, but it does. Does it? It does. I liked it. I was sometimes bored? But I kept going? Yeah, I have no idea how I feel about this book.
- It's definitely very clever and keeps you hooked, unspooling plot twists and major actions slowly, between all the long conversations about the nature of time and whatnot.
- I think my main reaction is that this is what THE MAGICIANS should have been.
- Also, that Parisa realllllly verges on the trope of the insatiable bisexual (yet also unclear if she's actually queer or just slept with some women for power reasons? Why is this book hailed as full of queer characters?), though the reasons why she is who she is are laid out in the text, it still felt weird.
- I dunno, I'll probably read the sequel? Have you read this? Tell me what you think. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Car accident, Confinement, Infidelity, Suicide, Violence, Death, Drug use, Sexual content, Alcohol, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Murder

aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Cursing, Death, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Blood, Classism, Drug use, Death of parent, Child death, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

meredith_williams_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Death, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

Minor: Cursing and Drug use

oliviafendrich's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.25

This book was quite interesting. The characters' interpersonal relations largely drive the narrative but are skillfully easy to keep track of. Get ready for lots of dialogue! This book could almost be described as a long string of conversations. It's well-written, though repetitive on occasion. I'd recommend this book to anyone who's a bit afraid of fantasy, as it's not overcomplicated. Some good romance, and well-paced. Hoping to check out the rest of this series, and Blake's other works.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Abandonment, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and Child death

Minor: Antisemitism, Confinement, Death of parent, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Vomit

vonny3492's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Death, Confinement, Bullying, and Alcohol

ajthequeen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Torture

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, and Drug use

aliasbooklover's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

no words. still trying to process. i love them all. 
somehow gave me dark (netflix) vibes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual content and Kidnapping

tinyelfarcanist's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-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

I didn't hesitate to get this book after reading the synopsis. It is heavily character-centered, just the kind that I love. I expected a fun and quick read but found myself quickly immersed in the intricate characters and their motivations. 

I was disappointed to see some of my favorite characters put aside when the central pieces for the overarching scheme became evident.

I anticipated some cliché characters and drama but was pleasantly surprised. I can't wait for the next installment.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Violence, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Murder, Kidnapping, Gore, Gaslighting, Drug use, Blood, and Alcohol

winterywillows's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

The writing was impeccably good, with each character in the ensemble receiving meaningful character development throughout the book. I absolutely loved how the worldbuiling of magic in this book was rooted in scientific and philisophical principles; props to the author for all the research she had to do to write this. Looking forward to reading the sequel!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Murder

Minor: Drug use