Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Atlas Paradox

Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

16 reviews

bookswithmaia's review

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dark emotional 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

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sleepybythelake's review against another edition

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challenging funny slow-paced

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

3.0

Gotta be honest throughout the book I thought I was not going to give it more than 2.75 stars, but the last chapter made me all excited that I decided to give it 3 stars regardless of the nonexistent plot for more than half of the book. So take that as that... I'm bised here okay???
I'd say things got a bit interesting around 68% but then it fell flat again with some enjoyable moments here and there.

I started this book in January and DNFed it almost immediately. I couldn't get into it. Besides, I didn't remember much of the previous book, except that I liked it and planned on reading the rest of the series. I decided to leave it like that all year until I read somewhere that the last instalment is going to be released soon and I was like 'well damn, I'll give it another try'. Long story short I ended up listening to the audiobook.

Sometimes I didn't know what was happening and I didn't understand 90% of what they talked about (I'm dumb af) but, as someone else pointed out, the book felt dumb too at times. As already stated, the plot was sorta nonexistent. It moved forward terribly slowly, so much so that I wondered when something relevant would happen.

The problem I have with pov books is that there will always be povs I have no interest in reading. Unfortunately, Tristan and Reina's were the case. I don't remember much of my impressions of TA6 and didn't take notes, unlike this time, so I don't know if I couldn't stand them already.

Maybe I didn't pay enough attention, but from what I've understood Tristan is super essential- they all are of course, but he's particularly relevant. Reina. She has a god complex? Uhm okay.

Callum was a vibe tbh. Parisa, I liked her more in this second book, though she didn’t do much.
Loved my baby Nico. It took me two (2) seconds to decide that I was going to D!E for him and that didn't change in TAP. Enjoyed his scenes with Parisa, something I didn't know I needed;

I was sad he felt all alone tho I mean, without his bf and with his gf kidnapped :(((.

Libby was great. Loved her. Felt like some scenes were unnecessary, but since we didn’t get much of her I was excited every time her pov started. I'm interested to see her further evolution

especially now that she's back. *gasp bc that was such a girlboss entrance* Sadly, couldn't care any less about whatever was going on with Belen.

In general, I want more Libby content. PLEASEEE

Talking about ships:
I find this funny because lately I've been saying (a lot) that I don't care about romances. GUESS WHAT? That's a BIG FAT LIE. So, I love to bits NicoLibby. They have my whole heart. I don't know how to explain it, it just is. Their bickering had my curiosity, but they got my full attention once in TA6 I read:

"If not for her, Nico might not have noticed most of the things he did, and probably vice versa. A uniquely upsetting curse, really, how little he knew how to exist when she wasn’t there; his only mode of pleasure was in knowing she probably felt the same whenever she could bring herself to stomach the admission"

From that, I knew it was going to be them for me.
I know most people see them as platonic soulmates... but well, that won't change the fact I want them to be endgame. They have something going on, I just wished Olivie could have explored that more in this book. They need to talk. I feel lots is left unsaid. Constantly. At the end of the day though, it's okay if you disagree, to each their own. The thing is, which makes my heart feel conflicted, I'm completely convinced NicoGideon is more likely to actually be endgame. Don't get me wrong, I love them too and I guess I would be fine with that, but I NEED at least a NicoLibby explicit (not necessarily in a sexual way, more like something so obvious it can't be denied) moment. Stop with the ambiguousness. I'M BEGGING!!! But I feel like we all know how it is gonna go.

Lastly,
that last chapter took my breath away.

Nico & Gideon kissed (about time eheh) but then Libby arrives??? And Nico is rightfully shocked. "Gideon felt Nico's pulse stutter and quicken [...] - Her eyes were unfocused except for the way they met Nico's."
She comes back and immediately (well after killing(?) Ezra) looks for him??? Poetic imo.

I keep editing this review lmaooo messy review for a messy book (affectionate)

For a moment I forgot about the whole multiverse thingy. Something I didn't think about but that could possibly make everyone happy: nicolibby living happily and in love in another universe. It would feel like a sop... but better than nothing am I right? Whatever happens, I'm hooked.

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cecilie26's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-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

2.0

Okay, I don’t know there is going to be spoilers so I’m just taking it on to be safe.
Loved the book, though I didn’t fell in love with it as I did the first one.
It was a bit boring at times, for my taste anyway. The only thing that is nagging the hell out of me, is why Nico and Tristan didn’t go to Fowler and make him take her back. Or if I have misunderstood something about them not know Fowler a powers then why not see if Fowler really were a time traveler so they then could use him to get her back instead of hoping that she would make a nuclear bomb. I don’t know if I have missed something that would explain it since I heard it on audiobook, and was doing something while listening to it. So that may explain why. Otherwise I found the book kind of unnecessary since the plot was really meh. The characters were fantastic.that was also why I read it to the end. Loved all the characters- kind of. Liked the first book much better than this one though.

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hannahcstocks's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.0

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anton13's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Reason it wasn’t a 5 star read was bc it was a bit slow to me. Now that could’ve been my fault for not being fully in the book when reading a lot of the time but still it felt a bit slow. Nonetheless the story was amazing and the twists and turns had me shook. I don’t know how I’m supposed to survive till next year before I get to read the third book but I’ll have to manage. I love this world and the idea that there’s magic and secret societies with so much knowledge. I can’t wait to see how their journeys will continue. And also the end😱😱 no way! I wanna say this: FINALLY!! And: it made me so happy and so intrigued for the next book.

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jeyjeyyy's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

2.5

Really liked the first one, this one not so much. Maybe my taste has changed, it’s been a year after all, or maybe it’s just not as good. For me this book is too pretentious, like it’s trying to info dump on purpose. If I wanted to read something hard to understand, I would read an actual physics book or a philosophy essay. This book is trying to be that, while being a fantasy book and a Secret History variant, but it doesn’t do it well. The characters are trying so hard to be morally grey and nuanced, but they’re just unrealistic and most of the time annoying. Nobody talks or behaves like they do. I get that it is part of the point, that power has made them insane and detached from the world, but it’s honestly tiring. The only relationships I liked (Tristan and Callum, Libby and Nico, Gideon and Nico) were overshadowed by stuff I had no interest in, and honestly, most of the links beteen the characters didn’t really seem to make sense or have any purpose. Too much unnecessary and uncomfortable sex too. This book wants to do too much and therefore does nothing well.
I will say, though, some quotes in there were really smart and beautiful, shame they had to be mixed up in what was mostly an inefficient and quite boring story.
Olivie Blake is obviously a smart and talented writer, I just wished this book had clearer purpose. It is also quite niche so maybe it wasn’t for me but yeah, I wasn’t a fan.
Ps: Shoutout to Belen for being the best character ever.

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macykey's review against another edition

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dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

I definitely do feel like I missed out on some things, like I was out of the loop or maybe I just didn’t get the subtle context clues that were provided. I also was hoping that we’d get Libby back sooner than we did, but I get why we didn’t. Can’t wait for the inevitable Tristan/Libby reunion! There were also some questions that arose in the first book that we didn’t get an answer to in the follow up. So I have to wait even longer to get answers to questions raised two books ago?That’s a little annoying. Overall, I couldn’t put this down. I really like this book and can’t wait for the next one.

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dododenise's review against another edition

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challenging inspiring mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

Oh my god?!?
I enjoyed reading the first book more but holy shit I still loved this one so much.
I mostly was less convinced by all the philosophising this time. That was the part that really got me into the first book. But now I got into the character dynamics and the chaos of it all. I also actually like some of the characters now and considering they're all designed to be assholes that's an accomplishment. And I was rewarded in my favourite shipping!! I didn't dare to hope for it because so many characters are set up to potentially have some romantic and/or sexual relationship.
Honestly, their relationship dynamics were all over the place and I was here for it.

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japanasi's review

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challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

I will need to read this again because if anything, it got even more confusing and complex - but I loved it! there were some very interesting dynamics in this book; I love blake’s imagination and writing style; but it can be a bit exhausting (worldbuilding is still quite a mystery too).

nevertheless I can’t wait for the sequel, it’s going to be very very interesting!

side notes

libbs in her unhinged era>>

nico has my heart !!!
I love them both very much 😚😚

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aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny 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

4.0

this was my multiverse of madness

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