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jessamo19's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, and Misogyny
yourlocalbookreader's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
When I read the Atlas Six, I knew that I would become obsessed with these people and their twisted lives. And while I hated them occasionally (and regularly found them insufferable), I knew I was bewitched and my love for this series has only grown since. I read this book almost exclusively on the hours when the sun wasn't up yet and I think that fundamentally impacted my perception of it.
Because while the series might have started as Nico, Libby, Parisa, Reina, Tristan and Callum, it ends up being so much bigger than that. It's the soul crushing moments of being human with people around you - with coming to terms with the fact that you DO actually care for others, with the ideas of platonic soulmates and ever ending love. It's knowing that we are all just victims of our own circumstances. In some worlds we're the ants, and in another we're the foot that steps on it unknowingly.
The Atlas Complex is not going to be everyone's cup of tea - and the 3 star rating on Goodreads confirms that. It's a polarizing book, with people saying that it's too long and yet about nothing at the same time. It's exhausting and pretentious and the characters ramble about things that don't matter but are simultaneously world ending. All of that is likely true.
But oh god - if that's the mood you're in. If you want to sit there and struggle with the pain of the universe and your own purpose and see the curtain fall after the show? If you're someone who overthinks every moment and sees significance in the smallest of moments. If you're gonna have an epiphany on a random wednesday night staring out the window- then this is the book for you, and I welcome you to join me silently crying about it on the train at night.
rep// Black MC, Asian Mc, Poly / queer rep
Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Minor: Cancer and Sexism
emilywemily6's review against another edition
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Violence, Cursing, Death, Toxic relationship, Classism, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Sexual content, Grief, Domestic abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Chronic illness and Medical content
aliyachaudhry's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Murder, Chronic illness, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Death, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Death of parent, Gun violence, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Grief
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Cancer, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Child death, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Police brutality, Rape, Vomit, and Kidnapping
Minor: Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Genocide, Dementia, and Xenophobia
caryndi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
There was a decent amount of dramatic irony built up going into this book, because we as readers knew what Atlas' plan was, whereas Libby did not trust what she was told about Atlas' plan. That alone was a great setup for conflict. Libby's choices and the choices of the other characters in the book added new layers that really had me wanting to learn where it all was headed.
One thing I want to applaud the author for is how well she took as us readers along for the ride. My experience was that I came out of the first two books rooting for specific characters and against others, and a lot of that was turned upside down in this book. It wasn't even a sense of "well this person/story is just boring me now"—but of her showing the characters growing and changing in ways that was really gratifying as a reader. I never would have imagined I'd feel so strongly about certain characters or relationships but for example
Additionally, this series was built around character relationships and they continued to be on point. This book was perhaps the gayest of all of them (always a plus!) and explored some new character/relationship dynamics that I enjoyed. I'm also a sucker for the "everyone is a bit in love with everyone else" trope and the six main characters really had that going on. Even when it was outside of actual romantic relationships—I'm a sucker for that blurring of friendship vs. something deeper and boy did I get that!
The structure of the book and the names of the sections were clear allusions to the author's philosophical inspirations and I think this book also lived up to that promise. I am not deep enough into philosophy to have more than a surface level understanding of the various systems she referenced but in terms of calling for that kind of thought, and being an examination of choice and outcomes, I thought it was a triumph. The ending of this book was satisfyingly unsatisfying (kinda spoiler,
If I have one critique it would be with the very very last chapter: I just don't think it was needed. I can see the argument for putting it in there, especially knowing that readers come to things with different levels of engagement and understanding. But IMO it would have been better to leave that off—to go without that concrete "here is the moral". I think the book lead readers, at least careful ones, to that conclusion.
Final thought: I appreciate Ms. Blake doing her part to make sure everyone knew her characters were all very sexy. That's the kind of effort I respect. (Also I'm curious if color versions of the character art exists anywhere!)
Moderate: Violence, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Blood, and Grief
jo_withabook's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death
lindseyhall44's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Blood, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abandonment, Death of parent, Classism, and Injury/Injury detail
amelianotthepilot's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Murder, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death
stormeno's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Medical content, Abandonment, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Classism, Blood, Cancer, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
itsheyfay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Cancer, Cursing, Classism, Confinement, Death of parent, Police brutality, Gun violence, Sexual content, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide attempt