Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake

41 reviews

stormeno's review against another edition

emotional mysterious slow-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

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Content Warnings

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

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

shelbybean's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-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

4.25

Philosophy and poetic waxing on the reason for the human species so dense you'll feel like you're studying for an ethics exam - wrapped in an extremely compelling (and often devastating) character drama. With magic 🎉 I may never recover. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, and Death

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Classism, Chronic illness, and Colonisation

aileron's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective 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

1.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Death, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Blood, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Death of parent, Kidnapping, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Abandonment

kimzeyk's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

I should have re-read the first two books before starting this one - I had to go back to the last few chapters of book 2.  Be sure you’re clear on who’s dead and who’s alive, and do read the dramatis personae at the beginning.  

The bulk of the “story” happens inside the characters’ heads - as others have said, there’s very little plot.   But I do love her writing; this is a series I could see picking up and re-reading all in a row at some point, and maybe I’d enjoy it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Police brutality, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Murder, Sexual content, and Mental illness

Minor: Child death, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Gore

takarakei's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

I finished this a few days ago and haven't stopped thinking about it.

This series is so hard to form coherent thoughts around because it really is so unique and unlike anything else I've read. To quote Ms Olivie Blake herself: "The relationships will be the plot, because relationships are all that matter. They're all we can ever take with us. They're the only real things we leave behind."

I've seen some mixed reviews of this book and I truly don't know what people were expecting having read the first two books? The characters are the focus. Their relationship dynamics are what makes this series interesting. The point of this book is to make you think about our existence. It's a rumination on the meaning of life. Do our choices matter? Is it all worth it?

Does that mean that this series it not for everyone? Absolutely! But I for one actually look forward to rereading this series for the rest of my life!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, and Gun violence

Moderate: Grief, Classism, Alcohol, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual content

Minor: Police brutality, Dementia, and Cancer

celery's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Body horror, Cursing, Drug abuse, Dysphoria, Kidnapping, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Dementia, Ableism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Abandonment, Blood, Death, Racism, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Addiction, Classism, Gore, Infertility, Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Suicide attempt, War, Drug use, Grief, Misogyny, Suicide, Terminal illness, Confinement, Colonisation, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, and Violence

kassidyreads's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Mental illness

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, and Grief

djm_chal's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-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

3.0

What did I just finish, and why the hell was I crying so much?!?! This is probably going to be a bit all over the place as I feel I have not enough but at the same time too many words to try and describe my thoughts and feelings on this. (Probably doesn't help that I'm writing this at approx. 2am)

That ending was very confusing and unsatisfactory. I thought the first two books were fine, a bit confusing, and filled with lots of unlikeable characters, but interesting enough to keep me reading so I needed to see how it ended.

In the last couple of sections of this book, I just kept hoping that what was happening wasn't real because my favorite characters, Nico and Callum, died while everyone else seemed to be making stupid decisions. Then the chapter where Tristan is seeing all these different possible scenarios (which I think were alternate universes?) had me very confused.

I just kept being baffled by the decisions these characters were making, and some of them just straight up felt pointless ~cough, cough~ Reina. Even with all that I somehow didn't hate the book, but was definitely left with more questions.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Blood, and Death

Minor: Murder and Sexual content

natashaleighton_'s review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-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

Despite the mixed reviews I actually really enjoyed this pacey, emotional rollercoaster of a read—which sees the stakes get even higher for all six of our protagonists.

And if (like me) you loved how deliciously complex and character driven the previous instalments were, then this is definitely worth picking up. 

Our depth-filled cast of morally grey characters were just as complicated (and willing to lie, cheat or commit murder) as ever before. And the emotions conveyed in their strained and rocky relationships has quickly become one of my fave aspects of the entire series— which (unsurprisingly) managed to once again keep me on the edge of my seat. 

But I do admit that, by the end I did feel like I’d been through the emotional wringer along with our MCs, and have needed some time to truly digest everything that happened before I could write this review. 

With gloriously underhanded, Machiavelli- level plots and an opening that sees most of our characters on different continents (before eventually converging) there was literally never a dull moment. However, I do think that the pacing was a little too quick at times, which meant some of the important scenes didn’t resonate quite as much as I wanted and, as such, lost a little of that delicious, Dark Academia-esque essence that first drew me in. 

That being said, I loved the buddy-comedy style dynamics that developed between Callum and Reina, and liked getting to know more about Parisa’s past and private life. But my heart is still trying to come to terms with THAT shocking turn of events. I can’t say anymore without spoilers so I’ll just say, keep some tissues handy—you’re gonna need them! 

I’m also still impressed with Olivie Blake’s ability to weave a tale about six slightly unhinged, magic nerds and their dysfunctional relationships, into an intricate and timeless allegory on humanity’s innate (and perpetual) quest for power, and the corruption that ultimately arises from trying gain it. 

Given the world’s current political climate; the ending, though angsty and heartbreakingly bittersweet, did feel like the perfect way to conclude this jaw-droppingly plot twisty series. Just don’t go into this expecting a happy outcome for everyone. 

Also, a huge thanks to Black Crow PR and Tor/ Pan MacMillan for the finished copy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, and Death

Moderate: Murder, Cursing, and Sexual content

Minor: Confinement, Cancer, and Dementia