Reviews

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

dufremde's review

adventurous hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

much like my reading experience with A Magical Girl Retires, I could have used 100 more pages of this. I loved the world-building, the embedding of Slavic mythology in the underbelly of an urban setting (the way the main families sourced their energy, like a chain of funeral homes to harvest sadness? so good), and of course the Chicago-ness of it! the character work was slightly underdeveloped as a result of the length, though, and I'm not sure the romantic (or even platonic) dynamics were fully earned, so the emotional impact didn't quite land. I would definitely not object to more novellas in this universe.

shadowspinner's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Animal death, Violence, and Death

bookmarkedbybecky's review

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.5

Wow! For a novella, this little baby packs a punch! The incredible world-building takes shape immediately. Roth doesn’t overcomplicate this fantasy realm set in modern-day Chicago. Instead, she methodically layers creatures, monsters, magic, and Polish Folklore that’s easy to follow. Throughout the urban fantasy, Roth’s vivid imagery ignites your imagination as morals live alongside otherworldly beings. As a Chicagoan, I love all the Chicago details Roth embedded in the story - the Uptown Theater scene is absolute perfection! 

Unlike most novellas, the story is not all plot-driven. Roth’s character development is quite impressive. She skillfully weaves backstories, making it impossible not to empathize with these morally grey characters. The three MCs forge such strong friendships that it feels a bit like a found family trope. 

I paired the physical book and the audiobook. The narration was fantastic! The narrators did great with the accents and emotions, bringing the adventure to life.

Did Roth leave the door open for a sequel?  I certainly hope so!  I wasn’t ready to leave these characters or this world. I’ll read volumes 2, 3, 4, 5, or as many as she writes! 

modalexandra's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

4.5

imaginationmelanie00's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

5.0

I never liked her books, but this one was very good.

notthatkat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

annsbibliotherapy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark hopeful mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Going into this audiobook I wasn't sure what to expect, I had heard such mixed reviews but I'm so glad I gave this one a chance. 

Now I will admit getting used to a magical modern Chicago took me a while to get into but the amazing talents of our narrators brought this alternate world to life. 

While there were moments I felt like this was a little rushed, but I can hope that just leaves room for a second book in this wonderful world I've fallen in love with. 

While yes this world is full of dark magic and pain, it's also full of hope and possibilities that are beyond amazing. 

Speaking of amazing let's talk for a moment about our narrators. Recently I've found hust how much I enjoy multiple narrators in a fantasy setting and this is a perfect example, Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell are a brilliant trio to bring our characters to life, I thuroughly enjoyed what each of them brought to the experience of this audiobook. 

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing a copy of this Audiobook, I have voluntarily listened to it and all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

bookish_selkie's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

sergyar's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.75

rmp419's review against another edition

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

3.25