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When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

2 reviews

thecriticalreader's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

1.25

The Run-Down: When Among Crows by Veronica Roth sacrifices plot and character development for heavy-handed worldbuilding.

Review:

Roth transposes a world of Slavic myth and magic onto modern-day Chicago in her novella When Among Crows, which follows a young man named Dymitr who seeks the dangerous presence of a witch named Baba Jaga. He enlists the help of two mythical beings that feed off of human emotion for sustenance: Ala, who hopes Dymitr’s quest will help her undo a destructive curse she endures, and Niko, a warrior with an unusual past. Dymitr’s exact motives for seeking Baba Jaga are deliberately withheld from the reader and the other characters for most of the book—a choice not without narrative justification, but which essentially deprives the story of any emotional stakes. Dymitr’s remote stoicism makes him an intriguing figure for a chapter or so, yet quickly grows tiresome as Roth grants no further insight into his character until the story is nearly over. As such, the book becomes little more than a series of quests and sidequests.

It is difficult to decide whether When Among Crows would be serviced through an expansion to a full-length novel. On the one hand, it could draw out the tedium of following these characters conduct missions for which the reader has little emotional investment, but on the other hand, it might allow Roth to develop the worldbuilding and characters more organically. The fusion of contemporary Chicago with Polish myth is an undeniably creative premise, and Roth introduces a handful of fun flourishes to the concept. For instance, the creatures that feed on human emotions like sadness and fear operate establishments such as funeral parlors and horror film theaters. However, Roth spends too much space in the novella awkwardly dumping exposition about the world onto the reader. Similarly, the book contains the outlines of fascinating character relationships and dynamics but chooses to rush their development. A romance between two central characters, in particular, is almost laughably unnecessary and half-baked.

The resolution to the story introduces emotional stakes far too late to be effective, but it does indicate that the premise has the potential to make an intriguing and rewarding book. As it stands, however, When of Crows reads like a poorly developed young adult novel that revels in its cool world at the expense of its narrative.

You might like this book if . . .

· You are a big fan of the Percy Jackson series (this book is basically young adult Percy Jackson but with Polish mythology)

You might not like this book if . . .

· You are a character-driven reader

Content Warnings

thecanadianbookworm's review

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adventurous dark emotional 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

5.0

It's funny how I seem to gravitate to series usually, yet I have a growing love for fantasy novellas.

I love how much depth of character, and world building they can have in such a short time.

This novella is one of the best I've ever read, and I don't say that lightly considering I rarely enjoy urban fantasy.

Dymitr's story, told in the span of 2 days, is beautiful and haunting. I absolutely adored the dynamic between him, Ala and Niko!

The lore? Wow. I would absolutely LOVE to see more books in this world.

If you like dark, gritty, well built yet fast paced fantasy: be sure to check this out.

I won't summarize more than the synopsis does, because I truly think the best way to enjoy this story is by going in blind.

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