Reviews with content warning for Kidnapping - The Atlas Six

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The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

96 reviews

bookishgoob's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

I went into this with high hopes, and in the beginning i was worried those hopes were too high. I felt like I had hyped myself up too much to enjoy what was in front of me. However, after some time with it I realized I hadn’t necessarily hyped myself up too much, I was just far too impatient to let the story unfold. The way that the characters each had their own perspective added so much depth and life to the story. The fact that I could hate and love these characters added an element of me being there with them. I loved that these characters weren’t two dimensional what so ever, even the side characters had dimension and purpose. The way that the story unfolded and came together at the end was a perfect mystery answered with a slight cliffhanger for what’s to come. I enjoyed every moment of this book, from the dark academia aesthetic, to the moral ambiguity each character had. I felt like I related so much to libby and reina, and loved parisa and nico. I couldn’t stand callum the whole time but his character still added so much to the story. The questions my mind was going over of “Is he wrong because I think he’s wrong or is he actually morally wrong?” was a constant on the forefront of my mind. People say that they hated the “pretentious” language used, like it wasn’t the entire point. It’s a secret society. Of course it’s pretentious. Anyway, I am so excited for book 2 and I am finding myself feeling so impatient for it! I highly recommend this book if you’re in the mood for secret society, rivals to lovers, and hot people.

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jfield351's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

4.0

Right off the bat I was really drawn to the characters. They are very original, very well written and very interesting. Especially their backgrounds and motivations. The drawings in this edition were also insanely good! The book was quite dense with so much happening on each page and i wasn’t really pulled to this book, but it was still interesting. The way time was written - it kind of jumped a bit - was a little confusing, as was the constantly switching perspectives. I was a bit confused about who was who at the start but i could tell it would be a good read! I LOVED the bluntness of it, how topics were not skated over but given in just enough detail. I think though, some parts were a little too confusing to read when tired as there was a lot of process. The last 100 pages

were a whirlwind of ‘oh this person is dead! Oh not actually now this person is dead! Oh wait that’s not right either! The whole issue with Ezra was very neatly done, I really enjoyed that. The ending was definitely unexpected for me , I had an idea Ezra would be involved but did not expect that.

solid!!

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claudiamacpherson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful 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

4.5

Content Warnings

azrah786's review against another edition

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4.5

[This review can also be found on my BLOG]

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley and gifted a finished copy of the book by TorUK & Black Crow PR for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**

CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury detail, murder, death, suicide/suicidal ideation, alcohol, kidnapping, toxic relationships, emotional abuse, infidelity, sexual content
--

You know when you just know from the opening chapter of a book that you’re going to love a book? This was one of those books for me!

Every 10 years, 6 individuals are exclusively selected to compete for a spot in the Alexandrian Society, a secret organisation that safeguards the supposed lost works and knowledge from the Library of Alexandria among other ancient civilisations.
The Atlas Six follows Libby, Nico, Parisa, Tristan, Callum and Reina – who are believed to be the most powerful and talented magicians (medians) of their time on their pursuit for the 5 open spots and all the power and knowledge the positions hold.

“…the problem with knowledge, is its inexhaustible craving. The more of it you have, the less you feel you know…”

I’ll begin by saying that if you enjoy character driven storylines then you will eat this book up just as much as I did. It is for the most part one intense and intimate character study that is woven into a pretty straightforward storyline following the characters on their perusal of knowledge, training of their powers and staking out the competition. However, there is also an element of mystery to the plot that is all about uncovering the protected secrets of the society and what being a part of it actually entails.

There is no doubt that this book is an adult one particularly with the themes and with all the primary characters being 21 and older however, the student and competition aspects do give it a slight upper YA/New Adult edge at times. Not that this was a drawback in any way but it may not be some people’s thing. Furthermore the pacing is slower than I had anticipated going in, but it is still a very suspenseful read. Plus Blake’s writing is so eloquent and everything is so meticulously pieced together that I couldn’t take my eyes away.

“That was the peril of thought. Thoughts were so rarely dismissed once they’d been picked up and toyed with, and a mind successfully altered could rarely, if ever, revert. Worse were feelings. Feelings were never forgotten, even if their sources were.”

The world building, in terms of the settings was quite subtle and simple. What instantly captured my interest though was the magic system, which did get a little complex at times but I was absolutely obsessed with the major X-Men vibes of it all!! A median’s powers either fall into being physical (where the individual can manipulate the elements) or mental (telepathy, empathy, illusionary) but the sheer variation and versatility of any one individual’s abilities made the magic feel so original and exciting.

There were fascinating discussions brought into the narrative involving space and time and philosophy when the characters were experimenting with their powers so not only does this big brain of a book keep you highly entertained it equally tests your intelligence and I loved it!

“You’re a fire hazard, Rhodes… So stop apologizing for the damage and just let the fucker burn.”

Each and every single one of the characters (minor characters included) had me completely entranced, not just by their powers but their emotions, their assessments of situations and their sharpness. They are all so messy and the relationships that form between them even more so. There’s deliciously witty banter, reluctant alliances, manipulation and SO MUCH sexual tension between everyone!! Even though some of the characters were more likeable than others and there were pairings that I was particularly rooting for, by the end I was fixated by them all!

Balancing 6 points of view equally has got to be tricky and Blake did it so well in this book but I have to admit I found myself wishing Reina had gotten a bit more page time so here’s to that happening in book 2.

Speaking of which that ending has me craving the next book so badly!!! Thus I am kind of glad that I read this now rather than almost a whole year ago when the initial hype train was making its way around the internet.

Now to impatiently count down the days until The Atlas Paradox arrives…
Final Rating – 4.5/5 Stars

Content Warnings

deliriah's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense slow-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

3.0

Academic rivals are a trope that I typically take only minor interest in. School was more often a collaborative than competitive affair for me, so it clashes with my experience, leaving me baffled at who has the energy for it. This book had me convinced within the first chapter. YES Libby, Nico is clearly the worst. Continue with your banter. Shoot to emotionally maim. Not only was I convinced, but I was having a great time.

In fact, all six POVs quickly brought me under their thrall by eliciting strong reactions with their voices. I could give an itemized summary of how I feel about any of them and why because each character is so carefully formed and fills a specific role in the group. The sometimes vicious competition among them adds another layer, as I came to support certain alliances while wishing other liaisons a swift death for the threat they posed to themselves or others through their choices. I found myself irrevocably interested in all the characters' sharp edges, their darkest thoughts, their jangling worries at odds with their lofty ambitions. I admired the unexpected pathways the characters followed, the twisty growth to their relationships, and the queer (pan representation at minimum--most of the characters seem fairly fluid in terms of sexuality) and BIPOC representation (Black, Japanese, Persian, and Cuban protagonists).

I did get stuck on a couple points. For one, my initial investment in the characters was a bit frayed by the end. This was partially due to choices made in the quest for power and partially related to the way the cast would fixate on each other's perceived weaknesses, amplifying them for the reader. A related concern is that I'm not sure there was a single relationship I wouldn't ultimately categorize as toxic and/or unbalanced. It's not glorified, which I appreciate, but I personally need at least one strong, supportive bond to hold onto in a story. It's what keeps me motivated and excited to come along for the darker bits.

In terms of world-building, the magic system isn't necessarily revolutionary, but the periods of academic contemplation regarding different abilities and talents left me in the dust as a matter of both mental fortitude and attention span. I may be a science teacher, but honestly, ew physics.

I liked that the story seems to be winding up for some intriguing commentary on power and institutions, on knowledge and ambition. Already, there were some fun asides and acute observations that I highlighted as fuel for my dark, cynical worldview that Tristan would surely appreciate. Dark academia fans will especially find a lot in these pages to live up to the hype.

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caseythereader's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

Thanks to Tor Books for the free copy of this book.

- THE ATLAS SIX shouldn't work, but it does. Does it? It does. I liked it. I was sometimes bored? But I kept going? Yeah, I have no idea how I feel about this book.
- It's definitely very clever and keeps you hooked, unspooling plot twists and major actions slowly, between all the long conversations about the nature of time and whatnot.
- I think my main reaction is that this is what THE MAGICIANS should have been.
- Also, that Parisa realllllly verges on the trope of the insatiable bisexual (yet also unclear if she's actually queer or just slept with some women for power reasons? Why is this book hailed as full of queer characters?), though the reasons why she is who she is are laid out in the text, it still felt weird.
- I dunno, I'll probably read the sequel? Have you read this? Tell me what you think.

Content Warnings

leahrosiee's review against another edition

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adventurous dark tense 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? Yes

3.5

Ok I finally finished this with the audiobook. It is good, the ending surprised me and the sexy academia vibes were excellent.
Full cast audiobook could really redeem any book for me.

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japanasi's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I pretty much loved everything about the way this story was executed?

the themes explored were heavier than I had expected and the writing is rather complex at times and much of the magic system remains a mystery but I do think it is intended that way, so.. I mostly enjoyed that?

everything was wonderfully morally grey, the characters and storyline complex and twisted. I liked delving into the different perspectives (third person multiple pov! <3) and loved musing about who’s the villain here

not even the references to real life cities and personalities bothered me (which usually is a huge pet peeve in fantasy novels)

so definitely a huge yay!! from my side, loved it a lot!

Content Warnings

aliyachaudhry's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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