Reviews

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

rosemallow's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.5

debbie_jane's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

3.5

lilacskye's review against another edition

slow-paced

Interesting world and concept at first, but story is slow and circuitous, with way too many loose ends. The characters are interesting, mostly, but inconsistent as the story goes on. Found a summary on Reddit of the remaining two books in trilogy to find out what happened vs reading them. 

kathrynnelson1216's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

bysereia's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

5.0

brokereader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

4.0

there are so many words in this book. too many I might say. 
500 pages is too much for this amount of information. and now you may ask why I gave this book 4 stars. it's solely based on Libby as a character and the ending. i was tempted to skip a couple of Parisa chapters. that girl is annoying as fuck, but I didn't. did I get anything out of those chapters? prob not, but I read them.

i would def recommend this book, but don't read it at a readathon. Don't do it. been there done that, and I failed. dont read it if you're in a reading slump.

zhakoreading's review against another edition

3.5

You resent privilege in all its forms, including your own, yet you show no desire to unmake the present system. I think someday you will awaken to your own conviction, and when you do, something will compel you forward. 

I did enjoy the world building, but hated how the book tried to be more than what it actually is. 

Why not write a fantasy book with characters with traumatic memories in a so-called “dark academia” setting, without mentioning those pretentious and random epithets that don’t really match the atmosphere at all?
With how much Olivie mentions sex and how the characters are just horny for each other, it is pretty obvious what kind of book she wanted to write to begin with. Should have just leaned into that.

The world building is based on a scientific perspective- yes, but it’s not deep or well thought out enough for her to be doing ALL that with the dialogues and monologues.
(The dialogues in the first half of the book were childish, by the way. I don’t get people who say that this is written in a “smart way”. I’d say it TRIED to do that, but failed completely)

(The world building- the idea itself, is pretty smart and entertaining, though.)

Constant analysis of the characters’ psyche and their behaviors through other members’ POVs was exhausting to read.
They kept playing “mind games” but in the most boring ways possible- just sitting down and explaining their personalities and thoughts to one another, “exposing” their hidden feelings and past traumas, when all you had to do was showcase their true dynamic and fun interactions (without constant analysis and pondering about physics and philosophy).
It felt like the whole book was just a therapy session for all the characters, (just in a more cruel way, cause they’re all EdGy and AsshoLeS)- because why am I spending the entirety of the plot in characters’ heads, that are monologuing about past and reflecting on their beliefs??
Where is the actual plot…?

There are some great quotes and ideas, but they don’t hit the same because of HOW MUCH the author tried telling us through bland pseudo philosophical dialogues- it was, frankly, annoying. Why not focus on elitism (for example) or capitalism, or time or life and death- why blend all of it together, leaving us with nothing at the end? Am I reading a tumblr post with random “favorite quotes” of someone?

It was entertaining to read nonetheless- I would especially say the very middle of the book was fun to read.

I’d also like to quickly comment on the plot twist- are we even surprised Atlas was a bad guy all along??? Like wtf is this plot twist

Overall- not horrendous, because I was entertained, but also not good. I’d say it falls somewhere right on the middle of the spectrum.

Would recommend to people who enjoy dark academia, just because it’s pretentious and entertaining at the same time.

mazsolaskalacs's review against another edition

dark emotional informative mysterious tense 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

4.0

hanamato's review against another edition

mysterious

2.25

krolo's review against another edition

mysterious reflective 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

3.0