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A review by twentycharm
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
5.0
** updated full review below!
a book so brilliant i'd feel bad not giving it five stars. it is not without imperfection for sure, but is definitely worth the read.
yes, i may be biased after reading blake's sweet acknowledgments but still. this book was so artfully constructed, with effort even i can feel coursing through every page. i will update with a full review soon, but for now, just know i love this book.
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Thank you again to Libro.fm for this ALC audiobook and Pansing Distribution for the physical copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars. This book was so artfully constructed, with research and effort I could feel coursing through every page. Not only was I charmed by the philosophical dialogues unpacking human nature, but also swept away by the magic system. It reminded me of what I loved about fantasy, and though I can’t quite name what it was exactly, I know part of it had to do with the setup where magic is normalised in the world and its users are judged by their power.
But besides great worldbuilding, Blake also has a talent for writing morally flawed yet likeable characters that form a strongly motivated cast. And by making good use of the six alternating POVs, she was able to progress the main plot while slowly developing and uncovering the character backstories.
It’s hard to name a favourite but I admired the way Parisa took charge of her life, aiming for and getting what she wanted, no matter how out of reach things seemed. I also loved the deep dives into Nico and Libby’s dynamics, and how Reina’s and Tristan’s pasts shaped their respective negative outlooks on people and life as a whole. Last but definitely not least were the discussions of Callum’s privilege, which really helped show the imbalances in society, fictional or not.
This book is not without imperfection for sure, but I feel it's definitely still worth the read. That said, I understand why it wasn’t for some people especially when the hype surrounding it inflated the expectations of many, but I hope you all can take away as much from it as I did!
a book so brilliant i'd feel bad not giving it five stars. it is not without imperfection for sure, but is definitely worth the read.
yes, i may be biased after reading blake's sweet acknowledgments but still. this book was so artfully constructed, with effort even i can feel coursing through every page. i will update with a full review soon, but for now, just know i love this book.
-----
Thank you again to Libro.fm for this ALC audiobook and Pansing Distribution for the physical copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars. This book was so artfully constructed, with research and effort I could feel coursing through every page. Not only was I charmed by the philosophical dialogues unpacking human nature, but also swept away by the magic system. It reminded me of what I loved about fantasy, and though I can’t quite name what it was exactly, I know part of it had to do with the setup where magic is normalised in the world and its users are judged by their power.
But besides great worldbuilding, Blake also has a talent for writing morally flawed yet likeable characters that form a strongly motivated cast. And by making good use of the six alternating POVs, she was able to progress the main plot while slowly developing and uncovering the character backstories.
It’s hard to name a favourite but I admired the way Parisa took charge of her life, aiming for and getting what she wanted, no matter how out of reach things seemed. I also loved the deep dives into Nico and Libby’s dynamics, and how Reina’s and Tristan’s pasts shaped their respective negative outlooks on people and life as a whole. Last but definitely not least were the discussions of Callum’s privilege, which really helped show the imbalances in society, fictional or not.
This book is not without imperfection for sure, but I feel it's definitely still worth the read. That said, I understand why it wasn’t for some people especially when the hype surrounding it inflated the expectations of many, but I hope you all can take away as much from it as I did!