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A review by nataliestorozhenko
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
3.0
I feel disappointed by this book. I think I should have read it earlier when I was more interested in the dark academia vibe. Although Olivie's ideas and writing style are interesting, there's always something missing in her plots and characters that prevents them from being truly wonderful. I cannot quite pinpoint what it is, and it seems that the author is also struggling to find it.
I had previously read Olivie's Dramione fanfiction, "Paradox," which dealt with the similar themes of time and parallel universes. Although the plot had some holes, the ideas worked well because the characters were already familiar and important to the readers. In contrast, the characters in "The Atlas Six" are so unlikeable, and the dialogues and banter are disappointing. While I appreciate morally gray characters, these characters feel shallow and borderline evil, and you do not feel any connection or relation to them. There was nothing to root for. There is no strong relationship, friendship, or a found family to reward the reader, except maybe for Niko and Gideon. Everyone mistrusts each other until the end, and the plot is very weak. Although I enjoyed the tension between Parisa and Dalton and the rivalry between Nico and Libby, I have glimpsed the spoiler for the last book of the series, and I just do not see the point of continuing with the next book.
I had wanted to read all of Olivie Blake's works, but this book was a waste of potential. What seemed to be a character-driven plot was not delivered as the character lacked some essence, and the change of POVs made it difficult to enjoy the story. Most of the characters were so insufferable, that I found myself suffering through their POVs to get to the one that interested me the most.
This year, I will not waste my time on books that do not bring me joy just to tick all the boxes. So this is a "no" from me with this series. I still feel respect for Olivie and her ideas, and I wish her to finally find that integral missing part to her writing and probably stick to standalones? Preferably not in a New York setting?
I had previously read Olivie's Dramione fanfiction, "Paradox," which dealt with the similar themes of time and parallel universes. Although the plot had some holes, the ideas worked well because the characters were already familiar and important to the readers. In contrast, the characters in "The Atlas Six" are so unlikeable, and the dialogues and banter are disappointing. While I appreciate morally gray characters, these characters feel shallow and borderline evil, and you do not feel any connection or relation to them. There was nothing to root for. There is no strong relationship, friendship, or a found family to reward the reader, except maybe for Niko and Gideon. Everyone mistrusts each other until the end, and the plot is very weak. Although I enjoyed the tension between Parisa and Dalton and the rivalry between Nico and Libby, I have glimpsed the spoiler for the last book of the series, and I just do not see the point of continuing with the next book.
I had wanted to read all of Olivie Blake's works, but this book was a waste of potential. What seemed to be a character-driven plot was not delivered as the character lacked some essence, and the change of POVs made it difficult to enjoy the story. Most of the characters were so insufferable, that I found myself suffering through their POVs to get to the one that interested me the most.
This year, I will not waste my time on books that do not bring me joy just to tick all the boxes. So this is a "no" from me with this series. I still feel respect for Olivie and her ideas, and I wish her to finally find that integral missing part to her writing and probably stick to standalones? Preferably not in a New York setting?