The process of selecting six of the best (or at least those with the most potential) magicians in the world for admittance into a society with the knowledge of the ages is quite interesting, as is the revelation that there are only five places available, so one candidate will be eliminated. So wuite like a reality TV show then. After selection and transfer to a mansion where they will spend the next year studying there are a few pages of action when they are invaded by agents of a rival society. This is the last piece of action in the book and seems to have been included just so that the some of candidates can agonise over having killed the invaders.
The rest of the book consists of the twisting relationships between the candidates, much of which takes the form of interminable conversations between various characters. Such action as there is, the establishment of a wormhole to the kitchen to ensure ready access to snacks for example, or the creation of a microscopic black hole in the library are just noted.
I'm probably giving the impression that I didn't like the book and that is quite correct. Apart from the paucity of plot the constant changes in character pov make it difficult to identify with any of the characters, and indeed you would not want to for none of them is likeable. The only thing that kept me reading was a vague desire to find out who was eliminated and a sense of obligation to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC.
To be fair, I didn't foresee the ending.

Okay so where do I start with this book?! I loved everything about it, from the premise to the characters. ⁣

These six main characters are so well developed and so unique that it's impossible not to be obsessed with each of them, also we're given povs from all of them so we get to know them even more! I sat there wanting them all to just be the best of friends then reminding myself that this is essentially a competition and it's every person for themselves! Libby is definitely my favourite out of the six and I just loved watching her grow in this story!⁣
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This is a very character driven book with their experiences and development at the forefront. We get to learn how their individual powers work and honestly I loved seeing how these powers grew as the time went on.    ⁣
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The writing and the plot are just flawless in my opinion. I was hooked from the very beginning and now I need the next book in the series. ⁣
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Honestly I cannot recommend this one enough if you're a fan of character driven stories! I love these characters and I 100% see why there is such a hype surrounding this book!

It seems like everyone is talking about The Atlax Six at the moment - you can barely move on BookTok without seeing a recommendation for this Dark Academia novel, and it is clearly living up to the hype for many people! The secret society concept is one that greatly appeals to me, and I was looking forward to a deep dive into this world and its interesting magic system. Sadly, for me, I found it difficult to connect with. The introduction is slow, and I struggled to build up momentum from there. Probably one for the hard-core fantasy lovers more so than readers like me who tend to dabble in the genre - I'm sure for those who read more widely in this area, it will be a five star read like it has been for so many others!

A DNF for me. I may eventually come back to it. I feel like I've been reading this forever and I'm only 25% but that 25% has taken me 4 days. I usually have books finished quicker than that.

I like it but don't at the same time. I feel like it took a long time to introduce everyone, makes sense as there is 6 of them but it's just a pain and then you're keeping up with which pov you're on and who they are.

I'm not sure if it's just me and fair enough it's an arc but it flows so bad on kindle. No page number, no chapters and I think that's also contributing to how much its dragging.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review.

I was really looking forward to reading The Atlas Six, everywhere I looked there were positive reviews. However when it came to reading I felt disappointed and deflated.
A book about magic is right up my street and I usually lap up that kinda book. I found myself struggling to keep interest, The characters are unlikeable so I found no connection that way.
The story Itself had potential and I felt it didn't really pick up until the last few chapters.
The writing was very descriptive and informative, so there wasn't any issue with the writing style.
I honestly believe that now this novel has been picked up by big publishers that the second book will be better, so I do look forward to reading that.

I loved this book like, really loved. I just wanted to get that out the way

This book is a healthy mix of magic, science and philosophy, all wrapped up in a modern day setting. Not to mention the draw of a secret society, if the other points didn't grab you first.

The way the characters, all speaking with clearly different voices, and with no main "chosen one' to spoil the day, work their way through the points I stated above, all mixing together, plus their own character development was so fun to read. Not to mention I am pretty sure I learned a thing or two along the way.

My take: read it!

The easiest five stars I’ve given all year. The new and revised version is the only version I have read, and I am absolutely addicted. Blake is an insanely talented author, their writing is compelling and poetic - I would read their grocery lists I am certain.

‘ The Atlas Six’ a fantasy novel where six of the Worlds most talented musicians are selected periodically to complete a fellowship within the Alexandrian Society. Each are individually crafted with their respective talents, abilities and mannerisms - and each persons power and talent with the capability to evoke immense danger.

The plot, as you can likely tell, was what drew me to the book initially - that, and the fact that EVERYONE is talking about it. And within good reason.

The plot twists are so well-done, the exact right balance of adequate foreshadowing so that it doesn’t pop out of nowhere / feel forced but simultaneously not predictable to the point the book is dull because you know whats about to happen.

Blake’s world building is stunning - far enough from our own world that it is immediately intriguing but also explained comprehensively that you are visualising the entire book. The magic system is unique and unlike anything I’ve ever read (albeit, I am not super well versed with the fantasy genre) and it’s a book that is inexplicably unique.

I am so excited for the sequel - publishers, if you’re reading this review, please do consider me for an ARC again - I am sure I would read the authors shopping lists and enjoy them.

thank you to netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review xo

I really wanted to love this - dark academia for fans of Ninth House and A Deadly Education? Perfect! Six people are selected to try for membership of the Alexandrian Society, an exclusive organisation for medeans (magic users. They are two brilliant physicists, a naturalist who studies history, an empath, a telepath and a reverse-illusionist, who sees through magic. They all have their own reasons for being there and for going through the initiation process - but one of them won't make it. As the first year goes on, more is revealed about the society and the gifts they have, and alliances are formed and broken.

It's a good idea, but it's too slow. The Multiple POV telling works well enough, you get a sense of all the characters and how their gifts affect them (although Reina is under-developed and also one of the most interesting characters). The Forum, a shadowy organises that opposes the Alexandrian Society is also under-developed. Most of the initiates seem to be older than might be standard in Dark Academia as well, Libby and Nico are recent graduates and looked down on for being young, which implies the others aren't the same age.

There's a lot to like and I think it will probably be huge, but it's not as well paced as it could be, nor is everything as well plotted. There was no sign posting towards the ending, which was deeply frustrating - it's a twist which comes out of the blue and seems to exist purely to pivot the obvious second book in a slightly different direction. I'll read the second book, but I'm not pacing up and down waiting for it.

Sorry but I can’t get On The hype train with this, I had no idea what it was before picking up my invited copy from the great team at Black Crow but I really like the blurb so wanted to give it a go.

Very quickly I realised this is not one for me, I don’t like the characters, how they talk etc, I hope the book does fantastically well but as it’s simply not for me I will DNF and score a 3 as simply unfair to score it less just because I didn’t appreciate it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this.
The Atlas Six is the much hyped debut of Olivie Blake, an indie sensation who's novel has been picked up by publishers.
This novel is slick and clever, built upon a secret society that houses the lost library of Alexandria. Six of the greatest medians in the world are selected every 10 years to spend a year in the library, when one will be eliminated and the other 5 initiated into the society. It's mainly told through the POV's of the 6 initiates: a mix of powerful, intelligent characters who are deeply suspicious of each other. As they start to bond, they begin to discover the dark secrets of the society.
Ok, the pro's. The main characters are all powerful and yet flawed, a real mix of different abilities and skills. They seem to loathe and love each other in equal measure. Seeing the novel through the various POV's highlights their insecurities and ploys.
The magic system is well built, innovative and believable.
The second half of the book is more exciting and fast paced. I did find the first part quite slow as we got to know the characters and they entered the society. Nothing really seemed to happen for a long time as we spent a lot of time in the different characters heads.
I loved the ending and will definitely continue with this series.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The concept of the plot and the characters were well thought out and had just enough detail to make you feel immersed in their world and to grasp an understanding of how all the magical elements work. I enjoyed the many pov of the characters and the way the plot was revealed though different opinions and viewpoints of the main six characters.
I felt that the pace of the book slipped a little around the middle section before picking back up in the last 10-20% where it seemed like we were going to get answers and a conclusion. Although lots of the plot was well explained I was left slightly disappointed by the openness of the ending as I felt a more complete conclusion was coming. Obviously the intention and plot line for a follow up are clear and despite my slight frustration at having to wait for the conclusion I look forward to reading this in the future.

<b><i>“Really, there was nothing more dangerous than a woman who knew her own worth.”</i></b>

I was really excited to read The Atlas Six after hearing so many good things on Instagram however although it started well it began to dwindle quickly.

Some of characters felt very 2D and unrelatable meaning that quite often they were just annoying. Their powers were pretty cool though.

The concept had so much potential I think it just lacked execution and some editing. With a bit of work this could easily have been a 4/4.5 star book.

Overall I liked the idea and the beginning and ending were pretty good but the middle felt lacking. A 3 star read - enjoyable but needs a bit of finessing.

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing me with a copy of this novel for review.

In The Atlas Six we follow Libby, Nico, Parisa, Tristan, Callum and Reina, individuals tasked with becoming the newest members of the Alexandrian society, keepers of knowledge from ancient civilizations. After a year they have the opportunity to become some of the most powerful people in the world and over the course of the year they must prove themselves worthy as six become five.

This is dark academia, very character driven and at times a bit pretentious. Surprisingly, I found the six pov's easy to follow and the story enjoyable although not what I was expecting going in to the book. I was intrigued to finally read The Atlas Six after all the hype it has recently garnered and after seeing so many reviews.

Overall I enjoyed it and look forward to see where the story goes in The Atlas Paradox.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the chance to read The Atlas Six.

I loved this book! Dark academia, magic, history, friendships, betrayal and plot twists I did not see coming! Good strong fantasy set in our modern world, looking forward to the next one.

I love flawed characters and this book is full of them. I can't decide which of the main six I like the most, but I really don't like Callum. The powers these characters have are unreal, Olivie Blake is an incredible writer, if you like magical, charater-led stories, this book is for you. I had a feeling that things may not be as they seem, but throughout this book things were turned on their head a few times, to my complete surprise. The Atlas Six is completely different to anything I've ever read before, and I'm desperate to read more about these characters and the Society.

Every decade 6 of the world's most exceptional medeians are chosen to compete for a position in the secretive Alexandrian society. A sect that guards and uses the Alexandrian Library for its members gain. This book follows the most recent initiate class through its first year.
Unfortunately The Atlas Six isn't nearly as enthralling as it's blurb. A character driven story with wholly unlikeable characters, it's too focused on naval gazing and philosophising to give us anything close to compelling character arcs. This book wants to be one giant thought experiment, but those thoughts are fairly muddied and confused, looking for the next soundbite rather than any startling or interesting revelations. Really really disappointed as this had so much promise in its premise.

A very interesting read. From the beginning there are multiple POVs which take a little getting used to but once you do, it's easy to keep up. Although the pace initially is slow it soon speeds up and the plot keeps moving forward nicely. The magic systems themselves are intriguing, especially when we get to learn about the characters individual magical abilities in more depth.

The character development is good and we get a glimpse into their histories, although I would've liked to explore them more, hopefully this could be done in any following books.

I loved the twists and the surprises but the ending felt a little flat after the big surprise was revealed. Personally I would have preferred it if the book ended on a bigger/better cliffhanger but overall I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it.

A very involved read that introduces a new perspective to the fantasy genre. A character led, suspenseful mystery that will have you questioning your opinions right to the end.

This is a very complex narrative which is perfect for discussions with friends. It took a while to piece together the important scenes within the book and to understand how they relate tot he narrative on a whole. Even by the end there were some events that were left up in the air that we will have to trust will be answered in the coming books.

The draw of this book is the magical and fantasy components but the real gems are the characters themselves. Whilst there are some you will dislike throughout there are other you will grow to love. There is a character for everyone to route for and some surprising developments that will change the way you view the individuals. There was one character that I particularly disliked but I felt that was intentional by the author to add to the narrative at large.

Pacing of the narrative differs throughout making for an engaging read especially towards the end.

What is left unsaid in this book will hopefully be be answered in the inevitable sequels which I cannot wait to read!

3.5*

I was really looking forward to this book, as there has been so much hype on Instagram and Tiktok, and the comps looked to be right down my street.

I, unfortunately, did not love it as much as I was expecting. I'm not sure what exactly didn't work for me, but I know a big problem was following all 6 POVs. The only time I have ever enjoyed more than 2 POVs was in the later Throne of Glass books, and that felt easy to adjust to because it was a gradual build-up.

I enjoyed the 'hidden library' and all of the mystery/intrigue, but the plot didn't unfold in a way that gripped me.

📚The Atlas Six📚

By Olivie Blake

🤫spoiler free review🤫

Description:

Secrets. Betrayal. Seduction.
Welcome to the Alexandrian Society.

When the world’s best magicians are offered an extraordinary opportunity, saying yes is easy. Each could join the secretive Alexandrian Society, whose custodians guard lost knowledge from ancient civilizations. Their members enjoy a lifetime of power and prestige. Yet each decade, only six practitioners are invited – to fill five places.

Following recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they travel to the Society’s London headquarters. Here, each must study and innovate within esoteric subject areas. And if they can prove themselves, over the course of a year, they’ll survive. Most of them.

📚📚📚

I’m a huge fan of Dark Academia and this book is recommended for fans of A Deadly Education and Ninth House, both of which I which I loved. I heard about this book last year, when it was self-published and generating a lot of hype. It has now been re-edited with added material I believe and is being published by @torbooks

This was an enjoyable read for me. It’s a really interesting premise, and I liked the alternating points of view of the six initiates. I did find that while some of them are well developed, others were less so, and I didn’t particularly enjoy their chapters. This is not a fast paced book, but it is intriguing, and as answers are gradually revealed, I was more and more invested. The magic system is a bit confusing and I would have liked to have seen this explored a bit more. The different specialisations are really interesting but it would be great to have a bit of the basics covered.

There are some amazing special editions of this book being released and I have my eye on at least three, but I’ll probably need to narrow it down a bit!

Thanks to @netgalley and @torbooks for the review copy of The Atlas Six. It will be re-released on the 3rd of March.