This is a book that is being hyped just about everywhere at the moment so naturally I requested this and Netgalley took pity ion me and let me read this book, I now wish they hadn’t, i will never get the time I lost back prodigiously reading this, I am sure there are many fans of this work, I most certainly am not

A massive thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this review copy!

It’s difficult to review this one without giving the plot away. It’s a story that you need to experience for yourself.

I found that the plot was mostly character focused, and within that, I found the character development to be complex and that, along with the plot, is brilliant.

My favourite was probably Libby who seemed the most relatable. Then there was Nico who was so mysterious.

This book is most certainly worth a read.

I absolutely love this book and the characters. It is confusing at times and the magic system took me a while to wrap my head around but by the end of the boon I was desperate for more. Libby, Nico and Tristan were definitely stand out characters to me and I love that the book doesn’t shy away from the morally grey aspect of the story. Cannot wait for book 2 and especially the promised corruption arc🤞😁

When it comes to overly hyped books there is always the worry that they won’t meet the expectations and I am glad to say The Atlas Six not only met them but exceeded them greatly.
The Atlas Six was an incredibly well-written Dark Academia character-focused story. Every character is equally complex, they are all so different from each other with very different motives, and none lack personality. My only wish is that we got to see even further into their backstories, but purely because I couldn’t get enough. I really appreciate the fact that some of them might seem more antagonistic, which gives them such a nice edge. You can’t help but to be drawn to all of them.
The magic system was incredibly cool. I really appreciated the fact that (nearly) every character has their own distinct power, really makes me wonder: what other powers are out there? I really hope we explore more of the magic in the sequel.
The prose in this book was stunning, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book.
I am thrilled this book is getting republished and I can’t wait for the sequel!

The Atlas Six - Olivie Blake

‘Beware the man who faces you unarmed. If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon.’

Oh how I enjoyed this book! This is one hot darkly academic fantasy novel, I found it a tense, gripping and exciting read. I found myself totally absorbed in the story of these six fabulously realised characters. Some you will love, others you’ll hate and mistrust. I loved Reina and Libby, but my trust in the others altered through the book. The idea of these people having powers that they themselves don’t fully understand is a good one as it means we go on a journey with them as they unravel what is happening.

‘We are the gods of our own universes, aren’t we? Destructive ones.’

This was a mix of Potter and Hunger Games but a lot more grown up and there’s a big dollop of A Secret History with a magical bent. Digging into the characters, we find out their motivations and intentions, no one is as they seem, you are wrong footed as a reader, tricked at points, it is unexpectedly twisting and shocking. I can totally see this being made into a film or Netflix series, it’s addictive, angsty and you will find yourself rooting for different characters throughout.

Deliciously clever, fantastical, magical, tense and exciting, a book not to be missed!

The Atlas Six is a testament to the power readers have.

I'm sure it's not the first, and it certainly won't be the last, but self-published books that become so popular that traditional publishing wants a slice of the pie is truly such an exciting thing to be told before reading a book. That's part of the hype, and how could you not want to read a book that ignored the usual routine of getting an agent and finding a publisher and receiving a luke warm response after minimal marketing. But instead, sticking your work on Amazon and letting the readers find it and adore it.

So, I read it.

Now, what I just said still stands; it's very impressive what Olivie Blake and The Atlas Six have achieved. However, I don't know if I'm too stupid to understand, or if Blake was just trying to make the story so clever that sometimes it's nowhere near understandable. I really got lost in the prose, not in a dreamy-reader way, and struggled to picture what was happening. Granted, I got the gist, but you don't really want to merely 'get the gist' of a book do you?

I did genuinely enjoy the character study, I do love a morally ambiguous character, so it's even better when it's an entire cast of them. But, I hope in the sequel Blake realises that she doesn't have to use many, many sentences to say what she wants to say.

DNF
I tried so so hard to read this book but I am at 46% and just can't continue. I feel really bored as nothing is happening and I don't feel a connection with any of the characters. The interesting part is the magic and its barely being shown. I also feel like the author is using ridiculously smart words and references for the sake of looking intelligent, it certainly doesn't add to the book.
Gutted as I was looking forward to this. Have a preorder to cancel!

Did the hype ruin this for me? Perhaps.
I was really interested in reading this after hearing so many thoughts on it, both good and bad. I've recently got into Dark Academia too so it was ticking all the right boxes. I enjoyed the beginning of this and how each character was introduced. They were all very different from each other and each had a unique voice despite there being many of them. The setting itself was really great too and I was excited about finding out more of its secrets.
Which leads me to why this let me down. I didn't discover anything. Their was very little plot, a beginning, a fight scene and then the ending were the only times when the pace changed. I love a slow burn so that wouldn't of bothered me if it wasn't for the fact that the rest of the time it was simply the characters talking! It felt like an episode of Downton Abby where they are all sat together slagging each other off and talking about interesting things but not doing those things. This lead me to just get sick of the characters and wasn't interested any more. So perhaps if I hadn't gone in knowing all the hype, I might of just given it a three star instead of a two because I was expecting a new favourite book.

A dark Academia novel that stretches both the imagination and the brain.
I have to admit to finding some of this book hard to understand. The in-depth discussions of linear time, alternate spaces and magic theory were dizzying as well as compelling. I so desperately wanted to understand what it was they were working on but I just don't think I'm that smart.
That didn't stop my enjoyment of the book though. And you know it had to be good because there wasn't a single likeable character in the lot. Libby was a bag of irritating neurosis, Nico was a selfish jerk, Parisa was a bitch, Reina didn't really come across as having a personality, Tristain was wet and Callum was a sociopath. Even Dalton and Atlas were unlikeable.
But you couldn't help but be swept away by the glamour and the mystery of it all and want to know what happens to them all, even if that meant your allegiances changing with each new revelation and partnership.
I'm fascinated by the world and the magic system and would highly recommend it to anyone.
I'd put it at the high end of YA due to drug use, sex and language.

I received an advance copy from Prcrow books and Netgalley. I voluntarily leave an honest review.

Unfortunately I’ve had to stop reading this one. I found each point of view character just kept repeating information we’d already been told by someone else. Yes, Libby finds Nico annoying, She said that, repeatedly, for pages and pages, in her point of view section. She also has anxiety and flicks her hair too much or asks too many questions - Nico mentions it, Callum mentions it, Tristan mentions it, Reina mentions it… argh! I got it, No need to keep shoving it down my throat. It’s a shame as the premise is intriguing but I can’t bear to keep reading the same information over and over again.

I apologise my ebook won't open pdf files. If you have an epub version or a mobi version, feel free to email it to me at - justbringbooks@gmail.com

I would love to review this title.

Many thanks,

Jess

‘The Atlas Six’ is a character study of six magicians – or medeians – each competing for a place in a highly secretive and prestigious society. Its a slow and atmospheric read, far more about people than plot – and whilst some might find it tedious and meandering, for those who enjoy psychology, philosophy, and introspective novels such as ‘The Secret History’ or ‘If We Were Villains‘, this is a highly recommended read.

The Alexandrian Society guards the lost knowledge of civilizations, its members consisting of the best magicians in the world. Each decade, six initiates are chosen, each with their own unique magical strength – of which five will be granted membership. The six chosen few must live and study together for a year, where they will have access to untold knowledge – and can either collaborate or compete as they see fit. At the end, they must decide who will be eliminated. As the six players dive into magic no-one has attempted before, advancing the field of human knowledge to untold heights, that shadow always looms over their head – after the year is up, one of them will be gone.

Olivie Blake’s worldbuilding is simple, merely adding magic to the current world with a few twists – but the atmosphere she creates with it is astounding. There are secrets upon secrets, and with illusory magic and magicians who can change how you think and feel, its never clear to either the characters or the reader exactly what’s real or who to trust.

Its the characters, though, which make the novel. They’re all delightfully morally grey – even the ones who seem pure and innocent becoming less so by the end, and those who seem heartless and scheming suggesting they might just have good intentions buried deep. Each brings something different, and its difficult to know who to root for – or against.

The relationships between the characters are complex and ever-changing, none of them fully able to trust the others. Nico and Libby orbit around each other like binary stars – neither really able to live without the other, but neither fully accepting that fact. Reina stands alone, separating herself from the crowd – despite the fact that her powers can never be fully realised in isolation. Parisa can seduce anyone, but while everyone’s secrets are visible to her she keeps her own close. Callum, capable of persuading anyone to do or be anything, is mistrusted by all – except Tristan, whose power is so niche and so difficult to understand he has difficulty believing he should be a part of it. Tristan oscillates between Callum and Parisa like a metronome, clinging to those who can know him because he barely knows himself.

This is the first in an intended series, with a twist at the end that sets up plenty of intriguing directions for a sequel. I’ll be very interested to see how the author continues it – the plot is very much secondary to character and character dynamics here, and striking the balance with characters who already know each other will be exceptionally challenging. By their nature, intimate character studies often work better as standalones, but given the strength of this I’m highly hopeful that Olivie Blake will pull it off.

Overall, ‘The Atlas Six’ is a musing, meandering tale of power, humanity, and the complexities of human psychology against a backdrop of magic and the excusivity of academia. It won’t appeal to everyone, but for those who enjoy morally grey character studies this is a highly recommended read