It's truly marvellous how a book so short can pack quite so much within it. Truly a stunner, and it felt written just for me.

I really dig this.

This is my first proper read at Veronica Roth since the Divergent books and I'm so glad to see experience how original this book was. The atmosphere on display in this little book is so delicious. I loved diving right in to this world and its little complexities, and I appreciate that Roth knows that just because this is a fantasy book, she doesn't need to over-explain or overstay her welcome. I've seen criticism of this book's length and subsequent pacing but honestly none of it bothered me at all. I feel that if this narrative was significantly longer I might have actually been brought out of the magic.

I do think that some of the characters and their relationships were slightly underdeveloped, but the concepts of them alone are so strong that I really just want MORE of them.

A very strong little standalone - though I wouldn't complain about a sequel!

3.5 stars

Monsters are real and there are people that fight them.
Dymitr is one such person, and one night he finds himself making a deal with Ala, a monster Dymitr would usually kill.
Dymitr offers Ala a cure to the curse that has haunted her family for years, in exchange for her help in finding the location of Baba Jaga, the legendary witch.
With a time limit on the cure, can Dymitr and Ala work together?

The Polish folklore in this book really intrigued me, as did the cover, so I was looking forward to reading it.
Dymitr and Ala were both likeable and relatable protagonists. I also liked Nico a lot. It was enjoyable to read the interactions between the trio.
The setting of a Chicago with what the Holy Order perceived as 'monsters' was interesting, and I really liked the fantastical element. I would have liked to find out more about the Order and the different 'monsters'.
I really liked that Polish was used in this book, and it made me interested in finding out more about the folklore.
The plot was interesting and immediately grabbed my attention, making me invested in the characters. The book is only short, and it was fast to read, but I would have liked it to have been longer.
I would happily read a sequel or a book set in the same world.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

I don’t know what I expected from When Among Crows, but it definitely wasn’t this. Veronica Roth, known for her dystopian Divergent series and the urban fantasy Chosen Ones, delivers something entirely unique with this novella. It's a fast-paced, gripping story steeped in rich, atmospheric folklore, with an emphasis on Polish myths and legends that felt fresh and exciting. I loved how Roth chose to explore lesser-known elements of Eastern European folklore, which gave the story a distinctive flavor as opposed to the more mainstream mythological references we're used to seeing in fantasy.
The writing is sharp, and I was consistently hooked on the main character's journey, uncovering secrets at every turn. The story is masterfully layered—there’s a particular mystery surrounding one character’s identity that had me suspicious, but I just kept circling back to the first chapter, knowing there was more than met the eye. Roth keeps you guessing right until the end.
While When Among Crows is wildly different from Roth’s previous works, the shift to fantasy and myth worked brilliantly. It’s a shame this is just a novella, because the world and characters left me wanting more. I can only hope that she continues to explore this genre in future, especially in longer formats. It's a tantalizing glimpse of what she can achieve with folklore and fantasy, and I’d love to see her dive deeper into it.

I really enjoy Roth's writing and her books after Divergent are allowing me to forgive her for how that series ended lol.

When Among Crows is a Slavic novella that packs a lot into less than 200 pages. This idea that this old cinema functions only due to Polish mythical creatures who feast on human fears a la Monsters Inc. was a really fun concept. Bringing her writing style into it and you get this fun, exciting, eerie atmosphere that makes me want to join in and hide at the same time. Of course there is always more to the story and Dimytr is a great character. Would definitely recommend!

I’m sorry for the delay In posting my review for this one. I read it back in June but didn’t realise i hadn’t posted the review!

I’ve enjoyed so many books from Veronica Roth and this fantasy novella did not disappoint.
This novella was a beautifully written Slavic folklore tale which follows a monster hunter, Dymitir who is from a long line of hunters.
Set on a task to find Baba Jaga along with Ala, they soon find themselves on a journey where they have to work together to find the witch. I loved seeing how the dynamic between Dymitr, Nico and Ala worked so well. I enjoyed all the little twists and turns.
I was actually surprised at how much fit into novella of this size.
The world building was fantastic and it truly felt like this book was pulling me in.
The characters are really well written and had a good depth to them. I enjoyed that there were multiple POVs and that each character had their own secrets.
This novella is actually pretty short and it left me wanting more! I was able to read it in an evening.

Thank you to the Publisher, Author and Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A tale of atonement, folklore and forgiveness.

Honestly I absolutely loved the world Roth has created here, the folklore was beautifully intertwined with the modern world.

I lived the characters and there interactions, they felt very natural and real.

My only wish was that it was longer!

Wishing that this one was a full length novel! There was so much that could have been explored even deeper and it made me sort of resent that the book is so short. Very unexpected but pleasant offering from the author Veronica Roth.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Titan and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

This was so good! I wish it was a full blown novel.

The premise was really interesting, something different than other books right now. In a short text I felt like the characters were compelling and the world and mythology well explained.

Read When Among Crows if you love:
🗡 Urban fantasy
🗡 Slavic folklore
🗡 Political narratives
🗡 Multiple POVs
🗡 Books under 200 pages
This kept me intrigued enough to continue reading but sadly wasn't as good as I'd hoped.

Veronica Roth returns to what she does best with this Polish folklore inspired novella - completely mesmerising!!

This is a fantasy novella.

Our male main character is a monster hunter who is tasked with hunting down Baba Yaga. To do that he makes a deal with one of the monsters, our female main character, to break a curse she's under in exchange for her helping him track the witch down.

She doesn't know what he is or why he's doing this but can they succeed in the very tight deadline they have.

This was pretty good, and I feel like the novella length worked really well for this, particularly as it takes place over such a short time period. You get enough details on the characters to feel invested, with the slow trickle as things are revealed. And it does leave you wanting more in this world which is a pretty good mark of success I feel.

4 stars

Thanks to Titan Books and Netgalley for the advance reader copy for an honest review.

When Among Crows follows Dymitr who's family is one in a long line of hunters. He is tasked with the deadly mission to find Baba Jaga and to find her he has to ally with those he is sworn to kill. Enter Ala a fear eating Zmora who carries a curse in her families lineage. She has little left to lose and when she is offered the cure from Dymitr she takes up the offer to find Baba Jaga.

Together they make their way through the underworld to find her location but Dymitrs secrets and true intentions start to get in the way.

Overall a short interesting read. However depesite only being 100 odd pages I struggled to get into the story initially.

I was however a fan of the twist at the end of the story.

The character building was good for the length of the book however I think overall the title wasn't completely for me.

When Among Crows, is a short, fast paced novella set in Chicago. There are two worlds; one that contains creatures from Slavic (Polish) folklore and the human world, who are feasted upon by these creatures. A dystopian world where creatures and humans cohabitate and often collide.

The FMC, Ala is a creature and the MMC, Dymitr is human - they come together in the underworld of Chicago to find a powerful witch, who is needed for a trade.

The characters in this book are all fantastic and I really liked each of them; Roth writes a little overview of each character and how they ‘became’. Ala, is super fiery and kick ass. A zmora, who has a curse upon her, the same curse that her dead mother carried. Dymitr is a little more complex and we learn more about him; I especially loved the flash backs to his younger days with his Grandmother, who teaches him everything about the creatures and how to spot them.

For a book of 170 pages, it’s very well written and a compelling page turner - a dystopian fantasy with hints of horror (there is a fair amount of blood!) I never expected to love this book so much - a contender for my favourites list of 2024.

Thank you for the review copy!

Firstly, I think this was beautifully written, and the vibes were immaculate, so that alone means this will be getting a decent rating.

Due to this being a novella, I found it difficult to really get attached to the characters in such a short timeframe - especially as it was split into three POVs. I liked what bits we did see, though.

The story is great, but similarly I think it could have done with a bit more time - I liked the direction the ending went in, and I wish we were able to see how the characters felt about it a little bit more.

I do have to admit that I don't know a lot about Slavic folklore, so a lot of things regarding that went over my head a bit. Definitely a me problem, though! I can see people that know more really digging this.

I did enjoy this a lot overall and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a short read!

When Among Crows is a captivating urban fantasy novella steeped in Polish folklore. It’s fast-paced, full of action, magic and vivid characters. The world-building seemed detailed for such a short story, and the characters were complex. It was interesting to see a world inhabited by lesser-known creatures instead of the typical vampires and werewolves. I would love to read more about Roth’s multicultural Chicago. Also, being Polish, I found it weird and wonderful to read, as there are many cultural references, including Christmas carols.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for providing the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think i got confused somewhere around the vampire boxing match and then a banshee started singing, I'm so sorry

When Among Crows is the newest release from Divergent author Veronica Roth and boy does this novella pack a punch! At just under two hundred pages, I completely devoured this book because it was so captivating.

The story follows our two main characters Ala and Dymitr as they embark on a quest to find Baba Jaga. Ala is suffering from a blood curse and Dymitr offers her the chance of a cure in exchange for help finding the legendary witch. Will the two find what they're looking for and at what cost?

This is my first time reading a Veronica Roth book since the Divergent series and I absolutely loved it. Roth has created such a fascinating world and I loved the way she mixed in Slavic folklore in a modern Chicago setting. The characters were well crafted and I really enjoyed seeing the relationships between Ala, Dymitr and Niko develop as the story progresses. When Among Crows is a beautifully written story and one that kept me hooked till the very final page. I highly recommend this one and can't wait to see what Veronica Roth does next!

I jumped into When Among Crows head first, not knowing what to expect. I had read the synopsis, but it’s one of those that only truly—and purposefully—makes sense once you are a third of the way through. And it works for this book.

There is something deeply special about reading a book so ingrained into Polish folklore. No matter how gruesome the story was at times, it felt comforting.

Dymitr is such a peculiar character, because although you might not understand him right from the beginning, you cannot help but root for him and find admiration in his harsh softness.

This is one of those novellas I hope turn into a series, à la Murderbot, because I simply want more. We got a glimpse of this world, of its magic, but I now want to spend more time with Dymitr, Ala and Niko. There’s so much left unsaid and undiscovered.

Short Novella that deals with interesting characters in a pretty unique fantasy setting. Very enjoyable.