The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake Review

Title: The Atlas Six

Series: The Atlas, #1

Author: Olivie Blake

Genre: Adult Fantasy / Dark Academia

Publisher: Tor Books

Pages: 384

Release Date: 3 March 2022

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Hello fellow booklovers,

today I’m sharing my review of a book that probably needs no introduction (given all hype it’s recieved over the past year.) So, when I heard The Atlas Six was being traditionally published here in the UK I jumped at the chance to read it.

And I have to admit, despite all the hype, this deliciously cerebral,dark academia was actually really good.

Synopsis

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake is the runaway TikTok must-read fantasy novel of the year. If you loved Ninth House and A Deadly Education, you’ll love this.

Originally a self-published sensation, this edition has been fully edited and revised, including gorgeous new illustrations.

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.

Contenders Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona are inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds. Parisa Kamali is a telepath, who sees the mind’s deepest secrets. Reina Mori is a naturalist who can perceive and understand the flow of life itself. And Callum Nova is an empath, who can manipulate the desires of others. Finally there’s Tristan Caine, whose powers mystify even himself.

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

Review

It’s a wonderfully complex and character driven story that I really enjoyed. The cast of morally grey characters were utterly addictive to behold. I couldn’t help but bask in the personalities,insecurities and backstories that Olivie Blake has expertly crafted—honestly the Machiavelli-level schemes and alliances were an emotional rollercoaster I’m glad to have experienced. Though I do warn there’s a lot of academically and Science based jargon that may get a bit confusing if you don’t concentrate.

I have to admit one of my fave characters was Libby, the perpetual worrier, people pleaser and least morally grey of the bunch that I gravitated to almost instantly, though I really liked Nico and Tristan as well.

Parisa did grow on me despite finding her rather unlikeable at first, however she’s definitely one of the best developed, morally grey characters I’ve ever encountered and I honestly her motives we’re quite difficult to decipher most of the time and I absolutely loved it, I’m intrigued to see what she’ll do next.

I loved the magic system which was utterly fascinating and really quite creative—I loved how different each character’s abilities were and how cohesively they were able to combine them, I’m guessing this will be explored more in book 2 and I cannot wait to see how it will manifest.

Overall, this was an incredibly entertaining, insatiably complex and plot twisty fantasy that I definitely recommend to dark academia lovers. The pace can be a little slow at times but, the insatiable drama that unfolds is more than worth it.

Also, a massive thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the e-arc.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

About The Author

Alexene Farol Follmuth, also known under the pen name Olivie Blake, is a lover and writer of stories, many of which involve the fantastic, the paranormal, or the supernatural, but not always. More often, her works revolve around the collective experience, what it means to be human (or not), and the endlessly interesting complexities of life and love.

Alexene tripped and fell into writing after abandoning her long-premeditated track for Optimum Life Achievement while attending law school, and now focuses primarily on the craft and occasional headache of creating fiction.

As Olivie, she has been published as the featured fiction contributor for Witch Way Magazine, as well as the writer for the graphic series Clara and the Devil and a variety of other books.

The revised hardcover edition of her cult favorite The Atlas Six is out now from Tor Books, to be followed by the sequel in October. As Alexene, her debut YA novel, My Mechanical Romance, is coming May 2022 from Holiday House.

Alexene lives and works in Los Angeles with her husband and new baby, where she is generally tolerated by her rescue pit bull.

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