Recent Reads: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

Series: The Atlas #1
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication Date:  January 31, 2020

 

Format: Paperback
Source: Bought

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world’s six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation – and here are the chosen few...

- Libby Rhodes and Nicolás Ferrer de Varona: inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds.

- Reina Mori: a naturalist who can speak the language of life itself.

- Parisa Kamali: a mind reader whose powers of seduction are unmatched.

- Tristan Caine: the son of a crime kingpin who can see the secrets of the universe.

- Callum Nova: an insanely rich pretty boy who could bring about the end of the world. He need only ask.

When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society’s archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

Review: 

What the heck was that?! I feel like I have whiplash ending this book... so I immediately grabbed book 2 which was NOT in the reading plan for the month, but oh well.

This is a dark academia following six very talented magicians. They are tapped by the Alexandrian Society to be this year’s initiate class. For the first year they will be learning about the Society and protecting it and then in year two they will be able to use it to conduct their own research. The Alexandrian Society is the mythical library of Alexandria housing all knowledge, ancient 'lost' texts and originals and only a select few are able to access it. 

The six this year are Libby and Nico, who are physical magicians, A naturalist named Reina, a mind-reader named Parisa, an empath - Callum, and Tristan is a very special illusionist of sorts that can see through illusions and do much greater things than he realizes. What they don't realize is that in order to get into year 2 only 5 out of the 6 progress and one must die for the rest to proceed... secret society secrets must stay hidden...

This book was dense. There was a lot of inner turmoil from the characters and it kinda of focuses on mental health in a lot of ways which was interesting. The plot was VERY character driven so if you don't like these characters, you probably won't stick with it. That being said, I think there is a love/hate relationship that develops with all the characters as you read. They do some really cool things and progress nicely and then they take steps back that make you want to scream. (thus, some of the whiplash feeling). 

I full expected to learn more about the Society and Atlas Blakely but since it was so character driven, you are so far into their thought, feelings, and actions that there isn't much time for that world build, and I would have liked more of it... but I still enjoyed it. 

I wanted to know what would happen to the characters, I was invested and so the 2nd book was needed... and now the 3rd too but that review will be coming soon.

Overall, if you like a multiple POV book, with very damaged but interesting magicians, this book is for you. If you are not a fan of character-driven plots... then maybe not so much.