This was just not for me. Normally I love fantasy. And I also normally like multi POV books, but this one felt so choppy and difficult to get into. I felt like I had a hard time keeping up with the characters besides Nico and Libby. The others just sort of blended together.

I really wanted to love it, but it just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.

I really loved the premise of this book. The cover and synopsis drew me in, but unfortunately this book just wasn't for me.

Six young magicians are about to be initiated into the Alexandrian Society, which contains all of the magical knowledge since the beginning of time. Libby and Nico are academic rivals and they decide to enter the initiation together. Only six magicians will be chosen and will be considered the best in the entire world.

My biggest issue with the story is that the pacing is extremely slow. Everything is so well researched and the interactions are so complex that some chapters are really dense and I found myself skimming a lot. There are long passages discussing abstract ideas and the language is unnecessarily pretentious.

I felt like the magical system was inconsistent and the characters unlikeable. While graphic, the sexy scenes still managed to be boring. I'm also curious if anyone else though Parisa's mind manipulation during sex could be considered assault? Not sure if I'm looking at that too closely but something about it didn't sit right with me.

Overall, while I loved the dark academia vibe and the book's compelling storyline, I still found this book to be lacking. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Tor Books and the author for the advanced copy to read and review.

A dark academia that is driven by character growth and relationships.

There were so many main characters to track that when you toss in all the side characters it became a lot to keep straight. Each character is developed very well and we are given a lot of their history in a more informational dump way rather than being shown.

The development of the concepts were weak and never fully expanded on this. I am guessing this is due to there being more books in the series.

It's slower paced and with a lot of information. There was an action scene that was probably my favorite part in the book. The rest is a power struggle between characters as they ally, fall apart and re-ally with good banter and confrontation.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Tor/Forge, NetGalley and Olivie Blake for the earc.

I liked this book. Didn’t love it though. I liked that the characters were not just 2 dimensional and they had depth. I also thought the magic system was very unique and interesting, but it moved so slow. I needed it to pick up the pace by a couple of notches. I will be picking up the next one because I did become invested in the story.

I really wanted to love this one but unfortunately it wasn't for me.

The first few chapters where we got to meet all the characters had me intrigued but from there the pacing slowed and I struggled to want to pick this one up.

A wonderfully written magical dark academia vibes novel — this book here worth every hype it gets! Definitely deserves to be on your shelves!
One of the best stories I have read within the Dark Academia genre! Have I mentioned it has morally gray and fraudulent characters who are effin hot?!
The cast of these characters are lovable with their mistakes, relatable to the core. The world building is phenomenal and gives you much to think about.
Best to start reading knowing as little as possible!

Cannot wait for the sequel !

I had mixed thoughts about this book. On the one hand, I liked the mix of characters. The author spends time on each of them, giving a lot of exposition. I found this was a strong point of the book. On the other hand, the plot itself is weaker, and I found myself wanting more action to happen. I hope in the follow up there's more of an emphasis on this.

Also, as a scientist I often feel there are only two options in fiction: be super-serious about the science, or don't even mention it. I found the use of physics here kind of odd.

Six of the most powerful magic users in the world are battling to become the newest members of the Alexandrian Society. The six participants immediately dislike each other and begin a series of tension building interactions. The magicians each have secrets, and will do almost anything to keep them safely secret. However, the rules they are given state that only five will gain admission to the powerful Alexandrian Society at the end of a one year internship and trial period. To be one of the five admitted, they must each find a partner, prove themselves worthy, and, ultimately, prove more valuable than at least 1 of their fellow candidates. The candidates are impressive in ability and power. Nico and Libby, both the youngest magicians in the group, have a powerful hold over the laws of physics. Reina, a naturalist, has the ability to speak into life itself, while seductive Parisa is a telepath who can seduce anyone by knowing their innermost desires. Callum, a manipulative empath makes most of the group uncomfortable. And, finally, Tristan rounds out the group. His ability is so rare that most cannot comprehend how powerful it can be. Tristan has the ability is to see through illusions.

Soon the six realize that not only do they dislike each other intently, they are also fighting for their lives. Will they be able to form any sort of camaraderie or cohesion? Would they rather die? Soon it becomes clear that the secrets are only hiding more secrets. The six participants must find out why they have actually been brought together, and who is the true enemy.

The Atlas Six is a slow burn of a novel. It begins with an exciting introduction of each character, but then begins to slog through the world building. If you can keep yourself focused long enough to arrive back at the plot, you will be rewarded because the characters' growth and the revealed secrets are well worth the read. By the end, you will be eagerly awaiting book 2.

A free copy of the book was provided by Netgalley.

Listening to this audiobook was the first time I've read a book for pure entertainment and enjoyment and not out of obligation in MONTHS. This was such a fun book to read--I loved getting to know all of the characters and thought they were fantastically written. I read this version next to the self-published version at times and the difference really is notable; this book is much better with the edits.

I'm SO excited for the next book in this series to come out, and I will be promoting this book on my Tik Tok!

Generous 3 stars - This was a frustrating book to read.

Ever had an itch on your back that you can't scratch? That's how reading this book feels like.

This was such a great read. The world building and use of magic was very original, which is hard to find these days.

It was slightly confusing how the character's thoughts would go off in tangents. And the time to pass while they were thinking was unlikely. Sometimes, it would move so quick it gave me whiplash. A character would be recounting something that happened, then say "I slept great that night". Immediately jump into a scene with them together in a lesson.

The characters were all so different and brilliantly shaped. I still have so many questions about each of them and I look forward to seeing how they continue to grow in the next book. The ending was really surprising to me! I almost always guess plot twists, but this one was out of left field. Looking back, there was one chapter called "interlude" or something like that, it should have just been cut. At the time it was really weird, but I realized at the end what it was.

I loved this book!!

It was so intriguing, steamy, and (sometimes confusingly) magical. The characters were all so different in their own way. I loved the diversity in backgrounds, sexualities, and talents.

Sometimes I found it a bit difficult to understand as English isn’t my native language and Olivie Blake tends to use fairly big and fancy words. However, the sophisticated language added to the dark academia vibe of it all.

I can’t wait to read the sequel!

This is arguably one of the most hyped books in recent memory, and after reading it... I get why. This book was fantastic, and you should read it. Compelling characters, brilliant worldbuilding, and such a cool magic system - I'm here for dark academia, but the complexity around the characters make it.... just... go read it. Just go.

Thanks to the authors, publisher and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read this ARC

Academic rivals are a trope that I typically take only minor interest in. School was more often a collaborative than competitive affair for me, so it clashes with my experience, leaving me baffled at who has the energy for it. This book had me convinced within the first chapter. YES Libby, Nico is clearly the worst. Continue with your banter. Shoot to emotionally maim. Not only was I convinced, but I was having a great time.

In fact, all six POVs quickly brought me under their thrall by eliciting strong reactions with their voices. I could give an itemized summary of how I feel about any of them and why because each character is so carefully formed and fills a specific role in the group. The sometimes vicious competition among them adds another layer, as I came to support certain alliances while wishing other liaisons a swift death for the threat they posed to themselves or others through their choices. I found myself irrevocably interested in all the characters' sharp edges, their darkest thoughts, their jangling worries at odds with their lofty ambitions. I admired the unexpected pathways the characters followed, the twisty growth to their relationships, and the queer (pan representation at minimum--most of the characters seem fairly fluid in terms of sexuality) and BIPOC representation (Black, Japanese, Persian, and Cuban protagonists).

I did get stuck on a couple points. For one, my initial investment in the characters was a bit frayed by the end. This was partially due to choices made in the quest for power and partially related to the way the cast would fixate on each other's perceived weaknesses, amplifying them for the reader. A related concern is that I'm not sure there was a single relationship I wouldn't ultimately categorize as toxic and/or unbalanced. It's not glorified, which I appreciate, but I personally need at least one strong, supportive bond to hold onto in a story. It's what keeps me motivated and excited to come along for the darker bits.

In terms of world-building, the magic system isn't necessarily revolutionary, but the periods of academic contemplation regarding different abilities and talents left me in the dust as a matter of both mental fortitude and attention span. I may be a science teacher, but honestly, ew physics.

I liked that the story seems to be winding up for some intriguing commentary on power and institutions, on knowledge and ambition. Already, there were some fun asides and acute observations that I highlighted as fuel for my dark, cynical worldview that Tristan would surely appreciate. Dark academia fans will especially find a lot in these pages to live up to the hype.

Going into this novel, I really didn't know what this was about except that it was advertised as Dark Academia. This was much more thought provoking than I expected. This was not action packed, but it was intriguing and help my attention in a deeper way. I was constantly questioning motives and loved that I went into the story blind because I couldn't guess where it would end. And the characters were amazing; deeply flawed with their own voice and wants/needs. I really enjoyed this and will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel.

Amazing, amazing characters. The complexity of them is just great writing. The plot though was tough and lacked significantly. I will still read the second novel though because I truly fell in love with the world and the people in it. Hoping to see some better editing since it will have gone through a more traditional publisher.

Overall premise is great. All the relationships and attraction actually took away from it for me. Full review on Goodreads.

Ok, so I've seen so many mixed opinions, and I can't see why- I loved #TheAtlasSix by @olivieblake (thank you @NetGalley too!)

It mostly evoked The Secret History and The Magicians to me, as an aesthetic and atmosphere. Beyond that, the magic and the plot feel original and complex, the characters are distinct and I got to love or hate each one by the end...and the plot twist I didn't see coming! All in all, I highly recommend it, can't wait for book 2, and I'm definitely in the "loved it" team!

I’m absolutely obsessed with this book! As someone who isn’t super into fantasy, this book does everything you could wish for. All the characters are complex in the best way and keep you engaged through the whole story. This has got to be a new favorite for me!

Take a secret society that is the heir to the Great Library of Alexandria, six young magicians, who are the best of the best, and a building that is very English and that is to be the home of the young magicians until the initiation, when one of them has to be murdered by the others.

Dark academia YA fantasy, unlikable characters that hardly ever interact with each other, lots of telling instead of showing, stilted dialogue, a big twist that just isn't. And this is the revised edition?! I do not want to know what the first - unrevised - edition looked like.

This book will have its following. It's been hyped on TikTok and has a wonderful cover. It just wasn't for me.