This was such a fun story!

I haven't read anything by Roth since the Divergent series, but this really impressed me. The characters were really delightful, and I loved the world that she built here. I would LOVE a full length novel (or two) set in this world. It's a concept that I have seen before, mythological creatures hiding in plain sight amongst modern society, but this was done in a really unique way. I loved the ride that she took me on, and I very much enjoyed every second. In a novella, there's not a lot of room for extras, but Roth somehow manages to make this world feel lush, these characters fully realized, and this story intriguing. Very well done!

I waited a little to write this review, and none of my opinions have shifted. This novella is brilliant. Inspired by Slavic folklore, Roth launches you into an alternate Chicago full of magic, witches, monsters, and adventure. This story is for the Zuko lovers, a story of redemption and atonement. Beyond heartwarming. The attachment I have to each of our main characters is unnatural, especially given the length of time we spend with them. Every sentence, every word, carefully crafted by Roth. I hope to see more from this world, and left completely satisfied.

Veronica Roth has such a fantastic economy of language. It can be descriptive, interesting, even occasionally whimsical but it never feels like a waste. CROWS is a novella, so from beginning to end it is rather short; we know one of the big reveals from the beginning (or at least, it’s not necessarily supposed to be a surprise for us when it comes out) and that saves us all from the need to obfuscate it. Instead, we focus on our trio, on building trust and seeing magic for what it is.

And the ending truly is that. Magic.

Though there’s one part where an entire scene is repeated verbatim from two perspectives in a row, which was weird - it would have been different if we got a little bit of an internal monologue/reaction from the two different observers, but honestly this did not hinder my experience enough to be much of a concern. I just found it a strange choice.

Interesting story and the blend of fantasy with Polish folklore. This is a well developed and detailed short read. Recommended for readers who enjoy Leigh Bardugo.

Thank you @torbooks #partner for the gifted eARC!

“Step into a city where monsters feast on human emotions, knights split their souls to make their weapons, and witches always take more than they give.”

This was a fun action packed novella set in none other than the place I live, Chicago! I loved the world building and friendships made! Friendships seem to be so much meaningful when they are made in an unlikely and unexpected fashion! I’ve read Divergent by this author and LOVED it so was excited to have the chance to read this one as well. As in Divergent, Veronica writes with such rich and vivid descriptions it’s easy to be drawn into her world in what ultimately was an atmospheric read for me! I am certainly looking forward to what she writes next!

WHEN AMONG CROWS is a dark urban fantasy by Veronica Roth. It's quite a departure from the DIVERGENT series and has a lot of fun and fantastical Slavic lore. I'm Slavic, so I was so DOWN! That said, I must admit...it took me a MOMENT (or four), to get into the story...and by the time it ended, I wasn't really emotionally invested in the characters, or the plot. I do think this makes an excellent blueprint for a full length fantasy because I think it could've benefited greatly in terms of the characters and the world building elements. The story did have a great atmosphere, it just felt a bit convoluted and the prose didn't flow as well as I would've liked it to. Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Drawing from Slavic folklore, the concept of power residing within a freely given name is explored. This power can be wielded for malevolent purposes, allowing individuals to curse others through their own names.

Ala's life is marked by an inherited burden of pain, while Dymitr's calling is intrinsically linked to pain. United, they embark on a mission to break Ala's curse and put an end to her haunting visions. However, Dymitr's existence is shrouded in secrecy, concealing a hidden identity.

A proverb encapsulates the essence of their journey: "When surrounded by crows, one must adapt and mimic their cawing."

Thank you @netgalley and @tor/forge for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Did I read this just because I loved Divergent when I read it years ago? Yes. Did I end up enjoying this? Also, yes! This is a novella, so it’s shorter, but I found that refreshing in a world of really long fantasy books. I enjoyed the urban setting in present day Chicago, but with folklore that made it still magical and timeless. I would recommend this book!

A gorgeously vivid novella set in a Chicago divided between humans and creatures from Polish folklore, When Among Crows follows Dymitr as he seeks to break a curse and seek absolution for his past. Along the way, he meets a zmora named Ala and a strzygon named Niko, forming unlikely bonds that test his commitment to his ultimate goal.

This novella is short but packs an incredible punch. I was immersed in the world right from the beginning, and Roth's writing style is captivating, at once sparse and gorgeous. I very much enjoyed the story and the ways in which Roth utilized creatures from Polish legend, but the true draw for me was how richly developed her characters were. They all had a sense of history to them, and the way they come together is ultimately beautiful. I hope that Roth returns to this world again, because I'm ravenous for more, especially with the pitch-perfect ending of this novella--it's ripe for a follow-up that examines the characters living in the aftermath.

One of the best novellas I've read in years, hands down--I know that I'll be returning to this one time and time again.

This urban fantasy novella is set in modern-day Chicago, but is infused with Polish folklore and paranormal elements.

There are three types of creatures haunting the streets of Chicago - the zmora, the strzyga, and the llorona (or banshee) - that feed off of fear and provoke sorrow in people. (You can read more about the role these creatures play in Polish mythology on this website. https://discovercracow.com/top-20-most-scary-polish-folklore-creatures/ ) The Holy Order is an organization that hunts them down in order to kill them. Membership in the Holy Order requires tremendous courage and sacrifice.

We first meet a member of the Holy Order named Dymitr, who wants to escape from the horrifying requirements of life in the organization. In addition to members facing the monsters, the Holy Order splits their souls to make their swords; they have to wrench them from a sheath of vertebrae every time they fight. It is not a desirable life, and Dymitr believes he can free himself of it by finding the witch Baba Jaga.

Ala, a young zmora who is also unhappy with her life, agrees to help Dymitr if he in turn helps her break her own curse. To do so she needs to obtain the magical fern flower, which blooms only once a year for 36 hours.

Perceptions and misperceptions characterize both sides of the eternal war in this book. The nonhumans are powerful, and yet regard the Holy Order as “the bogeyman of the bogeymen.” In the same way, Dymitr reflects, members of the Holy Order are taught to fear and loathe Baba Jaga and the monsters.

Throughout the story, contemporary references and paranormal elements are interwoven to add an interesting appeal to the story. Of course there will be romance, and, like Beauty and the Beast, there will be commentary on the nature of monstrosity and how it varies by those who perceive and preconceive of it.

Evaluation: Roth is an excellent writer and knows how to appeal to young adult audiences, or indeed any reader who appreciates complicated romance. The book will also appeal to fans of stories that draw on Slavic folklore to enhance the dynamic between fate and free will.

Really enjoyed this one, and a fun departure for Veronica Roth! I loved the mix of Polish mythology with modern day Chicago. This wold felt a lot bigger, so my only note is that I wish this had been longer!

I started this novella a little confused through the first 2 chapters, but by the end of the book I wanted more! This could be a whole series and I would read it all. Once I finished, I ended up going back to the beginning to reread chapters 1 and 2 and it made so much more sense.

We follow Dymitr on his quest to find Baba Jaga to ask a favor, and on the way we meet different monsters/creatures who look as humans, but have different powers and feed on emotions.

Dymitr develops an unlikely friendship with a Zmora named Ala, and a Strzyga named Niko.

The story definitely picked up for me after the trio get together and start their adventure to find Baba Jaga. There is no indication that there will be a series, but I hope so because I love the friendship that grew out of this trip!

I may have just not realized what Dymitr was at the beginning of the book, but the revelation of Dymitrs identity to his friends isn’t discovered until 75% through the book, but it’s in the synopsis on Goodreads so that was very weird to have such a big discovery, only to have already known it.

This was such a short read I found myself wanting more because I loved the story! But at the same time, it’s nice to have a novella that’s quick and to the point.

When Among Crows is a dark urban fantasy. I liked the concept of the story but the pacing felt too fast and there were times I had to reference back pages, the story just didn’t flow well. While I was unable to get emotionally connected to the characters, I liked the idea of the characters the author was attempting to develop. I know this is meant to be a shorter story but with more world building and character development, this story would have been much better.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a short story that takes place in an alternate Chicago where species like vampires, wraiths, and banshees reside. This story is told from 3 different POVs all working together to find Baba Yaga.

I loved each of the main characters - I felt like they were fleshed out enough for a short story and built fairly strong connections over such a short time. There were a couple of great action/fight scenes that gave us insight into each of these characters. There is also a romantic subplot which I would have enjoyed more of.

My only real complaint is that I wished it was longer - I would love to see more with these characters, especially after the ending and where it leaves everyone. Hopefully there will be a When Among Crows Again or something along those lines so we can see more of these characters

I unfortunately had to dnf this :( I wanted to get into this i just struggled trying to connect to the characters.

I feel like I say this every time I review a Veronica Roth book, but I’m continuously surprised by the trajectory I’ve taken with regards to reading her books. I was not a fan of “Divergent,” to the point that I didn’t even finish the trilogy. And then I completely skipped her next few books before picking up “Chosen Ones” and finding that I absolutely loved it! Since then, I’ve read several books by her and really enjoyed them all! So now, here we are: an author who originally wrote a trilogy I couldn’t even finish is now a “must read” writer for me, someone whose new books are immediately prioritized on my TBR list. Strange how these things work!

Beyond the fact that I enjoy Roth as a writer now, this novella would always appeal to me. I enjoy this sort of urban fantasy that pulls together lesser known fantasy beings and re-figures them into a current environment. On top of that, Baba Yaga is always a winning factor! And all of this lived up perfectly to my expectations! What added to the already interesting fantasy beings was the way their societies and abilities were woven into the setting of Chicago. This was one of those books where a sense of place was visceral and really added to the overall experience. I’ve only been to Chicago a handful of times, but the descriptions of the various neighborhoods and locations of the city really added to the overall feel of the story.

As for the magical beings, I really enjoyed the main three that we experienced, all who fed off of various human emotions: sadness, anger, and fear. The creativity that went into imaging how these types of beings would exist alongside humans in a seamless manner was incredible, and I enjoyed the slow exploration of how this little underworld and society existed alongside the bustling human city. On top of this, we have the monster hunters with their own horrific magic. This was all helped by focusing the story on our three main characters, all three of whom come from various parts of this world and can give us new insights as the story progresses. They also have burgeoning connections that are built and revealed between them.

I also really enjoyed the themes of pain, regret, and how we live with the choices we’ve made. For such a short book, this story really packs a wallop with the depths with which it explores some of these darker themes. We see this exploration come with the balance struck between pain and power, as well as pain as penitence. Between these deeper topics, the excellent world-building, and the incredibly complex and sympathetic characters, this book is a case study in how much a skilled writer can do, even with a very short page count.

On one hand, this book feels like a perfectly packaged story, complete with all of the elements one looks for in a full-length novel. So, of course, I don’t want unnecessarily added pages just to make it longer. But on the other hand, man, I wish we could explore this world and characters more! Perhaps, if we’re very lucky, we’ll get another book in this world. But as it stands, I definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a new take on what the urban fantasy genre can offer!

Rating 9: Fantastic! With a rich setting and sympathetic characters, Roth proves just how much fantasy world-building you can do even with a short page count!

(Link will go live May 8 on The Library Ladies blog)

This was so great.
Fantastic world building- various kinds of monsters that feed on different human emotions, witches, curses, knights that split their souls to make their swords to fight these, and more, monsters. I truly enjoyed this book. It's a really quick read at only 176 pages. I would return to this world and these characters in a heart beat.

I really wish that more authors would write books like this for their YA audience. This book was short, engaging, and super different and interesting. It had me turning pages very quickly, and I know that students who don’t want to read a 400 page book would LOVE book. Set in a very different Chicago than the one we know we meet a variety of characters who are not quite human but populate the human world feeding themselves on our emotions. Dymitr, Ala and Niko come together each with a secret and a trauma to reach a common goal that involves finding Baba Jaga and asking for a favor, one that could cost their lives. What an interesting world the author has created full of a “Holy order” punishing those they see as different and creations of the world we can’t see with the naked eye fighting for survival. I have loved everything this author write but this really struck me as particularly good!

I had a wonderful time reading Roth's upcoming novella When Among Crows. This was a great blend of fantasy and folklore, set against the backdrop of modern day Chicago, with memorable dark/atmospheric moments that kept the story engaging. I appreciate the opportunity to read When Among Crows early, and my full review can be found on my TikTok account.

I'm a big Veronica Roth fan, so I was intrigued by the prospect of a novella from her--and I was NOT disappointed. From the jump, this story is fast paced and moves effortlessly, clearly reaping the benefits of Roth's beautiful writing style.

The dual POVs was a good take for this and while I couldn't have picked out the Slavik folklore on my own, knowing it was there made it easier to find those elements and understand how they played into the story. The characters were flawed, but likeable. There was a depth to them, the Chicago settings, and to the plot itself that (again) really are impressive for such a short work.

Loved the action, the romance, the sci-fi, the fantasy...and I think this would be an enjoyable pick for any reader, adult or YA.

Overall: 4 stars (I really liked it)

I'll tell my students about: language, LGBT+, supernatural/magic/folklore,

**Thank you to NetGalley & Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books) for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**