4.5 Stars rounded up!
Really my main complaint about this is that I wish it was longer! There were so many elements packed into this novella. It gave me Wizard of Oz vibes, but creepy and magical? but also set in urban Chicago with Slavic mythology elements? Yes, please. When Among Crows is well written, and you truly feel the characters fear and sense of urgency throughout the story. Even with this being as short as it was, there was still a strong amount of character development as well.. Overall I really enjoyed this!

I avoided reading the blurb of this book, so I didn't know much going on: I had no context, and didn't even realize it was a novella (even after finishing it, that detail surprised me - so much happens!). When Among Crows offers a deep dive into a dark and fantastical Chicago, full of creatures (people) who feed off human emotion. The intertwining of Slavic lore with a gritty, paranormal underbelly of the city creates a captivating backdrop.

However, we are thrown in the deep end: we don't really know the characters goals and objectives until the 20-30% mark, or their motivations until well after the halfway point. As a result, the narrative felt elusive, and I felt disconnected from the characters. And yet, there's so much power in this book. Once I "got" it, I became engrossed. Because it's all about breaking generational curses, literal and figurative: about breaking the cycle of power and abuse.

The quest to seek Baba Jaga's favor is both a thrilling adventure and a poignant exploration of breaking free from inherited burdens. The characters, each marked by their unique pains and pasts, drive the story forward with their complex dynamics and the intense, often desperate nature of their journey.

Although initially disconcerting due to its unconventional pacing and revelation of details, the novella format eventually made sense, contributing to the story's dense and atmospheric quality. When Among Crows is a testament to Roth's ability to craft a world teeming with shadows and whispers of folklore, all while embedding a powerful message about the cycles of pain and the hope of absolution. For those who enjoy dark fantasy with a meaningful undertone, this novella packs a punch in its few pages!

A really fun read for fans of Shadow & Bone.

When Among Crows is a very readable novella based on Russian/Slavic mythology (Baba Yaga, always a welcome adversary/lodestone), but set in a contemporary Chicago, with interesting, flawed characters and a quick, entertaining plot.

My only problem with this is that I wish it was longer. It reminds me of the Murderbot Diaries in that way.

I love the characters and I gasped at the plot twist. The hint of gay was perfectly executed. I hope the next book gives me even more gay and even more violence.

Don’t let the size of this book fool you into thinking it’s not packed full of incredible world building and depth. A story told over 36-hours that drops you right into the lives of the characters which Veronica Roth makes quick work of endearing you to!

In a world full of creatures straight out of Slavic lore that live amongst humans, feeding off their emotions: fear, sorrow, anger, etc in some of the most unlikely places, movies theatres, fight rings, and hospice care homes to name a few. There are, of course, those that hunt the creatures as well: The Holy Order. Unlikely allies band together, a zmora woman named Ala, cursed and hoping for a cure. A mysterious human named Dymitr in possession of a fern flower, that could be the cure for Ala, on a mission to find Baba Yaga. And Niko, a strzygi, rare due to being male destined to fight and die by the hands of the Holy Order.

I absolutely loved this one! The world, the story, the characters, their plight and how it interweaves. Veronica Roth’s prose are stunning and her world rich — I cannot crow enough about how much I enjoyed this!! I hope there are more stories set in this world because I’d absolutely read them!

A huge thank you to Tor for the arc and the chance to read early!!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ //5

When Among Crows

I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

THOUGHTS:

Let’s begin by saying how beautiful this cover is. I am a huge fan of covers and this one is top of my list. I was so very excited to see that Veronica Roth came out with a new book and this book was all the things literally. Without saying too much because you need to read this to experience it yourself, you have a very fast 200 page urban fantasy read that punches you with magic, action, twists and turns, knights, demons, creatures that feed off fear and emotions of anger. There is a smidge of spice but you wont even care, you’ll be too caught up living your own adventure inside of this book. I wish that I could read this book all over again for the first time.

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth takes readers on a dark and enchanting journey into a fantastical version of Chicago, where monsters feed on human emotions, knights wield bone swords crafted from their own souls, and witches demand more than they give. The novella centers around Dymitr, a soul-split knight, and Ala, cursed to witness the horrors of the Holy Order, as they embark on a perilous quest to find the legendary witch Baba Jaga. Roth's under-200-page tale weaves together Eastern European lore, bone-chilling action, and a quest for redemption. While the brevity leaves a desire for more, the novella showcases Roth's refined storytelling, evoking vivid imagery and exploring themes of family and found connections. When Among Crows is a captivating and unique addition to the dark urban fantasy genre, proving that impactful storytelling need not rely on extensive page counts.

Let me start with this, if you're not a fan of reading multiple POVs, you'll likely not enjoy this book. The story is told from three of the main characters' perspectives - Dymtir, Ala, and Niko. I thought the multiple point of views wasn't necessary to tell this story. If they were removed, it wouldn't have taken anything away from it. Also, the point of views switch often within a single chapter. There were moments where I'll be reading three different point of views in one chapter. Also, I noticed a few times there were moments of backtracking when point of views switched. Instead of starting a character's point of view from the present, to keep the story moving forward, it would start with a scene already shown through the previous character's POV.

I disliked the lack of a glossary for this story. I thought one was needed to help me understand (and also remember) how the Polish words being used in the book were properly pronounced and also the definition. I noticed a few times throughout reading how the author had to use the English word right after using the Polish version to remind readers what the word meant. Having a glossary available would have eliminated the author having to do unnecessary extra work like this.

Also, the summary ruins a moment in this book. It lets readers know of Dymtir's involvement with the Holy Order which causes a particular scene involving Ala and Niko finding out about this piece of information to fall flat.

An easy and fast paced book to have you fall head over heels in love with Veronica Roth’s writing!

First of all let’s talk about this utterly gorgeous cover for When Among Crows. They say don’t judge a book by it’s cover but I can’t help but admit that the cover was the first thing that drew me to this book and then I saw the author was Veronica Roth, so I had to immediately request this title!

I flew through this book, I loved the world and how well fleshed out the characters were.

My only complaint is that I wish the book was longer! It’s only a 176 pages and while I loved every aspect of this book it ended up leaving me craving more!

Needless to say I highly recommend this one, especially if you love an atmospheric read.

*thank you so much to Tor Publishing, Veronica Roth and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review! It was much appreciated.

I have been loving everything Veronica Roth has been doing lately. This book is a book of monsters, however not everything is as it seems. Witches, magic and more in Chicago, along with Roth’s writing, weave an incredible tail that seems familiar but also not.

I wish this was a longer book and I hope there is more to this world. It’s a complete story but you’re left with questions so there are many possibilities for where this could go. As always, thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Veronica Roth’s Poster Girl, so I was so excited to get an eARC to review.

This is a short read. There is not a huge amount of world building, so it did take me a bit to understand everything that was going on.
I found the characters very unique and interesting. I love how folklore and actual history was interwoven throughout the story.

Overall this was different than Roth’s usual dystopian vibes, but it was still very well written and fun to read.
I would recommend this to other fantasy readers.

5 stars, 9.14 on CAWPILE

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow.
Just.... wow.
First things first, I wish this was longer. Not because it felt incomplete or because it suffered from world building or character development due to the length, but because I just want... more. I want more in this world. I want more with these characters.

The concept of this book was fascinating to me. The folklore it's inspired by magical, the atmosphere potent. The characters felt real despite not getting to spend a lot of time with them. I was thoroughly hooked on everything going on as we moved from event to event over the 36 or so hours that take place in the story.

Veronica Roth is a beautiful writer. Not too heavy handed with metaphors or allegories.. just enough. I could see baba jaga's theater. I could taste the smell of fear that Ala experiences. I winced and gritted my teeth when the bone blade was drawn.

Listen, please, Veronica, give us more!

What an absolutely gorgeous novella from Veronica Roth! I’m a simple creature, I see a beautiful cover and I immediately want to read it, and I’m so thankful When Among Crows didn’t let me down.

In a fantastical world under Chicago, fairytale and myth comes to life. The story combines Slavic lore with a fast paced, twisty plot to bring the reader an unputdownable story in under 200 pages. I really enjoyed both Dymitr and Ala (and Baba Jaga!) as characters and loved the almost cloak-and-dagger type elements of their deal and subsequent adventure. I’m a huge fan of magic systems/ plot points where actions have extreme and irrefutable consequences and Roth played into this so well. I also loved the softer moments revolving around seeking life’s purpose and redemption even when you don’t deserve it. The world felt expansive but the narrative intimate, which is the best kind of story to tell.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this novella and can’t wait to get a physical copy to fawn over the gorgeous cover art!

I ended up finding this to be a really entertaining read, creative and fantastical, brutal and sinister. I also don't read much urban fantasy, but I think the gritty Chicago setting gave the story as much vivid imagery as the enigmatic characters.

Speaking of, I enjoyed the dynamic between Dymitr, Ala, and Niko, which is the clear heart of the story. You start with these disparate individuals—enemies, in fact—who come together for a common purpose, and in doing so form meaningful connections. It's a timeless and uplifting message that we somehow keep failing to truly learn.

Recommended to those who love atmospheric fantasy.

What a deliciously dark tale.

This is the first book of Roth’s I have read and I’m scared I’ll be disappointed by the rest because this was so good.

If you’re a fan of Leigh Bardugo, VE Schwab, or Jim Butcher, you will like this.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor for early access to this title for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this. It's been a while since I have read anything from Roth and I have missed it apparently.

I would love more from this world - the characters were so interesting and the plot had me hooked. I would love to delve deeper into the history and backstory of these characters

Thank you for the early copy!

I've never experienced a shorter Veronica Roth novel and I'm glad I got to start with this one. I was hooked on the dark urban fantasy story telling and I love books that jump right into the plot. I truly appreciate a showing over telling style of writing, and that's what we have here. So even though I always want more world building and character development, I'm still so impressed by what Roth was able to convey in such a short story. I will say, I've lived in Chicago all my life and I study witchcraft, mythology, and folklore. It's hard to say if I would have enjoyed the book as much without having that background, but I'm guessing I benefited from knowing all the pronunciations and folkloric history.

It is really interesting. Chicago has a large Polish population. This book dives deep into a folklore that I was unfamiliar with and reaches deep into the roots of the Polish and Eastern European. It's an interseting book combining elements of folklore with urban dark fantasy. Fans of Holly Black's The Book of Night will find this book enjoyable.

4.5/5 stars for me.
A thought-provoking fairytale where knights in which he split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. All due to his desire to find Baba Yaga and a unexpected ally (aka a cursed Zmora) who needs a cure, and needs out knights help to get it. Dymitr (our knight) was raised to kill and in order to do so he had to (as all knights do) split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. He's killed so many... and now he's in search of Baba Yaga. This was such an stimulating read (especially considering it is just a novella.) It left me with a sort of Wizard of Oz vibe, but with an incredibly unique twist. It's the perfect read for fans of found family. Veronica Roth has once again show just how incredibly talented she is weaving such a captivating story in such a short page span.
*Thanks Netgalley, Edelweiss+ and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review

Title: When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

You'll Love This If You're Into:
* Dark, fantastical worlds with a paranormal twist
* Unique twists on fairytales and myths
* Quests and road trips with unexpected turns
* Exploring Eastern European lore and magical creatures

Characters: ★★★★☆
Plot Progression: ★★★★☆
Writing Style: ★★★☆☆
Memorability: ★★★☆☆
Overall: ★★★.5
Overall Thoughts: Liked it.

Review:
When Among Crows provides a dark and captivating glimpse into the fantastical paranormal world lurking beneath the surface of Chicago. The narrative unfolds as a mini road trip and quest to seek favour from Baba Jaga, weaving together Eastern European lore, unique characters, and twists and turns along the way.

Veronica Roth's storytelling has notably improved, in my opinion (eying you #3) , from some of her previous works. This story offers a lush fairytale features Dymitr, the knight, and Ala, the cursed Zmora, as they embark on a quest with unexpected turns while exploring themes of family, destruction, and found families.

The characters are intriguing, the action is well-paced, and Roth expands on existing lore in an interesting manner. While a few moments felt forced, and some elements didn't quite hit the mark, it was an enjoyable read. Additionally, it took me a while to be invested in the characters, which, for a novella, meant that I spent a good portion of the book not invest in their journey.

Overall, When Among Crows offers a short and fun fantasy read, blending dark elements with fairytale-esque storytelling. It's a recommended choice for those seeking a unique escape into a world where pain is both a weapon and a curse.

*Thanks Netgalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review*