I liked this, but in a subdued way. If asked, I likely would have guessed that this was written by Alix E. Harrow with some influence from Polish folklore.

Vibes:
It would be spoilers to give away what kind of story this is, but I think that there's a lot of heart to the primary storyline. Melancholy and quiet and aching and regret and yearning, but big emotions from people who feel deeply.

Characters:
Unfortunately this story is very short and I don't think this writing style lends itself to giving me the sort of fully fleshed out and easily-imagined characters that I'd hope for. I do like that we get multiple POVs and that the audiobook has a different narrator for all 3, though! And the FMC was probably the least guarded and therefore most fleshed out for me.

The Ending:
I wasn't expecting a book like this to have a twist at the end, but I quite liked it. It felt good and right. I just wish there was a little bit more time to sit with their characters and their emotions and to feel a greater weight for what transpired.

Overall:
As a whole it's a nice, little, bite-sized piece of Polish folklore and I thought the various creatures (strzyga, zmory, leshy, and more) were really well handled and imagined. I'd like to see future stories in this world, perhaps a full length novel following different characters.

Audiobook Notes:
There are 3 different narrators to do each of the 3 POVs. All of them were competent, though one of the male voices was a little more generic and monotone than the other two voice actors, but it wasn't distracting or detracting.

Admittedly, I had to listen to the first few chapters twice to really get what was happening, but once I got it I was so engrossed! This is a totally new take on fantasy for me with the Polish background and I did not expect any of the twists.

I requested this book solely for the author and maybe a little bit for the beautiful cover. My absolute obsession I had with divergent made this request a no brainer. I went into this audio completely blind and I do suggest maybe reading the blurb first as I was a bit lost to start with but I ended up absolutely loving the narration and Dymitirs character. This was such a fun quick novella read!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for providing me an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review.
Release date: May 14th

First off, I really enjoyed the audiobook format. The different narrators did a great job! This was a quick one that had me interested but also pretty confused. I think because I was listening to it and couldn't see the names I struggled keeping people straight. I liked that it was fast but it almost felt too fast. The romance felt unnecessary and too thrown in there. It was super random and there was no development to it. But overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and it kept me engaged. Just maybe wish it could have had more depth to it.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I tried to get into the audiobook several times and just could not get into it. When Among Crows quickly throws you into its fantasy world with very little to no explanation and feels like too much happening too fast, causing me to lose interest. I question if I would have enjoyed this more if it were a full length book as opposed to a novella. I think it would really benefit from greater character development and more detailed world-building.

Thank you to Veronica Roth, Macmillan Audio, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I shouldn't have read this so soon after my failed The Bear and the Nightingale reread. Two books in a row with interesting Eastern European rep are two too many. I will say this was probably made worse on audio, as the attempted accents were atrocious.

The juxtaposition between creatures and religion is prevalent, and could've been interesting. However, this is done so much better in other books that it isn't really anything to write home about.

🎧 NetGalley

3 ⭐ for When among Crows by Veronica Roth.
I feel like this story could of been a full novel instead of a novella, it needed to give more backstory and explanation to fully understand the characters and their journeys. There was a lot of back and fourth with this audio book and maybe actually reading the story would have made it more clear to understand all the mythology and creatures in the world. Some of the accents given by the narrators weren't great and a little difficult to understand, I also would of preferred if the voices kept with each character instead of it just switch narrators each chapter.
Overall it wasn't a bad story but not one I would be keen to read again or recommend.

"When Among Crows" is a captivating tale of redemption, showcasing a man's journey to right the wrongs he and his family committed. The story delves deep into Polish folklore, a realm I found fascinating as my own roots trace back to Poland through my grandparents. Exploring this folklore while diving into the narrative added an extra layer of intrigue and connection for me.

The novel's length felt just right, leaving just enough mystery in the characters and world to leave you satisfied but still wanting more.

The book's imagery is vivid and immersive, painting scenes that lingered in my mind long after I turned the final page. The writing itself is masterful, weaving emotions and action seamlessly throughout the narrative.

In conclusion, "When Among Crows" left a lasting impression on me. It's a well-crafted, engaging read that I wholeheartedly loved

Languages are a significant part of the story, and audiobook narrator's accents are not the best, besides that, audiobook is fine.

The story is fast, but I think the novella format doesn't help. A lot of character decisions happen too fast because there's just no time to develop the story any more.

“You’ve chosen your own punishment. You think your victims will be satisfied by your suffering? You want to wander the earth in pain, but suffering isn’t atonement.”

This cover was way too gorgeous to pass, and the description just helped pique my curiosity. This was my first read from Veronica Roth, and I wasn’t disappointed—except maybe that it was not a full-length novel.

❤️ Interesting worldbuilding and lore
❤️ Likeable characters
❤️ Some unexpected plot twists
❤️ Satisfying ending
❤️ Stellar multicast narration
❌ Worldbuilding too heavy for a novella
❌ Slow start
❌ Underdeveloped queer romance

Plot:
A family curse passes onto Ala, and she knows it will eventually claim her life like it did for her mother. Together with Dymitr, a brave mortal with a mysterious purpose, and Niko, an old acquaintance with tremendous magical abilities, she embarks on a quest to find a cure. First, they need to find the legendary witch Baba Jaga while avoiding the “knights,” mortals who split their souls to become powerful monster hunters.

I had mixed feelings about the first 1/3 of this book. It started a little out of blue, mid action, and then slowed to leave room for dense breadcrumb worldbuilding. Don’t get me wrong: the worldbuilding and lore were both epic, but also too dense for the novella format, in my opinion. After this shaky intro, things started to pick up, intriguing details come to light, and new characters were introduced. At this point, I was completely hooked. The story was captivating and intriguing, with curses and bargains, Polish/Slavic folklore and interesting topics like religious guilt, redemption, pain, identity, and heritage, with a touch of chosen family. By the end, I was disappointed it was over and wished it had been a full-length novel.

Characters:
I liked Dymitr and Niko right from the start, and Ala eventually grew on me. All three of them are interesting, likeable characters, and their interactions and budding relationships were nicely done. The only thing that annoyed me was how drastic their character development was near the end. Once again, I blame the novella format.

Writing:
Atmospheric, sharp, and strong, with interesting wisdom and matter for reflection.

Audiobook:
I’ve heard comments about the accents being off, but I really couldn’t tell, and it sounded fine to me. This was the very first time I listened to a book where there are 3 different voice actors, and I loved it. I think they all did a great job.

Many thanks to MacMillan Audio and author Veronica Roth for this opportunity.

I had no idea where to set my expectations for this book, and initially picked it up with equal amounts of interest and skepticism. But I never would have guessed it would have blown me away the way it did.

Following an unlikely crew of three very different characters who carry three different family burdens, WHEN AMONG CROWS is a gorgeous and captivating urban fantasy tale about regret, repentance, and responsibility.

I was prepared for an action-packed folkloric urban fantasy. But I was not prepared for the deep commentary in this book about immigration, cultural ties, and Christian imperialism. And I was even less prepared for Roth to tackle all of these elements with such nuance and tact while creating a blossoming and tender achillean romance and found family amidst the cast of utterly lovable characters.

I almost want to say I wish it was longer, but not because it needed to be (arguably one of the best paced novellas I’ve ever read), but just because I fell so in love with these characters and this world and would read a whole series of this.

This is such a beautiful, intriguing novel. In “When Among Crows,” creatures from Slavic (and other) mythology roam a fantasy version of our world, hunted by an extra-human regime of hunters. We follow unlikely companions on a mission through the world’s secrets.

I absolutely loved this short urban fantasy novel (or long novella). Roth does a great job incorporating creatures from Slavic mythology into her modern Chicago setting, and I hope she will write more stories in this setting.

Considering the brevity of this novel, I was surprised at the complexity of the three main characters, all of whom I liked very much. I enjoyed how their stories were interwoven and slowly revealed, and I found their character arcs very satisfying. For an often-violent story about “monsters” who consume fear, sorrow, and anger and the scary magic-wielding knights who hunt them, this was surprisingly touching.

The audiobook production was excellent, and I enjoyed the narration by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell. The narrators are all pleasant to listen to, with good pacing, clear pronunciation (at least of the English; I don’t know Polish, but it sounded cool), distinctive voices to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

This is a story I will want to listen to again, and I recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy and Slavic folklore.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audiobook.

Book: 4/5
Audio: 3/5

This novella was a pleasant surprise! I'm not one usually to pick up urban fantasies, but this one really intrigued me. I loved the unique take on Slavic folklore amongst the Chicago backdrop. Although the novella is short, I found it hard to keep up in several places. I had to repeat sections several times in order to understand what was going on. Perhaps reading a print version of this one may be better for me.

I was very much not a fan of the narration of this. The accents made me cringe a little, honestly. I also found myself having to increase the volume at parts in the beginning to try to understand what the male narrator was saying.

The story gripped me enough that I'm planning to read the print version of the book now. I'm hoping it'll make this a 5/5 for me then.

Dear When Among Crows,
Generally when I go into a story blind, it gives me the opportunity to be pleasantly surprised by the story. Unfortunately, I didn't feel that way about you. You just left me wanting more. I wanted to know more about your world, your characters, and how your whole story develops. You had the potential for so much more, and you were just too short for me. It felt like you were a tiny corner of a much deeper and complex universe. I hope that there are plans to expand your story, because I would love to read it!

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. I generally love Veronica's writing but I genuinely did not understand what was going on. It was part mythology, slightly fantastical, and a little gothic horror?

The accents were really hard to understand so I kept slowing down the speed and repeating chapters. I still found myself a bit slogged down in the plot. Novellas are tough because you have to sacrifice either plot or character development. I didn't connect with the story. Maybe if I read it on paper it would have been easier to follow.

Cool concept, but the execution didn't work for me on audio.

A masterfully done short story. Roth ties together some of my most favorite elements of fantasy - folkloric beings, demon hunters, an unlikely alliance, casual queerness, literally all morally gray characters, and a succinct, smoothly-executed plot. I loved reading about Baba Yaga in modern day Chicago and how ancient tales were combined with an urban fantasy setting. The 3 narrators further transformed the story, conveying the urgency of the quick timeline within the novel while delivering emotional performances for each character. The 3 voices were well suited to their unique characters while also fitting together within the whole novel. Loved this, and would love more like this from Roth!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for review!

I thought this was really interesting. The story was compelling and the narrators were engaging. I found it a little bit hard to follow toward the end, but overall this was great.

Before listening to When Among Crows I did not know anything about Polish folklore and fables. This story did a great job of introducing me. With that being said…

What I didn’t like about audiobook:

- the narration is multi POV but still in the 3rd person so it was a challenge to stay engaged with the story

- The attempt at polish accents was terrible

- the tempo of each of the narrators is so different I was constantly having to change the speed i was listening at

What I didn’t like about the writing/ book itself:

- was very challenging remembering all the monster names, what they’re abilities are and why they’re important

- None of the characters are very likable which I guess is kinda the point in the story BUT as a reader, it was a struggle to continue reading

- I’m typically a romance/romantasy reader so maybe it’s just me but I think this book would have been WAY better with a thicker romance subplot


Overall:

A really great concept that unfortunately, fell flat. Luckily it was a short read so it didn’t feel like a complete waste of time.

NetGalley 🎧

♡ 𝙰𝚞𝚍𝚒𝚘𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 ♡
3 ⭐️
𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜 :
•fantasy
•shapeshifter
•paranormal
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I don't know. I think this story wasn't for me. I really didn't understand or know what was going on. The narrators did an ok job, bringing the story alive. But i feel like this is the type of book you have to physically read to understand what's going on. -
Let me say the cover art is beautiful, and once you understand the cover art, it's just breathtaking. Pain is Dymitr’s calling. To slay the monsters he’s been raised to kill, he had to split his soul in half to make a sword from his own spine. Every time he draws it, he gets blood on his hands.
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♤ 𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 May.14 ♤
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Thank you, Netgalley, and MacmillanAudio for the (ALC)-Audiobook for my honest review.