Although this was just a novella, the comprehensiveness of the world-building, characters, and storyline felt like a full-length novel.

This was my first Veronica Roth, and I loved it! This was a version of the Baba Yaga tale where a group of characters end up banding together to aid one another in achieving a quest, not unlike a LitRPG. None of the characters truly trust one another, for good reasons, but find themselves developing unexpected bonds. When I was finished, I couldn't believe this was actually just a novella.

This story was really hard for me to get into at first. The world building was fast and intense. Iam so glad I stuck with it though! I really love fantasy stories with mythology and folklore from other countries. Baba Jaga is probably one of my favorite stories. She has made appearances in many stories I've read recently including the ACOTAR series, the Witcher series, and is referenced in the John wick movies. The setting descriptions of Chicago were excellent. The character development was intense given how short the story actually is. We can see Ala and Dymitr grow so much as people dealing with the pain from their pasts. I've listened to a couple of audiobooks with Helen Laser narrating, and she definitely delivered again on this one! She's becoming one of my favorite narrators. James Fouhey and Tim Campbell also were easy to listen to. I usually dislike narrators doing accents, but all of these narrators sounded good-accents weren't cheesy or bad at all.

Thank up @NetGalley, @VeronicaRoth, @Macmillanaudio, and @TorPublishingGroup for this advanced listener copy. All opinions are my own.

The gasp I gusped when I saw that cover though ...

I quite enjoyed this! It's a dark glimpse into the fantastical paranormal world lying beneath the surface of Chicago in the shape of a mini road trip and quest to find and receive favour from Baba Jaga. The three main characters are great, the action well paced, and the twists weirdly surprising. The Slavic lore built upon and expanded by the author was intriguing and I had a great time reading it! There were just a few things that felt a little shoehorned in, and some moments didn't quite hit for me, so that's the only reason why it's not a five star read for me.

I find novellas to be a bit of a hit or miss, and the last few books I read from this author were not great. However, I would like to apologize for saying that since Roth's writing and storytelling has improved vastly since.

It is generally not a great idea to try and meet with Baba Jaga. Especially when you need her to do something for you.

"When Among Crows" by Veronica Roth uses Slavic myths and legends in modern Chicago, just slightly different. Dymitr comes from a line of hunters who kill monsters. Ala, happens to be one such monster afflicted with a family curse. Not knowing Dymitr's background, she agrees to help get him to Baba Jaga when he dangles a cure in front of her. And I'm positive nothing will go sideways considering his sister is tailing him.

Narrated by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell. Your voices had me griped on this ride, each with their own pains and secrets.

Reasons to read:
-This novella is full of world building
-Often neglected creatures of folklore
-Real brutal magic
-Pettiness at a professional level
-How can one really find atonement for their actions?

Cons:
-I want more of the setting and characters

This book!!! This book! I went into it not having any expectations. To be honest, Veronica Roth is half and half for me. I’ve loved some books and disliked some others. But she has knocked it out of the park with this book. My one piece of advice when it comes to When Among Crows- go in blind. Don’t look up spoiler heavy reviews, don’t rely on videos, or other’s opinions. Be confused when you are confused, and dive in headfirst. Let the book tell its story to you.
This book was a learn on the fly type of book. You learned the world and the characters as you read, and it all tied together in the most satisfying way. I went back and forth on whether I would’ve wanted this to be longer or to be a series. In the end, I love how she did write this book- length and all. In the current publishing world, where series are king and it feels like stand alone books don’t exist, this book came to do what it needed to and left. And when it left, it left me with my jaw on the ground.
This will be one of the few books that I will reread, because I know it'll be even better on the second read through.
***Thanks to Macmillan Audio/ Tor Books through NetGalley for providing me an ARC for my honest review***

I appreciate what this novella was attempting to do, but the execution did not work for me. I am always down to read some Slavic mythology but this was somehow both too long and too short. I found myself annoyed with the main characters until the end. I also liked all of the information about the creatures but it was too much for the length of this work.

When Among Crows is a story steeped in Slavic folklore full of familiar tales and characters.

Dymitr is tasked with finding the legendary witch called Baba Jaga but he has to team up with others he’s supposed to kill in order to find the witch. Ala carries a deadly curse and can’t turn down Dymitr’s help to break it forcing her to team up with him. I absolutely loved this story and all of the characters. My only wish is that it was longer! It was such a fun and unique read.

This audiobook was narrated by Helen Laser, James Fouhey, and Tim Campbell. They all did so amazing at depicting the characters, I loved hearing the accents and Slavic words.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Veronica Roth, and Macmillan Audio, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be a great read for everyone on May 14th!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will post a Tiktok review within the week before it releases.

4 stars!

Thank you to Veronica Roth and Tor Books for an ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Don't let the size of this story fool you, there's a lot packed within these pages. Immediately, I liked the urban fantasy setting and I think Chicago was a great pick for the grittiness and strong history of immigrant communities. I'm always a fan of multiple POVs and I pretty much enjoyed each speaker equally. The queer romance was a fantastic surprise and I liked how their relationship colored the climax of the story. Certain fantasy elements, like the holy knights pulling swords from their spines, were fucking awesome. A lot of people don't like that this is a novella, but I think for this particular story the length is great. I'm open for a novel-length book set in the same world, but I think it would have been grating for this particular story to be stretched out.

None of my issue are big issues with the book, I just want to clarify what didn't work for me as a reader so similar readers will know what they're getting into. The action scenes aren't gratuitous but there are a few of them and I usually skim that stuff. The characters are pretty good for a novella-length story, but they aren't great when compared with some other characters from novellas like Silver in the Wood or the Wayward Children series. There are a few twists and–while I didn't predict all of them–none of them were shocking.

If an urban reimagining of Eastern European folklore sounds like your thing, this novella does a great job of providing that in a tight, fast-paced package. It's doing a lot right, and given the length it is absolutely not a waste of your time so give it a shot.

Happy reading!

A wonderful novella that takes you through modern day Chicago in a world of hidden monsters. Even though this is a short read there is such a brilliant, fast paced story that unfolds and keeps you wanting more. Each of the characters introduced had me more and more interested.

If you’re interested in audiobooks this one was quick and keeps you engrossed the entire time. The main narrator has a voice that keeps you wanting to listen to him speak. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

When Among Crows hooked me from the very first line - “Kiedy wejdziesz między wrony, musisz krakać tak jak one.”
(When among crows, you must caw like one.)

The atmosphere was dark and had an almost noir feel. I really liked the combination of urban fantasy filled with Polish/Slavic folklore and language. This is what most appealed to me as a Polish immigrant and I love that Roth writes stories set in Chicago.

This was a short book and the audiobook flew by even faster. We follow Dymitr as he joins forces with Ala to find the witch Baba Jaga, promising to break her curse. You are thrown into the thick of things almost straight away. There are different creatures, secret societies, magic, and unlikely alliances. Overall it was a super intriguing concept and I quite enjoyed the lore, storytelling, and characters. The world building and history were woven into the characters’ perspectives, giving the reader an emotional connection to each of their struggles. An unlikely trio with an almost impossible quest.

The audiobook had voice actors for the three leads - Dymitr, Ala, and Niko, I enjoyed the break of pace between them. While the Polish pronunciations are a bit difficult, I really appreciated the addition of certain phrases into the plot. A solid take on lore based fantasy with an urban setting.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio of the advance listening copy to review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books, Veronica Roth, Helen Laser (audio narrator), James Fouhey (audio narrator), and Tim Campbell (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of When Among Crows in exchange for an honest review. 

"When among crows, you must caw as one," a Polish saying. The novella starts with this quote, and it's an intriguing idea that sticks with the reader throughout as they learn about the motives behind the characters and what they must do to accomplish their goals.

This novella follows Dymitr, a monster hunter who must sacrifice parts of his soul to rid the world of its evil creatures. A blessing, and a curse. And Ala, a zmora (a Slavic demon of nightmares) who devours fear. She doesn't have much left to lose, considering her current position in the world. 

Dymitr seeks that legendary Baba Jaga, but he needs the aid of someone who can help him find what he seeks. Ala's curse will be her demise, but with an agreement with Dymitr for a cure for the aid to find Baba Jaga, not all is lost. 

Two unlikely beings make an alliance that goes against both of their very nature as they have less than a day and a half to complete their quest as they make their way through the Slavic folklore-filled land underworld beneath the great city of Chicago.

This book gave me some American Gods vibes as I was first getting into it and figuring things out. I also enjoy the folklore of Baba Yaga and have found the differences across the way writers explore that story intriguing.

There was a lot going on in this book in such a short expanse of time that it was a bit hard for me to follow and I was drawn out at times. I love the idea of the urban fantasy setting in the United states mixed with the Slavic-inspired land beneath, similar to the hidden world of Shadowhunters to mundanes. The cover is enticing, and as a long-time Roth fan, I had to check this one out. While it wasn't quite up-to-par with my thoughts on her other works, I still enjoyed what this novella was going for and what it accomplished. 

A great recommendation for adult readers who love Slavic lore and urban fantasy.

Incredibly compelling world-building, rich imagery, and super interesting characters — I was totally swept up in this! I wish it was full-length!!

When Among Crows by Veronica Roth

Summary:
Dymitr is born into a lineage of hunters who pledge their souls to vanquish monstrous threats. He is tasked with locating the fabled witch, Baba Jaga. Dymitr must make alliances with those he has sworn to eradicate to track her down. Ala has an unavoidable inheritance of a curse that will be her demise, but if she is willing to help Dymitr, he will give her the cure in exchange for finding Baba Jaga. Ala finds herself with no recourse but to accept. They embark on a desperate race against time and the evil forces of the Chicago underworld.

Review:
I know this sounds weird, but this reads like a movie. I felt like I was watching a gritty, dark, urban fantasy movie. The flashes in time and the harshness of the character's circumstances created an intense read. It was a short book, but it still delivers the story. I was left wanting more in developing the characters' back story, but it did not take away from the enjoyment. The melding of the folklore with the current day was done very well and did not seem clunky. I hope there is more to come.

This is my honest review based on an ARC copy of the audiobook from Netgalley and McMillan. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cannon Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

When Among Crows is an Slavic Lore Urban Fantasy set in Chicago. The narrators did a fantastic job. The leshy sounded just what I thought a forest deity would sound like.

My biggest complaint is that I wish this had been a novel and not a novella. I would have liked more of a backstory on the knights and the curse. The world building was good, but I just wanted more.

I want to mention how gorgeous the cover art is. The cover is what drew me into this book, more than the synopsis.

4.5 Stars

When Among Crows is a Slavic myth set in modern day Chicago. It is a story about monsters, some demonic and not so demonic ones. This story show us the grief that befalls a person who is tasked with unspeakable things and the cost to their souls. And that compassion can be found in unlikely places. This novella pack a lot in to such a short amount of time, yet nothing feels rushed or underdeveloped. While uniquely it's own it does have similar vides to American Gods. I would gladly read more in this world and with these characters.

The audiobook is excellent. The full cast really allows the story to come alive and for the listener to easily tell whose point of view the story is in. I would recommend consuming the book in this manner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cannon Macmillan Audio for early access to this title for my honest review.

This was fantastic. I really enjoyed this novella; it has a lot of things that are really up my alley, including slavic mythology, thoughtful themes, and great character work. There were a few phrases that really hit me and that I keep thinking about. The idea that sacrifice creates a debt and a debt makes space for magic to flow in was great. I can't quite articulate why it hits me so deep, but it really does. There was a lot about sacrifice and the price of magic, power, etc. in this story, actually, and I often tend to enjoy that type of story. Redemption, atonement, the question of what counts as penance. When handled deftly, you can really thoughtful stories. And even though this is just a novella, it succeeded in giving a thoughtful story. I think it was exactly as long as it needed to be. It did what it needed to do for the characters.

Speaking of, I liked the characters a whole lot. They felt so human (even when they weren't, haha) and they had good chemistry together. I loved the revelations that came from each of them as they traveled together. While I absolutely knew what was going to happen and what two of the reveals were going to be, guessing them didn't detract at all from my experience listening. I waited for those reveals with anticipation. The worldbuilding of the creatures and how they fit into this story world was nice, and I absolutely loved the imagery of the Holy Order. Their swords and the staining of their hands was just 11/10, A+, just awesome.

I also appreciated that it was a story set in Chicago. I grew up nearby, so it was a setting that tapped into that understanding and familiarity I had. It used the history of the city well, in that there is a large population of Polish immigrants there. Extrapolating that Polish 'creatures' and gods immigrated along with the humans is an idea that I like a lot. I think setting it in Chicago rather than in Poland also allowed for some flexibility with the worldbuilding; it didn't have to be completely faithful to the legends/fairy tales. And tying in some themes of immigrant identity was great.

Just overall, I think this novella was wonderful. I am 100% going to buy it when it releases. (Also can we take a moment to just admire the coverart? It's gorgeous.)

I enjoyed the Polish culture references in this novella. My only gripe is that it was too short. I would have liked to have a full novel that really flushed out the characters.
Because I did like the story. Veronica Roth has a beautiful writing style. Oh and the cover is freaking gorgeous!!!

I enjoy Veronica Roth's books. This one was a bit of a miss for me. The storyline had promise (reminded me a lot of Constantine or Shadow Hunter vibe) with hidden monsters/world amongst us. But the way this was written was confusing with the multi-POVs and frequent flashbacks. It was just hard to follow. I wasn't invested in any of the main characters. Each of their back stories were discussed in detail but somehow I still felt like I didn't know enough about them to care. Ultimately, this was just ok but not memorable.

I had such a great time reading this book! I love Veronica Roth's writing, and this sounded like a really great read, and boy, it was! The synopsis had me intrigued, and I had to know what was going to happen next-especially since there was the time crunch of the life of this flower!

This world of various monsters from folklore, especially Slavic, was really interesting, that they were known to the world, which is why people could call in the Holy Order to deal with monsters. I hope this becomes a series because I want to see more!

Oh, man, Dymitr and Ala. They both have things weighing them down, Dymitr that he's a knight, but he wants the destruction of one knight, Ala that she has this family curse. I loved reading about them, getting to know them, they were tortured and I had to follow along with their story!

I loved that reveal of what the plan was, that was just amazing! And how things actually went down, that was just so fantastic to read! I loved how it turned out, though I would've loved to see a bit more of the aftermath, because I always want more!

This was such a good book and I can't wait to read more by Veronica Roth!

3.75 Stars

The cover really drew me in on this one. Gorgeous.

This story has a lot going for it. An urban fantasy set in Chicago, polish folklore/mythology, multi POV SHORT story.

Because of how short it is, I am really impressed with how well Veronica Roth was able to build the world, establish the characters, and set the tone.

There wasn't anything that I disliked about the story, and I didn't feel as though it was missing anything, but there were just a few elements that weren't quite to my taste. I will still absolutely recommend this to customers.