Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ LIKED - would recommend
Spice: 🫑 NONE
Genre: Slavic Folktale

What if the monsters our parents warned us about were real? Veronica Roth’s modern fairytale transports readers to that frightening reality. Her tale is centered around Dymitr, a human with a secret; Ala, a zmora living on fear; and Niko, a stryzga that feeds on anger. Their unlikely alliance is formed when Dymitr offers Ala a boon for her help finding Baba Yaga. They begin a heroic journey through the underbelly of Chicago’s hidden creatures. Dymitr’s motive in meeting Baba Yaga may just be what kills them all.

This was a beautifully written novella. I was transported to a world filled with creatures and magic. The story felt a bit rushed, though. I was not given enough time to become invested in the characters or their relationships. I hope we learn more about this world and its inhabitants a in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What can be better than a Polish inspired folklore novella? One that takes place in Chicago, you say? Luckily, this one is Polish/Slavic folklore inspired in a Chicagoan setting! I absolutely loved this novel. This is a short, but deep quest for redemption and atonement. Dimitr is trying to find Baba Jaga. To get to Baba Jaga, Dimitr has a series of obstacles to overcome. Along the way, he gets help from Niko and Ala. Baba Jaga offers him more than just redemption and atonement. This story is deep and powerful. I really loved the narrators for the audiobook version. The accents are amazing.

My favorite part: the knights who are able to have bone swords as part of their souls, the folklore - I love the start of this novel with it - it’s intense but so captivating!!!

Fun, quick, and breathtaking, this fast-paced modern fantasy will capture your heart! I only wish it was a little longer so we could spend more time with these characters 💖

This was a fun urban fantasy novella that had excellent world building. I love that it centered on Polish mythology! I feel like we don't see many books that are willing to branch out into different cultures mythologies and I really enjoyed that this title did!

This was a short urban fantasy that I listened/read through twice before writing this review. That seems to be my theme this month. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Helen Laser, James Fouhey and Tim Campbell. I think audiobook listeners that enjoy a full cast narration with animated creature voices and authentic accents will enjoy this format. They did a fantastic job. However, I found it distracting. I think the more sedate voices in my head work better for me at times.

The story picks up with the character of Dymitr who is on a quest to seek out Baba Jaga for a purpose that he keeps to himself for most of the book. He looks for assistance from Ala to set up the meeting. Ala is the recipient of a curse that is passed down through her family and since the deaths, or rather murders, of other females in her family, the curse now possesses her. Dymitr offers her a possible cure for her help. They are also joined on their journey by Nico who has the connections to get them an audience with Baba Jaga. Dymitr sometimes flashes back to his upbringing and the family who raised him, gradually revealing his purpose as the story progresses.

I really enjoyed the setting of a fantasy Chicago and the Polish mythology. I was familiar with one of the mythological creature in this story from a recent T Kingfisher short and enjoyed seeing it again. I loved the themes of found family and atonement. I do feel like this story just skimmed the surface of the world and the characters. I wanted more when I reached the end. I would definitely read another book set in this world and would love a further exploration of these characters or see them on another adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Books and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review.

#whenamongcrows #MacAudio2024 #bookstagram #fantasy #fantasybooks #fantasyreads

This was a little more out there than I expected. If you like super natural than it definitely would be something to read. It was just a little too much for me.

I’m not normally a big reader of novellas but this one took me by STORM! I loved the character work and the infusion of folklore/mythology. It’s been a long time since I read a Veronica Roth book, but I will certainly be picking up any future fantasy titles from her!

Finding Slavic folklore tales is not easy. I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Dmitry having to ally with an enemy and Ala having to trust in someone else to help her break from the curse. It just felt to rushed. Usually I am a fan of shorter books, but I felt that it wasn't very flushed out and rushed. I didn't have any connection to the characters and had to re listen alot to try and understand.
Then the fact it takes place in Chicago was out of left field. It was like an old story and someone said put it in the U.S. and it just didn't mesh well.
The audio book was good and I enjoyed the narrators.

When Among Crows packs a punch in a short amount of time. This novella tells the story of Dymitr who is on a mission to find the legendary Baba Jaga. In order to find her, he enlists the help of Ala and Nic, who both have their own reasons for helping on his quest. They are racing time and the hunters that seek to destroy those who aren’t human.

I have to be honest, loved this so much more than I expected to. The story and characters were so compelling and endearing to me, and the themes about pain and grief, love and forgiveness, and even familial expectations were so powerful. I enjoyed the lore and didn’t find that it was distracting when I was learning about things I hadn’t heard before.

I absolutely recommend this!! I listened on audio, but I truly think any medium would be great.

Sweeping and beautiful, the lyricism of the prose in this book shines when brought to like by the narrator. A quick read, the perfect mental treat for a rainy afternoon, I was too wrapped up in this story to do anything other than listen.

This urban fantasy with multi POVs is a beautifully woven story steeped in rich Slavic lore with characters you grow to like quickly.
A very fast paced and easy to get into world of humans, creatures, and humans who have crazy bone swords that hunt creatures.
I really enjoyed the pace and how easy it was to get sucked into this story. Perfect for getting out of a reading slump or for a weekend you want to quickly binge an exciting story. This story also had a surprisingly cute ending that I was not expecting and left me feeling very satisfied with the shorter story.
If you liked the vibes of the show Lost Girl, I think you'd like this story. It's different, but has similar vibes and the core of creatures blending in amongst humans trying to live their lives and be who they are without getting killed.
Beautifully written and exciting to read, highly recommend.

Audiobook is really good, nice to listen too and added to the richness of the story.

"When Among Crows " by Veronica Roth is a Slavic folktale and Urban fantasy novella set in modern-day Chicago. I really liked this one!

The characters are written clearly, and there is good action and a clear plot. Baba Jaga, the most powerful witch, figures heavily in this story. Dymitr is the main character, a human who learns as a young child from his grandmother how to identify Zmor and Stryga, among other non-human creatures.

Ala is a Zmora with a family bloodline curse, but she can blend in with the humans pretty well. Niko is another important character, but it's better not to tell much about him yet.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 35/8 = 4.375, 4 stars

The narration is excellent with multiple narrators: Helen Laser, James Fouhy, and Tim Campbell. The audiobook is 4 hrs 38 min at speed 1.0.

It really is better to go into this without much info. on the plot. There is some blood and pain that is plot relevant. I highly recommend this book to people who like short fantasies, especially Slavic ones.

Oh yes, and OMG! I didn't realize until after reading (and loving it!) that it's by the same author who wrote the Divergent series. I loved that series!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, Tor Books, and Veronica Roth for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I love a story with folklore elements. And this was short and sweet. I didn’t see the twist at the end coming. I liked the characters and the narrators did a great job.

This Slavic folklore tale, set in urban Chicago, was absolutely brilliant. Novellas always leave me wanting a bit more, but this one does a wonderful job packing a punch. I absolutely loved the characters, mythos, and pacing. 4.5 stars. Highly recommend the audiobook, it was fantastically narrated.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for an audio-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The great news about this audiobook is that it avoids some of the challenges I tend to experience while listening to fantasy while driving. I think the fact that it's a novella means the world building doesn't get excessively deep in a way that makes it hard to follow — it's nice and direct! On the other hand, while I liked the characters and found them interesting, I didn't find myself super invested in their stories. I thought the plot was a bit predictable overall, but that doesn't mean it wasn't pleasant to follow along. I'd recommend this for casual fans of Slavic folklore, witches, and other similar "monsters" looking for a quick, decent audiobook to fill an afternoon.

This is such a a thrilling urban fantasy novella. I love the Slavic folklore inspiration and the setting in Chicago. I'm always so impressed when authors are able to write a relatively short story and still make it feel complete, and Roth did exactly that.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

The only crime this book has is it was not a full novel! I want to read more of this world and Roth has just teased me! The mythology was fascinating to read and I liked the urban setting. I haven't read a book by Roth since her YA Divergent series when I was a teenager. I think Roth has found her lane in writing and I would definitely read more if she wrote about this world.

The plot is refreshingly unique compared to many contemporary fantasy novels, beautifully weaving Slavic folklore into a gripping narrative. Roth quickly immerses readers into this atmospheric world, filled with magic and mystery. Though the novella is packed with intriguing hints, the final revelations still managed to surprise me.

The characters are engaging and relatable, and the narrators brought them to life, despite some minor accent confusion. Roth skillfully blurs the lines between good and evil, challenging traditional moral dichotomies and reinforcing the complexity of these concepts.

By the end, I was left wanting more in the best possible way. I had grown so attached to the characters that I longed to continue their journey and explore their future adventures, especially given the found family dynamic and budding romances.

Roth’s ability to create such a vivid and compelling world in just 176 pages is remarkable. For those interested in visual inspiration, her Pinterest board for the book perfectly captures its essence.

I experienced this story via audiobook, and the narrators did a fantastic job. Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“When among crows, you must caw as one”. That saying hooked me right at the start. I wish the story kept up that momentum.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy.

This novella has ample mystery, fantasy, folklore and special appearances from the one and only Baba Yaga. On paper those features are a recipe for an instant buy in my opinion. If this was a full length novel with fleshed out characters we are given the time to love or even care about this could have been a five star.

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When Among Crows by Veronica Roth
adventurous dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance audio copy for review. All opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Dymitr is a Knight of the Holy Order, sworn to hunt the monsters that prey on humans. He comes to Chicago and meets Ala, a zmora, cursed to a life of fear, pain, asnd an early death. He offers her a cure in exchange for her help finding Baba Jaga. Niko is a rare male strzygon who gets pulled into their quest along the way.

Set in Chicago and drawing heavily from Polish folklore, this novella tells a story og grief and loss, guilt and redemption. I loved all three main characters and the story itself. The folklore that weaves through the story was unfamiliar to me, but I was given enough info to understand what was happening. The narrators were excellent in bringing the story to life. This tale will live with me for a very long time, and I suspect i will reread it more than once or twice.