A review by book0logy
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

adventurous reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

 
This book has the bones of something brilliant, but ties itself into too many knots to achieve it.

SPOILERS 

Ezra felt like a half character, one that was maybe invented and inserted into the narrative in a way that I wasn’t sure worked. His early appearance in the book doesn’t work with the latter. 

Also, I never felt like I fully grasped the magic system in this book. I liked the way that it weaves magic, physics and philosophy. But the parameters of it never felt set, and seemed to shift with what was needed in the scene. I wanted rules to brush up against. 

Also why is everyone in love with Libby? But also didn’t massively grieve her? It was like highkey treated like a non-event by anyone in power in the novel. 

With such a premise of The Library of Alexandria, it felt like the library would be more of a character. Especially as it can give people the books they need. I wanted the books to feel magical, alive, and like something that was guiding them. That they find out the reason of this is because generations of intelligent medians had been sacrificed and lived on.