Name: Valentina's review of The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake
Item: The Atlas Paradox
Rating: 3.5
Author: Valentina

Olivie Blake

The Atlas Paradox

The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation. Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person's inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality-an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society's archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will.Most of them.

The Atlas Six

Elle bagnall

Given a task, even a lab rat can find gratification; from a prescribed morality, contentment; from the realization of a calling, the provenance of a cause. Power with- out purpose was the real trap, the true paralysis. The freedom of endless choices wasn't meant for human minds.

But the moment we realise we can feel fulfilled without carrying the burdens of belonging to another- that we can experience rapture without being someone's other half, and therefore beholden to their weaknesses, to their faults and failures and their many insufferable fractures then we're free, arent we?

 He had such a talent for finding women who put themselves first. It was like he was some sort of sniffer dog for emotional fatality, always able to dig it up from the one person in the room who would have no trouble making him feel small

we have always been a species highly susceptible to the call of the distant unknown. 

Six extraordinary magicians
Five chances to win
One secret society

Once a decade, the world's best magicians are invited to join the elite Alexandrian Society. Its members enjoy a lifetime of power and access to ancient secrets. But only five places are offered. So, after recruitment by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, the candidates must complete a rigorous year of arcane study.

Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona are inseparable enemies and cosmologists who can control matter with their minds. Parisa Kamali is a telepath, Reina Mori understands the flow of life itself and Callum Nova can manipulate desires. Finally there's Tristan Caine, whose powers mystify even himself. The rivals must survive their trials. And if they can prove themselves, they will. Most of them.

Julia Rutgers

Reina gave the grass a derogatory look (it might have insulted her; she had mentioned once that certain types of English lawns had a tendency to be excessively entitled)

The little known truth of the matter is that the Library of Alexandria burned down to save itself. It died to rise again, its burning less metaphorically phoenix-like and more strategically Sherlockian.

I’m really between him and Tristan for Libby. 

Ivory Flores

“If not for her, Nico might not have noticed most of the things he did, and probably vice versa. A uniquely upsetting curse, really, how little he knew how to exist when she wasn’t there.” 

Wissen ist tödlich

Beware the man who faces you unarmed. If in his eyes you are not the target, then you can be sure you are the weapon

The much-acclaimed viral sensation from Olivie Blake, The Atlas Six--now newly revised and edited with additional content. • The tag #theatlassix has millions of views on TikTok • A dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like The Secret History meets The Umbrella Academy • The first in an explosive trilogy The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation. Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will. Most of them. "Lethally smart. Filled with a cast of brilliantly realized characters, each entangled with one another in torturously delicious ways, The Atlas Six will grip you by the throat and refuse to let go. Olivie Blake is a mind-blowing talent. " — Chloe Gong, author of NYT Bestselling These Violent Delights "The Atlas Six is a fantasy novel that understands that what the people want is more dark academia stories with flawless vibes and aesthetics and hot morally fraudulent characters who are constantly on the verge of either killing each other or fucking each other. I'm the people." — chai, viral book reviewer @proyearner

praline

Unnecessary warmth, given the spring breeze outside, but the Society was nothing if not committed to aesthetics.

We are medeians because we will never have enough, Callum said hoarsely. "We aren't normal; we are gods born with pain built in. We are incendiary beings and we are flawed, except the weaknesses we pretend to have are not our true weaknesses at all. We are not soft, we do not suffer impairment or frailty—we imitate it.”

She had never been so lovely, so broken. She made devastation look like riches, like jewels.

The world was filled with poets who thought a woman's love had unmade them. 

“I am not good,” Dalton told her, rasping it into her mouth. “No one here is good. Knowledge is carnage. You can't have it without sacrifice.”

In Reina's mind, they were binary stars, trapped in each other's gravitational field and easily diminished without the other's opposing force. She wasn't at all surprised when she discovered one was right- handed (Nico) and the other left- (Libby).

She had always had a bit of a look to her as if she might immediately report any wrongdoing, and the fact that she was currently dressed like a page from the spring catalogue for school prefects (square-neck cardigan, pleated skirt, ballet flats) certainly didn't help.

Typical; faux-intellectualism would always be appealing to any girl who'd spent too much time in France. It was about as Parisian as bobs, sartorial minimalism, and cheese.

i v e t t e 

“Think how interesting I could be to someone else,” he suggested. “A homicidal academic.”

I think about these two every day, you don’t understand. 

Her hair slipped over one shoulder, catching his eye. 

“Because you think I might not want you?”

“Because I think you might,” he said, “and that would be disastrous. Calamitous even.”

Lily

Really, there was nothing more dangerous than a woman who knew her own worth.  - Parisa

"The day you are not a fire," he said, "is the day the earth will fall still for me." 

sage g

you don’t have to be sorry for existing, you know

callum nova oh my god do you know how insane i am why would you say that to him

The truth is I don't want to hurt you. This, what I'm doing to you, I would never have done it if not to save you. To save us.

Paula

"... they were binary stars, trapped in each other's gravitational field and easily diminished without the other's opposing force." 

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake is the runaway TikTok must-read fantasy novel of the year. If you loved Ninth House and A Deadly Education, you'll love this. The world's best young magicians accept the opportunity of a lifetime. Six are chosen. Only five will walk away. The Alexandrian Society is a secret society of magical academicians, the best in the world. Their members are caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity. And those who earn a place among their number will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams. Each decade, the world's six most uniquely talented magicians are selected for initiation - and here are the chosen few . . . - Libby Rhodes and Nicolás Ferrer de Varona: inseparable enemies, cosmologists who can control matter with their minds. - Reina Mori: a naturalist who can speak the language of life itself. - Parisa Kamali: a mind reader whose powers of seduction are unmatched. - Tristan Caine: the son of a crime kingpin who can see the secrets of the universe. - Callum Nova: an insanely rich pretty boy who could bring about the end of the world. He need only ask. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they must spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they will be permitted access to the Society's archives and judged on their contributions to arcane areas of knowledge. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. If they can prove themselves to be the best, they will survive. Most of them.

The Atlas Six: The Atlas Book 1

Lucille

"The compulsion to be unique, which is at war with the desire to belong to a single identifiable sameness."

Thequeen

I'm normally not the one to buy fantasy books, but my friend gifted me this and so sooner or later I got around to finally reading it. Is this normal for fantasy books, that for the first 300 pages literally nothing happens? I was already happy that I would not have to buy the second book, but then the last 50 pages were such a rollercoaster, that I can't wait to start the next.

Valentina

Although the story was quite compelling, Magic? A secret society? These are all components I would traditionally love in a book (something to really get me hooked!). I loved the creativity or the store/premise but I had a hard time with the writing style. In my personal opinion, I find it lacking in prose/flair. We're writing about magic and secret societies and it feels like the writing is extremely dry. However, I loved the characters enough to want to push through the book and the end kept me wanting so onto the 2nd book!

Nina Bertrand

My brain is sore after binge-reading this book. So many concepts and theories that stretched my mind trying to keep up. Very well done. 

I loved the characters and how intricately written they all were. Blake eloquently captures the many faces of the human condition. 

Kierce

My brain is sore after binge-reading this book. So many concepts and theories that stretched my mind trying to keep up. Very well done. 

I loved the characters and how intricately written they all were. Blake eloquently captures the many faces of the human condition. 



So many characters with very well done different personalities. I look forward to how their relations to each other grows and shifts.

Jordan

Not really in the mood to read the second book. There are some good ideas and a few twists but where has the world building gone? In the second book? Too late…and too long when the 6 characters are too much alike (24/7 bad temper, arrogant, predictable) and so stereotypical. Apart from Gedeon and maybe Ezra, I was not so much intrigued.

I don’t mind unpleasant characters but I wish they were developed. 

That said, I will read another book from O.Blake, probably a standalone this time.

Barbara

Not really in the mood to read the second book. There are some good ideas and a few twists but where has the world building gone? In the second book? Too late…and too long when the 6 characters are too much alike (24/7 bad temper, arrogant, predictable) and so stereotypical. Apart from Gedeon and maybe Ezra, I was not so much intrigued.

I don’t mind unpleasant characters but I wish they were developed. 

That said, I will read another book from O.Blake, probably a standalone this time.

I didn’t really like this at all. Felt that this was a bad execution of what could have been a really great story. The characters are starting to grow on me but I didn’t enjoy the story enough to keep reading. Wish I enjoyed this

Eimear O'Connor 

I really loved the complexity of this world and how the dark academia power dissection revolved around the power of knowledge. Lots of interesting applications of epistemic injustice, and all in an enjoyable fantasy novel!

Amelia Hruby

SEGRETI. TRADIMENTI. POTERE. BENVENUTI NELLA SOCIETÀ ALESSANDRINA «Cos'altro se non la morte potrebbe conferire una tale vita alla conoscenza che proteggiamo?» Ogni dieci anni, ai sei maghi più talentuosi in circolazione viene offerta la possibilità di conquistarsi un posto nella Società Alessandrina, l'istituzione più segreta ed esclusiva del mondo, che garantirà loro potere e prestigio oltre ogni limite. In occasione della nuova iniziazione, il misterioso Atlas Blakely sceglie: Libby Rhodes e Nico de Varona, due fisicisti che controllano gli elementi e sono in competizione da tempo immemore; Reina Mori, una naturalista che comprende il linguaggio della vita stessa; Parisa Kamali, una telepatica per cui la mente non conosce segreti; Callum Nova, un empatico in grado di far fare agli altri qualunque cosa; e Tristan Caine, capace di smascherare qualsiasi illusione. Ciascuno dei prescelti dovrà dimostrare di meritare l'accesso alla Società e lottare con tutte le sue forze per ottenerlo, sebbene ciò significhi stringere alleanze con i nemici giurati e tradire gli amici più fidati. Perché, anche se i candidati straordinari sono sei, i posti nella Società sono solo cinque. E nessuno vuole essere eliminato. Costi quel che costi. Venduto in oltre 18 Paesi, The Atlas Six, primo volume della trilogia di Olivie Blake, è divenuto un caso editoriale internazionale grazie a Tik Tok ancor prima della pubblicazione, ha esordito nella classifica del New York Times ed è già attesissimo dai lettori di tutto il mondo. Amazon Studios ne ha acquisito i diritti per farne una serie tv.

Dope magical power system. Could do without the seductive character art at the start of chapters.

Chase Leitner

nah bc why did i read a book-long trailer

felicity hu

i am very much confused and excited,,, i feel strange. but in a good way. i loved the book so much all the gay little characters running around in this gay little world

Was considering pushing myself to finish it, but in the end it just didn't feel worth it. Intriguing back blurb but the execution of the idea/ story just isn't there. In the end I decided to DNF it because it felt like it was holding me back from books I have in my "to be read"- pile that I'm just a lit more intrigued by. Might revisit it (probably not though). 

Tove Söderberg

Eva Ströberg

This book bore me to pieces. The back story is interesting, the execution is rubbish. What is it with YA books with made-up names? Reminds me of Indonesian parents in the 90s giving their kids ridiculous names. 

The characters were dulls, the story was unclear, yeah the whole Alexandrian society is interesting, but they kept it from the audience all the time and in the end I just gave up. 

I did finish the book, with a lot of pain

Heather Margaret

well, add another book with magic that I am sucked into and can’t wait for more.

I thought i would like this book and i really wanted to but unfortunately it wasn’t that good. The ending was intriguing enough to make me start the next one though.

Christine

Very interesting but I feel like I still didn’t completely understood the whole world they are living in 

Pia 

The much-acclaimed BookTok sensation, now newly revised and edited with additional content. • The tag #theatlassix already has millions of views on TikTok • A dark academic debut fantasy with an established cult following that reads like THE SECRET HISTORY meets THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY • The first in an explosive trilogy The Alexandrian Society, caretakers of lost knowledge from the greatest civilizations of antiquity, are the foremost secret society of magical academicians in the world. Those who earn a place among the Alexandrians will secure a life of wealth, power, and prestige beyond their wildest dreams, and each decade, only the six most uniquely talented magicians are selected to be considered for initiation. Enter the latest round of six: Libby Rhodes and Nico de Varona, unwilling halves of an unfathomable whole, who exert uncanny control over every element of physicality. Reina Mori, a naturalist, who can intuit the language of life itself. Parisa Kamali, a telepath who can traverse the depths of the subconscious, navigating worlds inside the human mind. Callum Nova, an empath easily mistaken for a manipulative illusionist, who can influence the intimate workings of a person’s inner self. Finally, there is Tristan Caine, who can see through illusions to a new structure of reality—an ability so rare that neither he nor his peers can fully grasp its implications. When the candidates are recruited by the mysterious Atlas Blakely, they are told they will have one year to qualify for initiation, during which time they will be permitted preliminary access to the Society’s archives and judged based on their contributions to various subjects of impossibility: time and space, luck and thought, life and death. Five, they are told, will be initiated. One will be eliminated. The six potential initiates will fight to survive the next year of their lives, and if they can prove themselves to be the best among their rivals, most of them will. Most of them.

Moonchild

Perfect, perfect, perfect I really thought the dark academia vibe wasn’t for me but, this was absolutely amazing.
The ambience the different perspectives of each characters.
An amazing writing and vivid descriptions, I felt like I was there with them I need to read the second one

Was struggling to finish this book and i really really want to like it, but i dont. Nevertheless, the ending is intriguing, kind of makes me wanna read the next book, but we'll see.

arwen

Hanna Rybchynska

Wow! This was really fun! I would like to re-read it!

Honestly, this book was kind of hard to get through towards the end. I had a lot of hope for it because it seemed like that kind of book that completely flipped everything over in the very end and bumps up the rating, but no. Usually, for a good cliffhanger ending I IMMEDIATELY borrow the next one in the series to read at least the first chapter. But this one; when it ended I just felt slightly disappointed. Probably bc this book has a LOT of (undeserved) hype on TikTok. 

There were so many windy paragraphs on magic and control or whatever, that at one point I legitimitely had no idea what they were saying. I get rereading paragraphs, (I find this happen on a lot of Dark Academic books, but so far those have actually been worth it) but this one is just. They don't stop yapping. Just shut up and move the story along, will you. It honestly gets a little unstructured at times.

Though one thing I enjoyed was the characters. They are arguably the only reason I kept reading. I absolutely loved Tristan's story.

The book felt a little pretentious. The plot was okay at best. Definitely overhyped on TikTok.

mahek 

Honestly, this book was kind of hard to get through towards the end. I had a lot of hope for it because it seemed like that kind of book that completely flipped everything over in the very end and bumps up the rating, but no. Usually, for a good cliffhanger ending I IMMEDIATELY borrow the next one in the series to read at least the first chapter. But this one; when it ended I just felt slightly disappointed. Probably bc this book has a LOT of (undeserved) hype on TikTok. 

There were so many windy paragraphs on magic and control or whatever, that at one point I legitimitely had no idea what they were saying. I get rereading paragraphs, (I find this happen on a lot of Dark Academic books, but so far those have actually been worth it) but this one is just. They don't stop yapping. Just shut up and move the story along, will you. It honestly gets a little unstructured at times.

Though one thing I enjoyed was the characters. They are arguably the only reason I kept reading. I absolutely loved Tristan's story.

Conclusion,

The book felt a little pretentious. The plot was okay at best. Definitely overhyped on TikTok.

Megan

The Atlas Six is full of messy ships, confusing magic, and all too many twists and turns. There were points in which I adored this book and its characters, and far more points where I found the descriptions to be long and the twists to be… kind of lame (for lack of a better word). Don’t get me wrong, I fell in love with these characters and their messy lives, and I will continue to read the series to find out where they go. However, the plot of this book felt weird and rushed, with huge plot points occurring in long-drawn out thought dumps. I wish this book had shown me more, instead of telling me nearly everything. On top of that, it felt unsatisfying as a start to a series. It left me wanting more, but with absolutely no finality. Because I love the 6 main characters so much, this gets three stars from me.

Read my full review here: https://meglovescliches.substack.com/...

Just couldn't get through it. Boring and slow.

envee

didn't really vibe with it. probably have to re-read sometime

Thequeen &
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

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Thequeen &The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake

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Thequeen &
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake