Author: Olive Blake
Genre: Fiction ; Adult ; Fantasy ; Mystery ; LGBTQA+ ; Science fiction
Publication: September 6, 2022 by Tor Trade
Pages: 375
Format Read In: Audiobook
Summary from Goodreads (GOODREADS LINK)
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.
Trigger warnings: Sexual manipulation ; Murder ; Psychological manipulation ; Sexual content (non-graphic)
My Review [MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD]:
I was on a dark academia kick when I picked up this very-buzzy book. I like the simplicity of the cover and the eye motif, though I like this version just as much:
What I Liked
- I can see why people called this an anti-found family book; each character is either an unlikeable, cutthroat character or relatively boring, and no one really forms close bonds. They’re more likely to try and kill each other, frankly. And I surprised myself but kind of digging that dynamic, when I usually adore found family. But just watching a bunch of toxic, powerful, manipulative people try to get along was intriguing.
- Nico’s relationship with Gideon was so adorable! The one wholesome relationship, tbh, and they didn’t even get enough scenes in this novel
- Despite hating Callum, I found his relationship with Tristan interesting in it’s toxicity. I liked how Tristan was sort of the only person who could rattle calm, cool, evil Callum with little effort.
- The twist at the end did catch me off guard but I also found it a cope out for Libby and Tristan’s relationship.
What I Didn’t Like
- It’s hard to get into because the novel is so heavy with the dark academia vibes, rather than having meat you could bite into, and it was a struggle to grasp the magic system. That should be one of the most important things to establish in your first novel when setting up a fantasy dark academia.
- As I said above, I instantly don’t like Callum’s snobby, sexist attitude. Making him a rich, white South African completely turned me off him. I know that’s the point but I can still hate every minute he was on page, except for his scenes with Tristan.
- Libby’s self doubt is definitely annoying. She’s all-together very annoying, which makes me wonder why other characters were interested in her. She’s supposedly also super powerful but we just don’t get that sense in this first book.
Conclusion
While there were factors I enjoyed, I feel like this book was carried by the vibes instead of being a proper dark academia set in a fantasy. I likely won’t pick up the next novels.
My Rating: Raining
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