Y’all, if you love urban fantasy or you’re wondering where to start, you need to read When Among Crows! Veronica Roth’s latest is a novella that transports us to Chicago and into a fantastical world where the creatures of Slavic folklore live among us. Zmoras, strzygis, wraiths and many other fascinating mythical beings have fled persecution and adapted so well that their human neighbors will never know who they truly are. Despite their efforts to blend in, these creatures are still being ruthlessly hunted by a group of knights known as the Holy Order. And here is where Roth’s story begins.

Dymitr and Ala couldn’t be more different, but they’ve both known pain, and Dymitr has an enchanted flower that Ala desperately needs to cure her of the cruel curse she inherited from her mother. Dymitr wants an audience with Baba Jaga and he thinks Ala might be the only way to get one. Ala has no idea that Dymitr is her enemy as she leads him and us deeper into her mythical world. Niko doesn’t either, but that doesn’t stop him from joining them on their race to save Ala and to find Baba Jaga before the enchanted flower dies along with their hopes for a cure.

Y’all this novella gave me ALL the feels. This novella is so short and brilliant that I don’t want to give away any spoilers. There’s a little bit of romance, but honestly it’s the found family that had me in a chokehold. The characters were so complex, each carrying their own cursed burdens, I felt for all three of them. I knew next to nothing about Slavic folklore or Polish mythology, but this novella had me desperate for more. And I’ve never been to Chicago but I felt like I was there. I would 100% return to this world, but Roth did a fantastic job tying everything up in a satisfying conclusion. I only wish the romance had been fleshed out a bit more, but it’s a novella, so I get it. Thank you Veronica Roth for writing this! And thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the ARC!!!

I feel like I was lost in a lot of the book. I have always enjoyed Veronica Roth's books but I just couldn't get into this one.

When Among Crows

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillian.audio for the ARC and ALC of this book.

This book was unfortunately a miss for me. I listened to the audio but was immediately lost so I had to follow along in the book. I felt as though there was so much not explained in the beginning. Like maybe I needed more backstory.
I’m sure this will be a hit for others, it just wasn’t for me.
The reason I grabbed this book was because of the author. I was a huge fan of Divergent. However, this is not similar.

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of "When Among Crows" by Veronica Roth in exchange for an honest review.

Dymitr joins forces with Ala, a fear-eating zmora, to find the legendary witch, Baba Jaga. Ala wants to break a curse that has destroyed her family and now threatens her too. Dymitr's motives are more mysterious, but he's willing to face extraordinary challenges to track down Jaga. Along the way, another demon Niko joins them as they travel the dark, magical side of Chicago. They are hunted by an ancient order of Knights, dedicated to killing every supernatural being they find.

When Among Crows is an incredible story. Roth makes this modern urban fantasy feel timeless. A novella feel epic. She brings story elements we're all familiar with - a quest, a harried march through unfamiliar territory, legendary Baba Jaga - with less familiar elements from Polish folklore. It's exciting and emotional. It wrestles with questions about loyalty, guilt, grief, and forgiveness. It's by turns exciting and creepy.

It might have helped to include a glossary in the back to keep the lore straight, but other than that, it is absolutely amazing. Recommended for readers who enjoy the Witcher, Slavic folklore, urban fantasy, and anyone who just loves a really well written adventure.

This is a short novella with the story revolving around Dymitr who makes a deadly journey to pluck a flower that’s impossible for a mortal. The story then moves us through a variety of mythical creatures on whom Dymitr has to rely on to accomplish his goal which is intertwined with his hidden identity. Dark and unpredictable, this story takes you into a world of regret, hope, mythology, a found family, and hint of a romance. I wasn’t familiar with most of the creatures mentioned so I had to google them and they are indeed a fascinating bunch! The character descriptions were refreshing as they were new to me. I do not want to meet any of them for real though.

It seems to me that the plot is rather open even with the ending so maybe this is sneak peak to a series? I’d definitely keep an eye out if that’s the case as the characters, premise and dynamics are well worth the hype. I hope we see more of these characters in the future.

Thank you Tor books for my e-ARC. All opinions are of my own.

“𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬” 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

*I usually post the synopsis right here but I think this is a great book to go into blind, so I’ll let you all make that choice for yourself!*


As I said, I went into this having no idea what to expect and read the synopsis after I finished, and I’m so glad I did because I think the not knowing made it even better. This was a great story with such neat magic, I truly only wish it was longer and some parts were more fleshed out (sitting at less than 200 pages it was definitely short for my tastes). Veronica Roth is a great storyteller and I overall really enjoyed this one.

Thank you to @torbooks and @netgalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 is our 5/14!

Excellent novella about trying for redemption. Slavic mythology isn’t the most common choice in urban fantasy so that gives it a fresh feel too. Not a paranormal romance so if that’s your preferred flavor of urban fantasy it might not be your first choice. But it would be well worth reading anyway if you prefer your fantasy character driven.

3 ⭐️

The writing in ‘When Among Crows’ was great, but the story just wasn’t for me. I would still recommend this book though!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor for allowing me to read this book

This was a deeply dark, whimsical, and magical story. I really liked that in such a short amount of space, Roth built an entire world with systems in place, yet it didn't feel overwhelming or take up most of the story.

Dymitr is on a quest to find an impossible flower, and to find the elusive Baba Jaga. His motivations and goals are secret, but along the way he shares pieces of himself with his companions, Niko and Ala.

This was hauntingly beautiful, and an examination of what it means to be whole, and to redeem yourself in your own eyes versus the eyes of others.

Veronica Roth's novella "When Among Crows" is a captivating journey into a world where folklore and modernity collide, earning a solid four stars in my book. From the moment I cracked it open, I was entranced by the rich tapestry of Polish and Slavic mythology woven seamlessly into the narrative.

What truly sets this novella apart is its cast of characters, each one as multifaceted as a jigsaw puzzle piece, fitting together to create a compelling story. Dymitr, burdened with guilt, exudes raw emotion that leaps off the page, while Ala and Niko add depth and complexity to the ensemble. Roth's masterful storytelling effortlessly integrates their pasts into the present, making their motivations feel deeply personal and relatable.

But it's not just the characters that shine—Roth's passion for folklore is evident in every word, infusing the story with a sense of wonder and magic. The exploration of heritage and identity through the lens of folklore adds layers of depth to an already captivating tale.

While the novella may have benefited from a bit more exploration of the found-family dynamic hinted at, the overall pacing is spot-on, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. And despite its brevity, "When Among Crows" manages to pack an emotional punch that lingers long after the final page.

In short, "When Among Crows" is a magical whirlwind of a novella—a story of redemption, family, and the power of folklore to shape our lives. With its vivid characters and enchanting world-building, it's a must-read for fans of urban fantasy and folklore alike.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted (free) ARC

If Veronica writes it, I’ll give it a read.

When Among Crows is definitely for the fantasy lovers out there, of which I myself am just venturing into. I didn’t love the characters, so it made it somewhat difficult to really get into the story. I didn’t feel I could really connect with them.

I think someone who truly loves the genre would be more appreciative of the story than I was, and would enjoy the adventures it held.

I'm not that big of a fan of urban fantasy, but I really enjoyed this one. The writing, lore, and characters were great. My only complaint is that I wish this were flushed out a bit more to be a full length story! Some of the literary devices used to move the story along were cliche, and had this been a full-length book, maybe could have been avoided.

This was a fantastic novella set in a fictional world. I would have loved if this had been a full length book. So good and fast paced.

I really didn’t understand any of this. I couldn’t get interested in it. I did love the Divergent series though.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this pretty early on, which is rather sad for me. I loved everything this had going for it and I like Veronica's other works, but this just did not hook me and it took me forever to get into the story. Then graphic nail torture was on page and thats something I just cant handle, along with eye piercing.

When I saw Veronica Roth was releasing a new fantasy novella I was SO EXCITED. While I do often find it difficult to fully rate and review novellas because of the length, I was very impressed with how much I enjoyed this novella, considering Roth had to world build and have a plot all in a mere 176 pages.

When Among Crows is set in Chicago, following three main characters: Dymitr, Niko, and Ala. Each character carries a burden that has been passed down to them through generations. I loved the setting of an urban Chicago filled with all the mystical folklorian characters and elements you may expect. The pacing of this novella was incredible, going from heartbreaking moments between characters confronting their inner demons and past, then to bloody gory moments of action and fighting. There were many important themes in this novella that Roth managed to reflect on. I honestly found myself wishing that this novella would have been a full book, to have more chapters and time with each of the characters, although I thought Roth did a good job of fleshing them out in a limited amount of time. This was a great start for Roth's adult fantasy debut and I'm excited to see what she does in the future!!

Thank you to Tor books for sending me this free advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

What a great novella!

I have been on such a huge Urban fantasy kick lately, and even though this was a novella, I did not feel like anything was lacking. In fact, one thing that I feel the fantasy genre suffers from as a whole is long-winded exposition and this book, due to its length, gets you right into the action. There was sufficient world building and character development for the length and I felt completely drawn into the story. It was such a quick read, but I did not walk away feeling like the story was unfinished.

Perfect if you want a quick urban fantasy read without all the exposition. Great if you like gritty fairy tales

I am a bit sore I have to dnf WHEN AMONG CROWS at 39%, but only a bit, and I think that is unfortunately a sign of a few of the problems I was having while reading.

This novella has such an interesting premise that really kept me going. I loved the elements of Slavic folklore and how the narrative didn't shy away from them. I also normally enjoy magic centered around pain, but graphic nail gore is one of the few things I just can't read, which led to my very sudden DNF. I liked pretty much every other aspect of the mystical misery, though there was something missing, though at least it wasn't bad enough for me to dnf sooner? I wish I was more experienced or smart enough to put my finger on it, but the book didn't hook me the way I wanted it to. Dymitr is normally a character I would be obsessed with, but something about the writing didn't dive deep enough into it for me. Ala was very cool, at least.

Overall, I'll wonder what I missed out on, but I'm okay waiting for a review with spoilers or for someone I know to read this.

Thank you, NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Dymitr is part of a long line of hunters, who sacrificed their souls to slay monsters. Now in order to kill the legendary witch Baba Jaga, he's forced to ally with the one he's sworn to kill. On the other side, Ala is a fear-eating zmora and she's slowly waiting for her death, for her curse. When Dmitr offers the cure in exchange for her help, she is ready to accept. They will have to fight against time and the wrath of Chicago's underworld, with Dmitr's secrets ready to destroy them all.

When among crows is a book you will devour, not only because it's very short, but mostly because it's captivating and alluring. The setting is so intriguing, a modern fairytale, a monster hunter and a monster forced to strike a deal. It's intriguing, fascinating and so well written you feel like you're there with Ala and Dmitr! Inspired by Slavic folklore, is a story about redemption and atonement, longing and loss, love and more.
So recommended!

the perfect novella for folklore & fantasy lovers!

“when among crows” gives us a fresh take on modern folklore by pulling from Polish folktales. i absolutely loved learning about the creatures & monsters, especially the dynamics between the characters who come from various backgrounds and are forced to band together. fans of the grishaverse and the shadowhunters books will be absolutely captivated!

for such a short story (under 200 pages) i was pleasantly surprised at how detailed and well organized the overall plot was. this truly feels like a dark, gritty, fairytale come to life.

thank you to Tor and Netgalley for the advance copy & audiobook!