In this intense heat, I was looking for a good book to curl up with inside in front of the air conditioning, and I found it. When Among Crows is a new urban fantasy book by Veronica Roth, author of the bestselling Divergent series for young adults.
In this book, Roth leaves the dystopian teenage setting for a gritty urban fantasy. Set in modern-day Chicago, the story focuses on the hidden world of magic that lies just beneath the surface, full of tensions created by its human and non-human inhabitants. When Among Crows is filled with rich Slavic folklore: the fear-eating Zmora, the wrath-eating Strzyga, and even the legendary witch Baba Yaga.
When Among Crows follows Dymitr, who comes from a long line of hunters who must split their souls for the weapon they use against the monsters they kill. He comes to Chicago to complete a very dangerous mission: kill Baga Jaga. To accomplish this task, Dymitr must enlist the help of the people he is sworn to destroy.
Ala, a frightened Zmora, is under a very painful curse that is slowly consuming her, and when Dymitr offers her a chance to be cured, the offer is too good to resist at any cost.
Ala and Dymitr must race against time and face many more characters from Slavic mythology as they try to survive long enough to find what they’re looking for. But everyone has secrets, and when their true motives come to light, they’ll discover what it takes to find sincere repentance and true redemption.
Roth’s talent for storytelling is on full display, as she manages to tell an amazing story with complex and believable characters in just 163 pages, even though their world is full of fantastical elements.
The book was incredibly fun, I read it in one sitting. The plot is fast-paced, but the world is detailed and complex, which makes Roth’s Chicago underworld feel authentic and entertaining. I highly recommend this book to any fan of urban fantasy or anyone who wants to learn more about Slavic folklore.
• Rachel Fowler is a bookseller at Inklings Bookshop. She and other Inklings staff review books here every week.
