Description

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When Among Crows is swift and striking, drawing from the deep well of Slavic folklore and asking if redemption and atonement can be found in embracing what we most fear.

We bear the sword, and we bear the pain of the sword.

Pain is Dymitr’s calling. His family is one in a long line of hunters who sacrifice their souls to slay monsters. Now he’s tasked with a deadly mission: find the legendary witch Baba Jaga. To reach her, Dymitr must ally with the ones he’s sworn to kill.

Pain is Ala’s inheritance. A fear-eating zmora with little left to lose, Ala awaits death from the curse she carries. When Dymitr offers her a cure in exchange for her help, she has no choice but to agree.

Together they must fight against time and the wrath of the Chicago underworld. But Dymitr’s secrets—and his true motives—may be the thing that actually destroys them.

"Lovely, lush, and full of otherworldly longing, this modern fairytale about righteousness and the weight we bear for love is Roth at her most imaginative and ethereal."—Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

About the Author

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Veronica Roth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, and Four: A Divergent Collection), the Carve the Mark duology (Carve the Mark, The Fates Divide), The End and Other Beginnings collection of short fiction, Chosen Ones, and many short stories and essays. She lives in Chicago.

Praise For…

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“Rich with myth and tapped into the deepest kinds of magic, Roth has created a deliciously strange, multi-layered mystery full of very human longing.”—Leigh Bardugo, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Ninth House

"Lovely, lush, and full of otherworldly longing, this modern fairytale about righteousness and the weight we bear for love is Roth at her most imaginative and ethereal."—Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six

“Fairytale lovers will feast on this new modern fantasy. . . Roth delivers a new twist on the Slavic legend of Baba Jaga, crafting an enchanting world full of monsters, knights, and witches.”—Entertainment Weekly

"A tantalizing blend of gritty Chicago noir and Eastern European folklore, When Among Crows is a thrilling tale of magic and uneasy alliances, betrayal and redemption. This book reminded me why I love urban fantasy."—Cassandra Clare, New York Times bestselling author of Sword Catcher

"Deliciously frightening folklore perfectly mixed with adventure, heart, and sinister surprise."—Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of Book of Night

“A dense little novella with a wildly original premise. . . One part road trip and one part redemption quest, this story packs a punch.”—Paste

"I give it all the stars. A novella that harbors inside it a wonderfully fleshed out world of Slavic myth living just under the surface of modern Chicago. There are moments of terror and violence. There are also moments of quiet intimacy. Roth accomplishes something magical in a very small number of pages and tells a heartbreaking and beautiful story. 5/5 would return to this world and these characters in a heartbeat.”—Rebecca Roanhorse, New York Times bestselling author of Black Sun

“From word one, Roth captivates the reader and takes you into a folkloric Chicago full of dark magic and dark delight."—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of Black River Orchard and The Book of Accidents

"This short, atmospheric book proves that less is often more."—Kirkus Reviews

"Roth packs a tremendous amount of world building, character development, and action into this novella inspired by Polish folklore... Roth's fantasy novels are always a hit; expect nothing less from her short latest."—Booklist, STARRED review

“When Among Crows feels real and tangible in a way that makes me recognize Chicago. It is also fantastic in the old sense of the word, in that it feels like a curtain has been pulled away so that I step into a magical backstage. For something without any ordinary mortals, it is so grounded in emotion and intergenerational trauma. I loved it.”—Mary Robinette Kowal, Hugo Award-winning author of The Calculating Stars

"Roth's Chicago is one of outcasts, immigrants, secrets, family, and above all, hope. Only an author who knew the soul of the city could write this book."—J.R. Dawson, author of The First Bright Thing

“Captivating . . . Roth creates a fascinating magical world full of colorful mythical creatures, and by alternating between intense action scenes and more intimate moments of character development, she keeps the pages flying.”—Publishers Weekly

"When Among Crows had me terrified, entranced, awe-struck, and quite literally at the edge of my seat. I dare you to try and stop reading. The kind of book that reminds us what human imagination and mysteries are made of. Magic and wonder as only Roth can do it. I’ll never look at Chicago the same way again. These streets are brimming with dreams and nightmares, and I didn’t want to wake up. The terrors and wonders of lore laid out in a dreamy, blood-dripping feast."—C.J. Leede, author of Maeve Fly

"Roth’s novella is filled with Polish folklore, imaginative storytelling, and depictions of how family forms people but doesn’t have to define them. Fans of contemporary fairy tales and fantastical stories should pick this one up.”—Library Journal