One for My Enemy

A Novel

By: Olivie Blake

Narrated by: Ferdelle Capistrano

Length: 15 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

"Bringing a self-assured, intelligent manner to this dark mixture of urban fantasy, romance, Russian folklore, and Shakespearean storytelling, narrator Ferdelle Capistrano has a fine time giving voice to the seven beautiful but cunning Antonova sisters and the three equally cunning Fedorov brothers—all of whom are well versed in the dark arts."—AudioFile

From New York Times bestselling author Olivie Blake comes an intricate web of love, magic, and rival witch families in New York City.

In modern-day Manhattan where we lay our scene, two rival witch families fight to maintain control of their respective criminal empires.

On one side of the conflict are the Antonova sisters—each one beautiful, cunning, and ruthless—and their mother, the elusive supplier of premium intoxicants, known only as Baba Yaga. On the other side, the influential Fedorov brothers serve their father, the crime boss known as Koschei the Deathless, whose community extortion ventures dominate the shadows of magical Manhattan.

After twelve years of tenuous co-existence, a change in one family’s interests causes a rift in the existing stalemate. When bad blood brings both families to the precipice of disaster, fate intervenes with a chance encounter, and in the aftershocks of a resurrected conflict, everyone must choose a side. As each of the siblings struggles to stake their claim, fraying loyalties threaten to rot each side from the inside out.

If, that is, the enmity between empires doesn’t destroy them first.

Also by Olivie Blake

Alone with You in the Ether

Masters of Death

The Atlas Six

The Atlas Paradox

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2022 Olivie Blake (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"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)

"Compelling, entertaining, and addictive. The Atlas Six is academic Darwinism: survival of the smartest with a healthy dose of magic." (T.L. Huchu, author of The Library of The Dead)

"This chilling story of ambition and magic will make you question your own morals as you grow to love (and hate) its fascinating, ruthless cast of characters. I utterly devoured this book." (Amanda Foody, New York Times bestselling author of All of Us Villains)

It was good

It was good story line but I thought it a little boring at times. The woman that narrated was great when narrating the story line but her voice imitation of the characters was cringy. Everyone sounded like they were whining all the time even tho I don’t think that’s how it was meant to be written.

Beautiful writing, choppy plot

This book is written in OB usually beautiful style, unfortunately there are so many plot holes and a series lack of direction. The narrator is miscast and plays the male characters whiny and childish when they are supposed to be hardened criminals.

Twist and turns

For me I felt you could have cut a third or more out of the book and it would have moved along at a better pace. There were definitely parts that dragged. However it did have a lot twists and turns.

Good language, weak plot development

World Building : ★★★☆☆
One for My Enemy” crafts a magical version of Manhattan where the author merges real-world and supernatural elements, constructing a contemporary yet mystical setting. This rendition showcases witches and their rivalries coexisting with everyday life, offering a promising backdrop. However, the narrative falls short in establishing the full authenticity of this world. It misses numerous opportunities to delve into the intricacies of magic, the concealed governance of witches, the origins of magical creatures, and the dynamics of witch societies beyond New York. These unexplored facets leave the reader with a sense of untapped potential in the world-building.

Character Development: ★★★☆☆
Despite the promise of complex characters, “One for My Enemy” falls short in delivering depth. While characters are given unique backstories, motivations, and flaws, their growth and transformation feel rushed and at times contrived. Some characters, unfortunately, remain underdeveloped, serving merely as convenient plot devices.

Plot Pace & Development: ★★☆ ☆ ☆
The plot of “One for My Enemy” moves at a breakneck pace. Readers are introduced to the character and romance ensues shortly after. However, certain characters aren’t given any consideration until used as plot devices for the pro/antagonist.. The story is filled with unexpected twists and turns that constantly keep readers guessing. Olivie Blake weaves together various subplots and storylines, seamlessly tying them all together in a cohesive manner. The pacing is relentless, and the chapters are short, with many switching perspectives. Narrators aren’t reliable.

Language, Flow, and Structure (Writing Quality): ★★★★☆
Olivie Blake’s writing style is a true highlight of “One for My Enemy.” Her prose is elegant, evocative, and brimming with emotion and her diction is impressive, working seamlessly throughout the novel. The language flows effortlessly from one sentence to the next, creating a seamless reading experience. The structure of the novel is well-crafted, with each chapter ending on a cliffhanger that compels readers to keep turning the pages. Olivie Blake’s writing is both accessible and sophisticated, striking the perfect balance between readability and literary merit. Blake’s use of language is perhaps the best part of this book.

Themes & Literary Devices: ★★★☆☆
“One for My Enemy” explores a wide range of themes, including love, family, power, sacrifice, and redemption. Olivie Blake employs various literary devices such as symbolism, foreshadowing, and parallelism to enhance the depth and complexity of these themes. Through her storytelling, Blake invites readers to reflect on universal human experiences and grapple with questions about morality and the nature of good versus evil. In comparison to Romeo and Juliet, both stories explore the theme of forbidden love between two families who are deeply entangled in a longstanding feud. The novel delves into a wide array of themes, including ambition, sacrifice, love, and family dynamics, employing various literary devices like symbolism and foreshadowing to enrich the narrative. It prompts readers to contemplate universal human experiences and grapple with questions of morality and the dichotomy of good versus evil.

Creativity, Originality & Predictability: ★★★☆ ☆
Olivie Blake attempts to breathe new life into familiar tropes by infusing them with her unique voice and perspective. “One for My Enemy” features Shakespearean levels of melodrama, enemy families deeply intertwined, magical drugs, death that may or may not last, star-crossed lovers, and wonderfully vicious women. Much like Romeo and Juliet, both stories explore the theme of forbidden love between two families who are deeply entangled in a longstanding feud. However, “One for My Enemy” adds a unique twist by incorporating elements of Russian mythology and witchcraft. The story takes unexpected twists and turns that keep readers guessing. While some elements may be reminiscent of other works in the genre, Olivie Blake puts her own spin on them, ensuring that “One for My Enemy” feels fresh and exciting.

Emotional Impact: ★★★★☆
“One for My Enemy” packs an emotional punch. Olivie Blake crafts scenes that tug at the heartstrings and elicit a wide range of emotions from readers. Whether it’s heartbreak, joy, anger, or hope, each emotion is conveyed with authenticity and sensitivity. Readers will find themselves emotionally invested in the fates of the characters, rooting for their triumphs and mourning their losses. Some readers may experience frustration with characters and their choices, as I certainly did.

“One for My Enemy” by Olivie Blake has received positive feedback from readers on Goodreads for its fascinating world-building, well-developed characters, fast-paced plot development, high-quality writing style, exploration of various themes through literary devices, creativity and originality in storytelling, as well as its emotional impact on readers. Although there are no available Amazon reviews for this book at the moment, it has been described as a tale of ambition, sacrifice, and legacy that captivates readers with its Shakespearean-level drama, betrayal, heartbreak, bittersweet insta-love, witchy politics, and complicated family dynamics.

However, according to a review on Goodreads, the book is described as “reasonably involving while you’re reading it but ultimately disappointing and incomplete feeling”. Another review on Kirkus Reviews states that the plot unfortunately coalesces predictably (and not nearly as intricately as the scheming characters, and probably the author, imagine it does), and the denouement seems less inevitably tragic than sadly pointless. Meanwhile, many opportunities for intriguing worldbuilding (how magic works, how witches govern themselves to hide their magic from nonwitches, where magical creatures come from, what non–New York witch societies are like) are never picked up. Despite these criticisms, the book has received positive feedback from readers across various criteria. The writing quality is exceptional, the themes are thought-provoking, and the emotional impact is profound. “One for My Enemy” adds a unique twist by incorporating elements of Russian mythology and witchcraft. The book delves into the world of witches and their rivalries, showcasing the complexities of power struggles and family dynamics. While Romeo and Juliet is a tragic tale of young love cut short by fate, “One for My Enemy” offers a fresh take on the star-crossed lovers trope with its own blend of magic, ambition, and tragedy .

Good just mixed feelings (4.75)

The book was good, however, I’m glad I used the audiobook while I followed along with the book. That brings the book to life for me. I have mixed feelings because Masha’s character was a hard one to follow—was she reborn? I know she came back to life but why did that change her so much? I feel like Koschei and Baba Yaga should have died. The Romeo and Juliet vibes were present but the author could’ve done more with a plot twist. But I realize that’s it’s up to the author! Job well done!

Witches, Power and Lies

So many characters involved in this mafia style witch war between two powerful NYC witches. Twists, turns, backstabbing, secrets and regret. I did enjoy the game and trying to figure out what the end would be. It wasn’t what I expected. I didn’t feel satisfied with the ending and wished it played out differently.

Why

My enjoyment of this book decreased as it went on. Glad I had a physical copy to skim to the end…..

loved it!

wonderfully writer, read and whimsical. great twists and turns. worth the time. very enjoyable

Masha, Denmark, Sasha, Lev

I couldn't have love these characters more. Olivier Blake does a wonderful job of including Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet into this modern love tragedy, that turns into a heartfelt happy ending. The twists and turns of witches and fae alike were just incredible.

An intriguing modern adaptation of a classic story

I thoroughly enjoyed One For My Enemy. The writing was beautiful, the characters were complex, the politics were captivating, and the magic system was intriguing. I will say, it got a bit convoluted in the last two acts, maybe with too many attempts at surprising twists. But part of the charm was the Machiavellian power struggle, never knowing to what degree you can trust characters, even while living in their heads. The beginning was solid and the end was satisfying. Two thumbs up from me!