In To Clutch a Razor, Veronica Roth returns to the haunting world of When Among Crows with a sequel that dives deeper into guilt, loyalty, and the monstrous sides of family love. Drawing inspiration from Slavic folklore, Roth delivers a powerful blend of myth, pain, and redemption, solidifying this novella series as one of her most emotionally resonant works to date.
The story picks up after the events of When Among Crows, following Dymitr, a young man bound by duty and a dangerous debt to the witch Baba Jaga. When he is summoned back to his homeland for a funeral rite known as “the empty night,” Dymitr sees a chance to reclaim his family’s ancient relic a cursed book that could help him pay off his debt. But the night will test more than his courage; it will drag him into the heart of his family’s violent legacy.
As Dymitr faces his monster-hunting kin, the line between family and foe becomes perilously thin. Alongside him, familiar characters return: Niko, the strzygon assassin grappling with his own fractured loyalties; Ala, the zmora haunted by her family’s tragic deaths; and Elza, Dymitr’s human sister, caught in the crossfire of secrets and grief. Through their intertwining perspectives, Roth paints a chilling portrait of generational trauma, love warped by violence, and the desperate need for belonging.
One of Roth’s greatest strengths in this novella is her ability to weave the fantastical with the deeply human. The worldbuilding steeped in Polish myth and dark folklore remains as rich as ever, but this time the focus sharpens on emotional wounds and moral conflict. As the friends travel from Chicago to Poland, readers are immersed in a landscape where history and superstition collide, and every family secret feels like a curse waiting to be unleashed.
The prose is taut and visceral, every word cutting with the precision of a blade. Roth doesn’t shy away from exploring the pain her characters carry, nor the brutal love that binds them together. The result is a story that is as emotionally harrowing as it is beautifully written. Themes of redemption, grief, and self-forgiveness pulse beneath every line, culminating in a finale that feels both devastating and cathartic.
While some readers might wish for more narrative balance especially with the addition of new perspectives that sometimes divert focus from Dymitr, Ala, and Niko the emotional depth and thematic resonance of the story make up for it. To Clutch a Razor feels like a natural, if darker, continuation of the first novella. It builds upon what came before while carving out its own identity, exploring what happens when love, duty, and morality collide.
Fans of When Among Crows will find much to love here: the intricate character dynamics, the rich mythology, and Roth’s ability to blend horror with heart. For those new to the series, this novella might be brief, but its impact is anything but small. It lingers like a scar, or a memory you can’t quite let go of.
To Clutch a Razor is a haunting story about what it means to inherit pain, to confront the monsters within your own blood, and to find grace in the sharpest of places. It’s dark, emotionally layered, and unforgettable.
