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sharadaathu's review against another edition
Writing style felt way too choppy and unnecessarily convoluted :(( it made it really hard to follow the story and get attached to the characters.
maireadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
This was underwhelming, I liked the romance but I found the plot a bit lackluster and kept zoning out.
utopiastateofmind's review against another edition
3.5
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Modern Divination is driven by characters. While you'll hear this on dark academia lists, while the vibe and the aesthetics might match, the actual core of the subgenre isn't really here. Which isn't a bad thing! If you like country homes, sweaters, and armchairs, that's more where this is. Based on the synopsis, you might be expecting this high paced action about what is hunting them. But stop there. It's important you re-evaluate because what Modern Divination really is, is a story about characters, found family, and love. It's about being afraid of what it would be like to let someone in.
Modern Divination is driven by characters. While you'll hear this on dark academia lists, while the vibe and the aesthetics might match, the actual core of the subgenre isn't really here. Which isn't a bad thing! If you like country homes, sweaters, and armchairs, that's more where this is. Based on the synopsis, you might be expecting this high paced action about what is hunting them. But stop there. It's important you re-evaluate because what Modern Divination really is, is a story about characters, found family, and love. It's about being afraid of what it would be like to let someone in.
grayroacegnome's review
3.0
As someone who is not usually a fan of romance books at all, I enjoyed this one - the narrative still kept me interested overall. This is a character-driven, romance-focused story within a magical realism setting, rather than a plot-driven fantasy novel; I wouldn't personally call it dark academia, it is romantasy that happens to be between university students. The plot is relatively secondary to the relationship development, and it also contains a moderate amount of sexual content during a few different chapters in the second half, so heads up if that's not your bag.
I liked the two MCs a lot, and felt they were well-developed, by the end of the book. They were both flawed, and at times frustratingly introspective but with no real self-awareness, spending a lot of time pendulum-ing between their obsessive love & hate for each other with seemingly no cause (almost that they just suddenly remembered they were still bitter about their past rivalry, then suddenly forgot again) - but they both grew on me during the second half as their views of each other matured. The secondary characters were likable, and although not developed in any great depth, it left a lot of room for them to hopefully build more in the future instalments in this book series.
The writing style itself was really endearing. I enjoyed a lot of the metaphors and prose, though they did occasionally get a little heavy-handed and slightly cringe-worthy. I also loved the queer representation and non-traditional family dynamics at play, and I think they were handled really well which is fantastic to see!
Given my limited experience with romance books, I'm not sure whether the plot being secondary (or even tertiary) to the relationship development & repetitive rivals-to-lovers dynamic is standard for the genre, or specific to this book. Personally I would have enjoyed this more if it had more to-the-point romance and greater development/emphasis of the plot. While I understand that this is only the first book in a series so some mysteries need to be left to explore in the next books, there were a few plot points relating to the antagonist that seemed really interesting but ultimately didn't go anywhere, and it left her feeling underplayed as a character & underwhelming as a threat (after a really promising start). But perhaps that is me trying to make this book fit a different genre rather than reading it for what it is, which would be no reflection at all on the quality of the book or the excellent work of the author in writing a romance novel. As I say, I still enjoyed reading it! And there are still a lot of other great loose ends ready for book 2 which I'm sure will be equally engaging.
I really appreciate Pan MacMillan & NetGalley sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review, it's a good book and I'm very interested to see what else Isabel Agajanian does in future.
I will now include some Content Warnings for those who find them helpful, so STOP READING HERE TO AVOID MINOR SPOILERS!
-----------------
Content Warnings:
- absent parents, potentially triggering for child neglect
- alcohol use
- bereavement, including parent losing a child, and children experiencing loss of friend/parent
- biphobia (briefly mentioned, not depicted)
- murder, body horror, violence & blood
- sexual content, mildly spicy
I liked the two MCs a lot, and felt they were well-developed, by the end of the book. They were both flawed, and at times frustratingly introspective but with no real self-awareness, spending a lot of time pendulum-ing between their obsessive love & hate for each other with seemingly no cause (almost that they just suddenly remembered they were still bitter about their past rivalry, then suddenly forgot again) - but they both grew on me during the second half as their views of each other matured. The secondary characters were likable, and although not developed in any great depth, it left a lot of room for them to hopefully build more in the future instalments in this book series.
The writing style itself was really endearing. I enjoyed a lot of the metaphors and prose, though they did occasionally get a little heavy-handed and slightly cringe-worthy. I also loved the queer representation and non-traditional family dynamics at play, and I think they were handled really well which is fantastic to see!
Given my limited experience with romance books, I'm not sure whether the plot being secondary (or even tertiary) to the relationship development & repetitive rivals-to-lovers dynamic is standard for the genre, or specific to this book. Personally I would have enjoyed this more if it had more to-the-point romance and greater development/emphasis of the plot. While I understand that this is only the first book in a series so some mysteries need to be left to explore in the next books, there were a few plot points relating to the antagonist that seemed really interesting but ultimately didn't go anywhere, and it left her feeling underplayed as a character & underwhelming as a threat (after a really promising start). But perhaps that is me trying to make this book fit a different genre rather than reading it for what it is, which would be no reflection at all on the quality of the book or the excellent work of the author in writing a romance novel. As I say, I still enjoyed reading it! And there are still a lot of other great loose ends ready for book 2 which I'm sure will be equally engaging.
I really appreciate Pan MacMillan & NetGalley sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review, it's a good book and I'm very interested to see what else Isabel Agajanian does in future.
I will now include some Content Warnings for those who find them helpful, so STOP READING HERE TO AVOID MINOR SPOILERS!
-----------------
Content Warnings:
Spoiler
- absent parents, potentially triggering for child neglect
- alcohol use
- bereavement, including parent losing a child, and children experiencing loss of friend/parent
- biphobia (briefly mentioned, not depicted)
- murder, body horror, violence & blood
- sexual content, mildly spicy
carhoy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
becca99's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read the book last year when it wasn't traditionally published, and listened to the audiobook now.
It's still just as amazing as before.
It's still just as amazing as before.
leasey23's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This one is a bit of a mixed bag for me. The writing took me a little while to get into, because it's quite detailed in the language it uses, but once I did I found that I really enjoyed it - the author is clearly very intelligent and has a unique style, which I appreciate! I also like the setting and the characters and the general story, all good stuff. The character development is super insightful and I love how the protagonist becomes more self aware and learns about herself as the book goes on. I also wish I had a Ryan in my life - they really are the definition of love no matter what!!
The settings are great, I could really immerse myself in picturing Cambridge and London and the small village of Townsend. I also adored the bookshop, super fun magic!
On the flip side, I found a lot of the book quite.. dour? I know that is the point of the story, but I think I got a bit tired of the waiting for something to happen. The story gets a bit bogged down in the emotions of the characters and what they're going through mentally, which I guess makes it quite realistic, but for a book I think it needed slightly more action to move the story along. Between about 50% to 80% is where I'm talking about. We spend a lot of time thinking and not much doing. I do believe this can be good, but I think there needs to be a better balance of the internal monologues vs the action of the story. The antagonist only appears ones at the beginning and once at the very end, and for me I felt like I almost forgot about them a little bit. I would have loved a few extra chapters thrown in there from the antagonists perspective, their ranting and raving, or the journey they're taking. Overall I'm giving this 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor/Pan Mac for a free review copy!
The settings are great, I could really immerse myself in picturing Cambridge and London and the small village of Townsend. I also adored the bookshop, super fun magic!
On the flip side, I found a lot of the book quite.. dour? I know that is the point of the story, but I think I got a bit tired of the waiting for something to happen. The story gets a bit bogged down in the emotions of the characters and what they're going through mentally, which I guess makes it quite realistic, but for a book I think it needed slightly more action to move the story along. Between about 50% to 80% is where I'm talking about. We spend a lot of time thinking and not much doing. I do believe this can be good, but I think there needs to be a better balance of the internal monologues vs the action of the story. The antagonist only appears ones at the beginning and once at the very end, and for me I felt like I almost forgot about them a little bit. I would have loved a few extra chapters thrown in there from the antagonists perspective, their ranting and raving, or the journey they're taking. Overall I'm giving this 3.5 stars.
Thanks to Netgalley and Tor/Pan Mac for a free review copy!
cdcuglietta's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
the_alexeli's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Actually finished this yesterday. Oops.
Man, this may have been a bit on the long-winded mild plot line side, but damn did I still love it. The atmosphere and characters had no problem immersing me in the story. I was so invested in both Teddy and Aurelia's lives and worries that the lack of high-excitement plot throughout the book didn't hinder my connection or adoration at all. And goodness, did I adore reading about both of them.
Watching Aurelia and Teddy grow together was so intimately lovely I constantly felt like teasing up. There's just something about watching characters grow tender towards each other, forgiving of each other, caring for each other that really kicks me in the chest. They were both also very nicely fleshed out as individual characters with realistic and relatable flaws which made them feel so human. Both their histories and their growth throughout the story helped with that, as well.
I'm also a sucker for this sort of secluded small town setting, touched with the magical. Where characters have no choice but to grow together and learn about each other.
The prose were another huge factor of this book that plucked at my heart. The way emotions were explained and settings were described and even the smallest touches were vividly but casually painted. I ate that up. One of my favorite kind of meals.
Ugh, I just loved it. It definitely may not be for everyone, but it was very well aligned to my tastes and, I think, an incredible novel.
Man, this may have been a bit on the long-winded mild plot line side, but damn did I still love it. The atmosphere and characters had no problem immersing me in the story. I was so invested in both Teddy and Aurelia's lives and worries that the lack of high-excitement plot throughout the book didn't hinder my connection or adoration at all. And goodness, did I adore reading about both of them.
Watching Aurelia and Teddy grow together was so intimately lovely I constantly felt like teasing up. There's just something about watching characters grow tender towards each other, forgiving of each other, caring for each other that really kicks me in the chest. They were both also very nicely fleshed out as individual characters with realistic and relatable flaws which made them feel so human. Both their histories and their growth throughout the story helped with that, as well.
I'm also a sucker for this sort of secluded small town setting, touched with the magical. Where characters have no choice but to grow together and learn about each other.
The prose were another huge factor of this book that plucked at my heart. The way emotions were explained and settings were described and even the smallest touches were vividly but casually painted. I ate that up. One of my favorite kind of meals.
Ugh, I just loved it. It definitely may not be for everyone, but it was very well aligned to my tastes and, I think, an incredible novel.
clotalksbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.25
I really liked the prologue and buckled myself in for a hell of a book. But then I found myself thrown in at a deep end of a murky pool. The beginning felt slow, confusing, and repetitive. I could have done with more world building and explanation. I got a bit lost at times and was unclear as to character motivations. It was all a bit vague!
The writing style took me a while to appreciate, and I'm not sure I'm fully on board, but I get enough of it to want to read more. It was the repetition I struggled with mainly, and the sudden dissent into moods I felt came out of nowhere. Some characters weren't fully explored enough for me to get the strength in emotion others felt towards them (keeping purposely vague here as to not spoil things).
Initially the circular arguing between the central characters was frustrating, and left me feeling I wasn't learning anything new. But actually, I came to love the slow progression of their relationship, and gradually fell into their story. By the end I wanted more of it. I still may not understand their rivalry/hatred, but I do feel like I understand this translation. There was real beauty at parts.
Ultimately, i'm so glad I persevered with the book, because although not perfect, I came to fall for its charm. I was devouring the pages towards the end. It has such promise of more to come, and a bigger world than the part we were exposed to. With more threats, more intrigue, more love. It felt like this was a tiny glimpse into something much bigger, and although I could have done with more of that being exposed in this book, I look forward to reading more in future books.
The writing style took me a while to appreciate, and I'm not sure I'm fully on board, but I get enough of it to want to read more. It was the repetition I struggled with mainly, and the sudden dissent into moods I felt came out of nowhere. Some characters weren't fully explored enough for me to get the strength in emotion others felt towards them (keeping purposely vague here as to not spoil things).
Initially the circular arguing between the central characters was frustrating, and left me feeling I wasn't learning anything new. But actually, I came to love the slow progression of their relationship, and gradually fell into their story. By the end I wanted more of it. I still may not understand their rivalry/hatred, but I do feel like I understand this translation. There was real beauty at parts.
Ultimately, i'm so glad I persevered with the book, because although not perfect, I came to fall for its charm. I was devouring the pages towards the end. It has such promise of more to come, and a bigger world than the part we were exposed to. With more threats, more intrigue, more love. It felt like this was a tiny glimpse into something much bigger, and although I could have done with more of that being exposed in this book, I look forward to reading more in future books.