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kaz_brekkerrr's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing and Violence
torij2000's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
cturn's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
4.0
Characters - 8
Atmosphere - 8
Writing - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
CAWPILE score - 8.3
Atmosphere - 8
Writing - 8
Plot - 8
Intrigue - 10
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 9
CAWPILE score - 8.3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Blood, War, and Death of parent
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Child death and Sexual content
jkneebone's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Divine Rivals takes place in a 1940s-esque fantasy world in which gods used to be real, before humans fought a war against them to take them down. A few hundred years later, Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are rival writers at a newspaper, competing for the role of columnist. A war between two newly awoken gods has broken out far from their city, and most in their community are still in denial. Iris's older brother has enlisted to fight, and she hasn't heard from him since; she sends him letters through the door of her wardrobe, which disappear as if by magic. Unbeknownst to her, Roman is the one receiving the letters. He writes back to explain that he isn't her brother, but they begin corresponding and strike up a friendship - the only problem is that Roman knows he's writing to Iris, but Iris doesn't know the identity of her mystery pen-pal.
Eventually, Iris decides to take the search for her brother into her own hands, and takes a job as a war correspondent for a rival paper. She travels to the war front and sees firsthand the toll the war is taking as she helps care for wounded soldiers. She becomes close with Marisol, who runs the B&B correspondents stay at, as well as Attie, a fellow war correspondent. But the dynamic shifts again when a familiar figure from her past arrives as the newest correspondent.
I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about this book, especially the ending, but I'm also definitely planning to read the sequel. I was really enjoying it up until about 60% of the way through, but the second half lost me a bit. I really liked when Iris and Roman were getting to know each other via letters, as well as the mythology about the gods and worldbuilding that we got through their writing. Iris was an interesting character, and I really felt for her as she was trying to do her best without her brother when so many circumstances were conspiring against her. I also liked the glimpse we got of Roman's life and how he is torn between his own desires and guilty obligation to his family.
However in the second half, I felt that the romance plot became too dominant, and a lot of the things I had found interesting fell by the wayside. I didn't dislike the idea of Iris and Roman as a couple, but the romance became so genderedespecially after he arrived at the front - all of the stuff about him wanting to protect made me cringe and rushed why did they have to get married like three days after confessing their love?? I know it was the middle of a war but this made absolutely no sense to me and I didn't like it . It felt like a lot of the past trauma that both characters had been dealing with in the first half got glossed over and became a non-issue as soon as they fell in love. I disliked the ending because it did one of my personal least favorite things an ending can do. It's a pet peeve of mine when stories end up back where they began (literally/metaphorically), so I already wasn't loving the end of Divine Rivals - wtf Forest? - but then I looked at a summary of book 2 and saw that Iris and Attie go back to the warfront, and Iris and Roman begin corresponding again, which makes me even more skeptical - why have them go back to the city if they're just going to leave again? However, I am still intrigued enough (and the audiobook narrator was very good) that I've already put a hold on book 2.
This would have been more stars for me if it had leaned a little more on the mythology and worldbuilding - because it's a fascinating premise! - and a little less on the highly gendered romance. That being said, it was well written and had enough of interest that I'm willing to keep reading. There is a lot of violence and death, by virtue of it taking place during a war, as well as some minor cursing and one very mild but technically on-the-page sex scene (no explicit language is used but you can tell what's happening).
Eventually, Iris decides to take the search for her brother into her own hands, and takes a job as a war correspondent for a rival paper. She travels to the war front and sees firsthand the toll the war is taking as she helps care for wounded soldiers. She becomes close with Marisol, who runs the B&B correspondents stay at, as well as Attie, a fellow war correspondent. But the dynamic shifts again when a familiar figure from her past arrives as the newest correspondent.
I'm still not entirely sure how I felt about this book, especially the ending, but I'm also definitely planning to read the sequel. I was really enjoying it up until about 60% of the way through, but the second half lost me a bit. I really liked when Iris and Roman were getting to know each other via letters, as well as the mythology about the gods and worldbuilding that we got through their writing. Iris was an interesting character, and I really felt for her as she was trying to do her best without her brother when so many circumstances were conspiring against her. I also liked the glimpse we got of Roman's life and how he is torn between his own desires and guilty obligation to his family.
However in the second half, I felt that the romance plot became too dominant, and a lot of the things I had found interesting fell by the wayside. I didn't dislike the idea of Iris and Roman as a couple, but the romance became so gendered
This would have been more stars for me if it had leaned a little more on the mythology and worldbuilding - because it's a fascinating premise! - and a little less on the highly gendered romance. That being said, it was well written and had enough of interest that I'm willing to keep reading. There is a lot of violence and death, by virtue of it taking place during a war, as well as some minor cursing and one very mild but technically on-the-page sex scene (no explicit language is used but you can tell what's happening).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, War, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual content
kizmay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-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? No
4.5
Oh my god
Come to the conclusion I hate wars between gods cause they don’t play fair or like “normal” warfare
Come to the conclusion I hate wars between gods cause they don’t play fair or like “normal” warfare
Content Warnings
Graphic: War and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
Minor: Sexual content
llcardenas's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Blood, War, Violence, Sexual content, Grief, and Alcoholism
hanngigi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death of parent, and Medical content
Moderate: Alcoholism and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
bored_chloe's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
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? No
4.75
I loved this book. I found it a bit slow at times but it was mostly paced well. It was slightly frustrating that it took so long for the person writing the letters to Iris to admit who he was, but other than that, I loved it. I can't wait to read book two and the ending left me heartbroken.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, War, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Blood, and Alcoholism
Minor: Sexual content
tiana_king's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Cute story and my only complaint is I wish the gods and world were fleshed out more. Hopefully the next book goes into more detail about those things. I liked all the characters and the pacing was good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Death
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Sexual content
almendraa's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
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
5.0
Ha sido una lectura exquisita.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Classism and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Sexual content