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A review by luckyonesoph
Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Isabel Agajanian, you have a fan for life. Teddy Ingram might be one of THE most pathetic and devoted book boyfriends to ever book boyfriend, and Aurelia Schwartz deserves it all.
Modern Divination follows Aurelia Schwartz, a witch with a green thumb completing a PhD in medieval history at Cambridge University. She spends her days warring for the favour of her professor with a tall, dark-haired boy named Theodore Ingram - her rival, her nemesis, the centre of her resentment. When she's not working on her research, exchanging biting remarks with Teddy, or hanging with her roommate and best friend Ryan, Aurelia is using her magic to grow plants and make tea, and she's safe - as long as no one else finds out about her powers. When one of Aurelia's colleagues - and unbeknownst to her, a fellow witch - is murdered at a faculty event, Aurelia and Teddy are thrown together, and forced to fight for their families and their lives.
Modern Divination was one of my most anticipated new releases this year. I read the indie published edition years ago, and fell in love with the atmosphere, the yearning, and Isabel Agajanian's beautiful prose. There were so many lines that truly took my breath away without ever feeling forced or purple-prose-y. If I were rating this book on vibes, on romance, and on writing alone - immediate 5 stars.
Unfrotunately, I think this needed a few more rounds of developmental editing before it was ready for traditional publication. I read it because I know these characters and love them, and I was looking forward to seeing what changes (if any) were made, but like....nothing really happens that would convince any of my fantasy reader friends to keep going after the first few chapters. It is so, so, so slow, and pretty uneventful. The plot is pretty basic, and is only partially resolved, and that partial resolution happens quietly, only 70-80% of the way in. There were so many really interesting threads introduced - Teddy's parents, the bookshop, the crows - that just sort of fizzled away into the background. Meanwhile, we spend scene after scene after scene watching Rory and Teddy have the same circular arguments about their hatred of one another. It was fun at first, but got tired very quickly. I love them - I'd listen to them sing terribly in the shower or discuss their grocery lists - but even i was getting bored of them after a while.
Still, despite my issues, I still think Modern Divination is a solid book, and I'm looking forward to picking up a physical copy to shelve next to my indie edition. Isabel Agajanian has so much talent, and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel, and any future projects.
Modern Divination follows Aurelia Schwartz, a witch with a green thumb completing a PhD in medieval history at Cambridge University. She spends her days warring for the favour of her professor with a tall, dark-haired boy named Theodore Ingram - her rival, her nemesis, the centre of her resentment. When she's not working on her research, exchanging biting remarks with Teddy, or hanging with her roommate and best friend Ryan, Aurelia is using her magic to grow plants and make tea, and she's safe - as long as no one else finds out about her powers. When one of Aurelia's colleagues - and unbeknownst to her, a fellow witch - is murdered at a faculty event, Aurelia and Teddy are thrown together, and forced to fight for their families and their lives.
Modern Divination was one of my most anticipated new releases this year. I read the indie published edition years ago, and fell in love with the atmosphere, the yearning, and Isabel Agajanian's beautiful prose. There were so many lines that truly took my breath away without ever feeling forced or purple-prose-y. If I were rating this book on vibes, on romance, and on writing alone - immediate 5 stars.
Unfrotunately, I think this needed a few more rounds of developmental editing before it was ready for traditional publication. I read it because I know these characters and love them, and I was looking forward to seeing what changes (if any) were made, but like....nothing really happens that would convince any of my fantasy reader friends to keep going after the first few chapters. It is so, so, so slow, and pretty uneventful. The plot is pretty basic, and is only partially resolved, and that partial resolution happens quietly, only 70-80% of the way in. There were so many really interesting threads introduced - Teddy's parents, the bookshop, the crows - that just sort of fizzled away into the background. Meanwhile, we spend scene after scene after scene watching Rory and Teddy have the same circular arguments about their hatred of one another. It was fun at first, but got tired very quickly. I love them - I'd listen to them sing terribly in the shower or discuss their grocery lists - but even i was getting bored of them after a while.
Still, despite my issues, I still think Modern Divination is a solid book, and I'm looking forward to picking up a physical copy to shelve next to my indie edition. Isabel Agajanian has so much talent, and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel, and any future projects.