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A review by theamyleblanc
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
5.0
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I'm still a bit awestruck.
This story is as beautiful, intriguing, and intricate as the cover leads you to believe. I devoured it.
This is a subtle story. Yes, big action happens -- it's about a war, after all -- and big emotions are present but so much of the story is told in the subtleties. The quieter, lingering emotions. The unexpected moments. A glance. A whisper of paper. The clack of typewriter keys.
The atmosphere of this novel is easy to fall into because it is impeccably done. It feels both real (historic England, maybe?) and fantastical. There are elements within the story that feel a little anachronistic to me but it wasn't hard to accept them as part of this world. And it has a great balance: part war-between-the-gods and part-romance. I don't think you could separate one line from the other.
The characters! They're unique and nuanced and feisty and they all work together in a wonderful way. Their emotions are so vivid. They sneak up on you, wriggling into your heart and grabbing on. The journeys Roman and Iris are on, separately and together, are slowly creeping things. They're fascinating and I need more now!
I love mythology and stories about gods and it was really cool to spot tiny bits of other myths woven into this tale. I don't know if it was intentionally or subconsciously done but it's brilliant (even if this is just me reading WAY too much into it). They leave me wondering if those recognizable bits are foreshadowing or if they're being subverted and used for an entirely different ending.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It's so, so good!
Wow. I'm still a bit awestruck.
This story is as beautiful, intriguing, and intricate as the cover leads you to believe. I devoured it.
This is a subtle story. Yes, big action happens -- it's about a war, after all -- and big emotions are present but so much of the story is told in the subtleties. The quieter, lingering emotions. The unexpected moments. A glance. A whisper of paper. The clack of typewriter keys.
The atmosphere of this novel is easy to fall into because it is impeccably done. It feels both real (historic England, maybe?) and fantastical. There are elements within the story that feel a little anachronistic to me but it wasn't hard to accept them as part of this world. And it has a great balance: part war-between-the-gods and part-romance. I don't think you could separate one line from the other.
The characters! They're unique and nuanced and feisty and they all work together in a wonderful way. Their emotions are so vivid. They sneak up on you, wriggling into your heart and grabbing on. The journeys Roman and Iris are on, separately and together, are slowly creeping things. They're fascinating and I need more now!
I love mythology and stories about gods and it was really cool to spot tiny bits of other myths woven into this tale. I don't know if it was intentionally or subconsciously done but it's brilliant (even if this is just me reading WAY too much into it). They leave me wondering if those recognizable bits are foreshadowing or if they're being subverted and used for an entirely different ending.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It's so, so good!