Divine Rivals
Ratings474
Average rating4.1
In depth review to come. For now, all you need to know is that this was my first completed book of 2024 and it was a 6 star read. 100% a favorite of the year.
I chose the book only to complete one last "challenge" in a reading series - before 2023 concluded. It was on a "Best of 2023" list and so it fit the bill. I enjoyed the universe of gods - once subdued by humans, but now warring - with human foot soldiers. The main characters were engaging and yet from the start their story arc was pretty clear. I liked the "lite," mostly unexplained magic. And the typewriters and how they made the letters was clever. A quick read and yet not one which is likely to linger for me.
This was such a nice surprise! Divine Rivals has taken over my feed since its release, but I had my doubts. The hype is absolutely worth it, and I'm glad I read it because I loved everything about it.
The worldbuilding is interesting but not too complex. The characters are strong and I was immediately invested in their outcomes. I want to know more about everything: the myths, the grandparents, the government, the magic...
Rebecca Ross's writing is terrific! She is able to guide the reader through some awful and gruesome events - war, death, grief, alcoholism - focusing on a message of love, friendship, companionship and hope.
I was fully immersed in the story from the first words until the very ending, seeing every scene unfold before my eyes as if it was real, and I was there with them.
This was such a delight to read! Iris and Kitt's love is beautiful and pure, their letters make their personalities shine and their banter is brilliant. I loved to see them opening up to each other, and trusting the other with their deepest secrets and sorrows. Iris is fierce, Kitt is a wonder, and their connection feels natural and palpable.
The ending absolutely shattered my heart.
Some things were a bit rushed, and some things didn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm not bothered a bit by this though, it was divine.
I love you, Iris. And I want you to see me. I want you to know me. Through the smoke and the firelight and kilometers that once dwelled between us. Do you see me?
- - - - -
Pre review:
The ending
I want ruthless vows NOWWW!!!!
GOD...
This book, wow. I know people said it was good but this has got to be one of my favourite fantasy reads so far.
This was unlike anything I've ever seen, I might've not seen enough if that's not the case. It got me hooked INSTANTLY. Roman and Iris' relationship honestly, reminded me of a tamer, less DIE DIE DIE YOU SHOULD DIE, version of how me and my partner are. Their squabbling was so fun to read, alongside the letters . AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE WEDDING AND HOW I ALMOST CRIED. (I'm medicated this is a big deal) And the ending just ripped my heart out and ate it, leaving me wanting more so BADLY.
Forest... what the hell, dude... That's wild.
1.5 stars
This sounded so promising but it is just historical fiction with very unbelievable “enemies”-to-lovers with to many conveniences.
The magical elements were not developed enough for me. And I hoped we go from historical war romance to a more magical approach.
There are regular mentions of technologies (lifts, baseball, ...) but the main media is still typing on typewriters for the newspapers. It's inconsistent and not explained enough for a solid world building. This also didn't grab my attention through this boring book.
The language of the two maincharacters changes between lyrical deep lovey-dovey to young teen language which took me out of the story a few times.
Even the ending couldn't have me engaged enough to read the second book.
If I wouldn't have read the audiobook most of the time, this would be a contender for chucking at the wall.
LOVED it!
I found it hard to put this book down once I'd started. Loved the writing, the world-building was done quite seamlessly and I liked the communication done through letters. This is YA Fantasy at the end but I found it better done than some of the others I've read lately
Me habría gustado que este libro no se acabara. Habría leído un millón y más páginas sobre la historia de Iris y Roman. Es un libro en el que en todo momento sabía lo que estaba pasando y lo que iba a pasar. Absolutamente todo. Sin embargo solo podía pensar “No será capaz”.
No será capaz de de ir a la guerra por ella, y obviamente lo iba a hacer.
No será capaz de salir de la casa para salvarlo de los eithrals, cuando Roman nada más llega, completamente ageno al peligro, y estaba claro que iba a salir a por él.
No será capaz de interponerse entre ella y una granada, y no lo dudó.
No será capaz de proponerle matrimonio, de arrodillarse delante de ella, con la pierna llena de puntos y heridas, y ahí se iba a arrodillar Roman Carver Kitt para proponerle matrimonio a Iris.
No será capaz de quedarse por la posibilidad de ver a su hermano, arriesgando que Roman se vaya, alejarse el uno del otro. No será capaz de quedarse con ella, aún mal herido. Y se quedó.
NO SERÁ CAPAZ DE ESCRIBIRME UN ÚLTIMO CAPÍTULO DESDE EL PUNTO DE VISTA DE DACRE PARA DECIRME QUE ROMAN ESTUVO A PUNTO DE MORIR Y DACRE LO HA SALVADO Y AHORA VA A SER UNO DE SUS SIERVOS, PROBABLEMENTE SEPARANDO A IRIS Y ROMAN PARA SIEMPRE.
NO SERÁ CAPAZ DE SEPARARLOS DE SUS MÁQUINAS DE ESCRIBIR.
Otro tema es lo mucho que me he puesto a pensar en la guerra por este libro y lo horrible que lo tienen que estar pasando en estos momentos y eso hacía que me pusiera a llorar aún más cuando hablaban de los solados y las cartas que les querían mandar a sus familiares y amigos. Que dolor de verdad.
No puedo esperar a que salga el segundo y como aún tengo que esperar a un tercero y en el segundo me lo dejen en un cliff hanger como el primero me voy a arrancar los pelos.
Beautifully written, amazing prose. On first read, I was engrossed and amazed at the poetry of Rebecca Ross's writing. However, on later reads, I was more aware of pacing issues, including lack of buildup of the rivalry into romance, a lack of greater world building especially around the gods that we are pushed to side with because of the ongoing war throughout the book, and the quickness of which Iris fell in love. Don't get me wrong, this is a stunning book with incredible writing, but I hope book two fleshes out this amazing world and gives us a bit more deep emotion.
I have mixed feelings about this one... I liked the writing, but I expected more of the story, not a lot happened tbh. Felt more like a WWI fiction than a fantasy. Not sure yet if I want to read the sequel.
This book both enchanted me and destroyed me! But I loved every minute, every second of reading it! I think it might be my favourite book this year and high on my all time favourites. I loved everything about it! Can we begin with enchanted typewriters? I mean that's all that needed to be said to pull me in, but then there is also the epic fantasy backdrop, but set within an era similar to the early 1900's, which is a wonderful breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. The use of letters and words between characters that captured my heart. Iris and Roman. Enough said. It's been so long since I felt so deeply for two characters and their story. The romance, that was slow to build, but so satisfying and delightful and charming, but never at the cost of the characters own personal journey. And among that all it also managed to tell a heartbreaking story of war and loss, but also spark determination and inspiration. I cheered, laughed, cried, had a plethora of emotions run through me. It felt magical and whimsical, but also gritty and real. Overall it just grabbed me by the heart and never let go...I sobbed when it was over and I won't be the same until I can read the next one. I wish I had better words to say how much I loved this book and why it hit such a chord with me. All I can say is I've waited for a fantasy book to sweep me away emotionally and mentally like this for awhile now and I feel such an overwhelming satisfaction to have finally found one that was able to do that after a long line of misses. I will carry this one with me for a long time!
I liked this book, but this was over hyped to me and didn't really remind me of Fourth Wing like people suggested. I am invested in the story though and want to see what happens in the next one!
I feel ruined, it's like this distinct heartbreak. Not one that makes you outright cry, but one that leaves your soul torn in two. Roman's love for Iris is one in a million, such a rarity that one could only hope to find. He was dying and anguished yet still pushed on, trying to crawl his way to Iris.
I always figured this book would be sad but my imagination didn't quite give sadness a dark picture like this. Like Iris, I don't know if I would have preferred Roman dying or being taken by the enemy. Both seem really unwarranted for a boy, very barely a man, who loves a girl for her words and her sweet heart. But, in the end, Roman has been taken so it is possible to see this as a second chance for him.
About the rest of the book, the first 50 or so pages were a bit of a drag. Then the whole story ramped up, its for that reason I rate it 4.5 stars rather than 4 or 5 stars. It lacked the whole feeling that I get with 5 star reads but it was pretty close after the beginning.
Can I just give a special mention for Roman Kitt, he is an upstanding love interest. For sure one of the best.
lame... little to no worldbuilding, dull plot, going from “rivals” (barely) to being married within what seemed like a couple months.
remind me to stop reading what's trending because booktok has terrible taste
I enjoyed this book — I found it cute and fun but it didn't grip me. I think I wanted more world building and a slower burn, but I thought it was a fun start and I'll definitely pick up the sequel.
I loved every word!
THIS. WAS. EVERYTHING.
Rebecca Ross' writing is transcendent!
RTC
I don't get it why I had to read until the last 3 chapters to understand anything.
pretty enjoyable! but the problem with characterising your main characters as writing prodigies is that it immediately requires a lot of suspension of disbelief when their writing then proceeds to sound like that of angsty 14 yr olds.
also why did they have to * *****!
btw i???m wholly prepared to chalk my issues with this up to actually this sort of book just not being for me anymore. but i am sad about it!
confused, lost, unimpressed? I normally like fantasy even if the writing is bad, but where was the world building? You have gods in this world but we don't expand on that except for that they are the two sides of the fight? Are there other gods? We focused too much on the typewriters and love story and not enough on the plot of the overarching story. Only in the epilogue did I finally get any information of the gods at all and that was only for 2 pages. I don't know I try not to be a hater but when you write a fantasy book there needs to be a world that I can understand. Deeply lost on the timeline and what technology is even around at this time and can't get around that.
Bye.
This might be 2.5 rounded up.... I have a lot of thoughts and most of them are not good LMFAO will update tomorrow
UPDATE: Okay, I slept on it and I am ready to share. I'm sticking with 2.5 but rounding down. My largest complaint is that the writing style is all over the place. I'll admit there are some really great lines here and there, but those moments are quickly overshadowed by lines like “Make your own tea, lazybones”. I'm sorry, LAZYBONES??? Overall, I wasn't a fan of the writing style, especially the dialogue - it felt very one-dimensional and flat.
It's lines like that that made me question the worldbuilding/setting. It's a fantasy, but we don't really get to see any fantastical elements up close (aside from the typewriters). The most fantastical thing happens in the epilogue.
My final gripe is about the pacing, which is so odd. I would be bored by the story and then something major would happen that we would just gloss over in a few pages. Hello? And also I just didn't care for most of the characters.
(Sorry not sorry for being such a hater.)
I loved how easy this was to read.
What I was not expecting to love is the setting. This is set in the early 1900s with fantastical elements, and that's not something I would usually enjoy but i actually loved the atmosphere.
I loved Iris. She was such a nice character and I was rooting for her all the way.
Enjoyed this book, although it did wane off at the ending for me maybe, but my opinion could change after the next book comes out.
A wonderful rivals-to-lovers read. Especially refreshing that the female lead isn't burdened with the typical “I'm not pretty/smart/rich/talented enough for him” garbage. She's good at what she does and everyone else sees and acknowledges it. Started giggling with relief when I saw the next book comes out this year!