Title: Divine Rivals
Series: Letters of Enchantment
Author: Rebecca Ross
Publisher: Magpie (Harper Collins)
Release Date: 13th April 2023
Pages: 367
Source: Fairyloot May Box
Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰
CAWPILE: 9.43/10
Synopsis
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell ... together.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again ...
All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced
to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris's best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
But when Iris's letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands - that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper - an unlikely magical connection forms.
Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?
Review
“I don't think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn't swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it's found in quiet, gentle places.”
If you’ve been reading my blog posts for a while, you will not be surprised for my love of Rebecca Ross’ writing, I picked up the Elements of Cadence series last year and just adored it so I was beyond excited to see what Divine Rivals was all about. Gods? Journalists? Magical letters? Sign me straight up! When Fairyloot teased their May theme I hoped beyond hope that it would be this book and I am so thankful it was because they have done an absolutely stunning job on it. I feel like I may have been in the minority that liked the UK cover for Divine Rivals, I just love the character art. However, the Fairyloot redesigned cover is gorgeous and kept that element while making it feel more magical so I’m not mad at the change!
I had high expectations for this book and it really didn’t disappoint. I found myself immediately drawn to Iris, and later also to Roman. Ross really managed to give them their own distinct feel, even through the writing of their letters. She also managed to give them a really good chemistry, sometimes aided by the side characters, that felt natural and banter that wasn’t overly cringey. Of course as a YA, the characters felt less mature than some of her other characters and I found myself questioning some of their decision making and obliviousness, but I still enjoyed it. I also think that saying that, none of it was unrealistic in their world and setting so it makes sense for them to act in those ways.
I would say the book has a fairly good pace, which does start to speed up towards the end naturally. There were also some real moments of tension throughout, which is to be expected when we know the main characters end up in the middle of a mythical war, and I thought these moments were really well done. She managed to make it feel high stakes, and did a good job at showing the brutality and reality of what a war (albeit mythical) is like.
“It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, “You will miss so much by being so guarded.”
I also just want to shout about how much I loved her mythology, the story of Dacre and Enva and how they started fighting and how it is slowly drip fed to us as we see the consequences play out before us. I thought it was a really interesting way to give us the story, especially as it is something seemingly lost, which also lends to good conversations surrounding censorship and propaganda in Oath and our world.
Trying really hard not to give away any spoilers, I have to say the ending did really take me by surprise in many different ways. I did start to realise something fishy was up due to some of the events leading up to the end of the book. However, I really didn’t see the ending coming and I’m really intrigued to see where the next book will take us and especially at what will happen to certain characters and others I hope we see again.
Again, this is a novel with many different themes (such as grief, strength, hope) and I found so many profound moments and quotes within. Ross has a gorgeous writing style, that is atmospheric and full of solid advice or truths that make you sit there nodding your head thinking yes. Which I adore, some of my favourite of which I have littered throughout this post. As much as I wanted to savour the book for her writing style, I just couldn’t help but fly through it so when it comes out in paperback I’m going to buy it to reread and annotate.
Ultimately, this is a brilliant read. Definitely for a slightly younger audience than the Elements of Cadence series which I adored and felt more mature in terms of the characters and relationships, but still incredible. As I always say when I finish reviewing a Rebecca Ross book, I really cannot wait to get into her backlog and read the Queen’s Rising series, Dreams Lie Beneath, and Sisters of Sword & Song. And of course, I cannot wait for the sequel, Ruthless Vows. Like I need it now, I beg of you!
“I love the words I write until I soon realize how much I hate them, as if I am destined to always be at war within myself.”
Oh how much I relate to that quote, from my own writing, to blog posts and booksta pics.
In the meantime, you’ll find me listening to The Great War by Taylor Swift and thinking of Iris and Roman’s letters, and oggling over how pretty the bujo spread I did for the book is!
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