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brewdy_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Fantasy Romance • Duology • Folklore
Published • 15 February 2022
Divine Rivals may have been the book to catapult Rebecca Ross to instant bookstagram stardom, but I'm here to tell you that A River Enchanted (which was published first!) was my top read between the two. Some will say that it is unfair to compare them, but that's just what I'll be doing, as I assume most of you have already read Divine Rivals.
A note: Divine Rivals was one of my top YA Fantasy reads of 2023, along with Belladonna and Legendborn. I gave all of these books a 5 ⭐ rating in the YA category.
Having said that, A River Enchanted enchanted this reader! It is a bit slower paced to the higher action Divine Rivals, but has such a cozy, folklorish vibe set in the world of Cadence which feels very British isles. Unlike DR which centers largely around a romance between two newspaper rivals, in A River Enchanted we get many more in-depth side characters in addition to the prominent ones. DR is more angsty, as is typical in the YA genre, while A River Enchanted features more mature characters and targets an adult audience. Despite its coziness, its plot is highly engaging with high stakes, and although it is the first half of a duology, ends with a satisfying conclusion rather than a cliff.
What is similar: readers who love Ross' atmospheric poetic writing will find a consistency here between the two books, as well as a magical universe, themes of belonging, and warring gods.
Read this one if you loved the Emily Wilde series or cozy fantasy as a genre!
Graphic: Kidnapping
Minor: Murder and War
grace_b_3's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Violence and Kidnapping
Moderate: Murder and War
Minor: Sexual content
elaineh7's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
minnow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
It's entertaining and is, in parts, beautifully written. However, it's at best a snack, and not a very filling one. It takes some of the tropes I love and over-uses them until it made my eyes roll every time they popped up in the text--how many times can Jack rake back his hair with one hand? There are so many aching chests that this story needed a cardiologist more than it needed a bard. Every emotion is set at ten, every moment is The Most Dramatic Moment, which reduces every truly heightened emotion and moment to zero. If everything is in stereo, nothing is in stereo.
Yet the world-building is lovely and well-done. I wish it had been focused on more and there had been less romantic navel-gazing and reminiscing performed by secondary characters. The development of the main characters feels abrupt; it's handled better with the supporting characters Torin and Sidra. There is one mildly spicy scene that is well done but feels poorly placed in the narrative.
A beautiful premise that feels shallow. I won't read further into the series as it didn't enchant me.
Moderate: Chronic illness, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual content, Torture, Blood, Death of parent, and Murder
razalicious's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Violence, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
chelbelle122's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Moderate: Death, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
cassie7e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Moderate: Death, Self harm, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Abandonment
Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
rsb12's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Chronic illness, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infertility, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Abandonment
cozy_tea_reader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, and Grief
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
The book deals with these themes within a fantasy context and its not graphic but there.linneak's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and War