A review by beautifulpaxielreads
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I stared at a blinking cursor for several seconds before I started typing this sentence.
Divine Rivals has left me speechless with awe. I've now read several of Rebecca Ross' books, and all of them have been good, but this one is her best so far.
Without exception, the writing is exquisite - sparse, delicate, and elegant.
The writing style and subject matter reminded me vividly of Julie Berry's Lovely War, a comparison I'm surprised no other review I've read so far has mentioned. Berry's novel deals with a historical war and real mythological figures, and Ross has created something just as powerful - but entirely fictional.
The way Ross draws you into the world of Rivals is beautifully done - she doesn't give away too much in one go, instead introducing characters and worldbuilding slowly and carefully, giving readers time to absorb the details without feeling overwhelmed.
I also give Ross props for her invented mythology, which felt really convincing. At first, it was hard to conceive that the gods in the story actually walked and lived among humans, especially as the society around them felt so modern - and I didn't really get a sense of them as physical beings - but in the end, it somehow worked. Don't ask me why.
I did read this in a slightly fragmented fashion, meaning that I perhaps didn't feel the intensity and impact of the as Ross clearly intended. I did love the idea of the . I do plan to read it again in the future before the second book in the duology comes out, so hopefully the issues I had won't seem as big of a deal (they aren't already!).
Speaking of the second book, it was quite an intriguing cliffhanger Ross has left readers with! I can't wait to read more.
Divine Rivals has left me speechless with awe. I've now read several of Rebecca Ross' books, and all of them have been good, but this one is her best so far.
Without exception, the writing is exquisite - sparse, delicate, and elegant.
The writing style and subject matter reminded me vividly of Julie Berry's Lovely War, a comparison I'm surprised no other review I've read so far has mentioned. Berry's novel deals with a historical war and real mythological figures, and Ross has created something just as powerful - but entirely fictional.
The way Ross draws you into the world of Rivals is beautifully done - she doesn't give away too much in one go, instead introducing characters and worldbuilding slowly and carefully, giving readers time to absorb the details without feeling overwhelmed.
I also give Ross props for her invented mythology, which felt really convincing. At first, it was hard to conceive that the gods in the story actually walked and lived among humans, especially as the society around them felt so modern - and I didn't really get a sense of them as physical beings - but in the end, it somehow worked. Don't ask me why.
I did read this in a slightly fragmented fashion, meaning that I perhaps didn't feel the intensity and impact of the
Spoiler
romance between Iris and KittSpoiler
enchanted typewriters able to send letters between their respective owners. The fact that only a limited number of them were manufactured made it even more intriguing and heartwarmingSpeaking of the second book, it was quite an intriguing cliffhanger Ross has left readers with! I can't wait to read more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, War, Death of parent, Grief, Blood, Medical content, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Sexual content