I’ve been seeing Divine Rivals on so many must read lists lately, and after diving into this world of enchanted typewriters and warring gods, it’s easy to see why people love it. If you’re looking for a story that balances a gritty war setting with a uniquely lyrical touch of magic, then definitely keep this one on your radar.
**Please note: This review contains moderate spoilers**
Plot Summary
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.
Quality of Writing
Rating: 5/5
Rebecca Ross truly has a way with words and it shows. Huge chunks of Divine Rivals read more like poetry than a standard novel, and those letters that Iris and Roman swap? Absolutely stunning. I totally get why everyone talks up her prose – it really is just that beautiful.
Plot Development
Rating: 4/5
Divine Rivals takes a little while to find its footing, mostly because the early world building is a bit vague. It’s clearly pulling from the World Wars for inspiration, but it blends elements of WWI and WWII in a way that’s a little confusing at first regarding the timeline. That being said, things get way more interesting once Iris hits the frontlines as a war correspondent – that’s when the plot finally picked up the pace and took off running.
Characters
Rating: 4/5
I absolutely adored all the characters in Divine Rivals individually. Iris is so brave and selfless, while Roman is a total emotional sap in the best way (absolutely, anything you want). Plus, Marisol is such a standout – she’s an incredible mother figure to Iris. I’ll be honest, the romance didn’t really convince me at first, as it felt like they barely knew each other, but it definitely grew on me by the end of the book.
Ease of Reading
Rating: 4/5
Again, I was a little perplexed by the timeline in Divine Rivals. I couldn’t always tell if the vibe was supposed to be more WWI or WWII since it had elements of both, but the book technically took place in 1892. Aside from that confusion, the book is a pretty smooth read. I’d definitely categorized it more as magical realism than heavy epic fantasy.
Ending
Rating: 4/5
As an emotional damage girly, I loved the war-torn cliffhanger in Divine Rivals, as I’m certain it’ll generate future yearning now that Iris and Roman are separated. That said, I’m a touch nervous about where things are heading, especially with the direction Roman’s story is taking now that he’s been captured and will likely be used as a pawn. This was a solid cliffhanger that has me wanting more, even if I’m a little stressed about the fallout!
Would I Recommend This Book
Yes, for sure. This is a solid read, and I totally get why Divine Rivals is as popular as it is in the Romantasy community. Is it one of my all time favorites? Not really. But is it beautifully written and does it make a super compelling case for pacifism? 100%. If you’re into lyrical prose and historical magical realism, it’s definitely worth picking up.
Overall Rating
Divine Rivals is beautifully written with clear poetic elements. Although the plot was slow on the uptake, it was completely engrossing by the halfway point. I was not very convinced with the romance initially, but I love all the characters individually. Some of the world building and the timeline was mildly confusing, and while I’m nervous about the fallout of the ending, it was a solid cliffhanger that has me hooked.
Book Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 1.5/5
Curious about how I rate my reads? Check out my Rating System Blog Post for more!
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Reading Stack
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