Title: Divine Rivals
Author: Rebecca Ross
Series: Letters of Enchantment
Dates Read: 26 – 29/08/2024
Published Date: 04 April 2023
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 357
Pace: Slow
Content Warnings (May contain spoilers)
Abandonment, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, War.
Who is this for? Teenagers, Young Adult, Adult
This book covers:
- Subtle magic in the form of typewriters that are able to send letters.
- A war-torn country trying to escape the wrath of a jilted god.
- Found family.
Format/Disclosure: Library, paperback.
Rating: 3.0⭐
Review:
We follow Iris, a poor journalist just trying to make ends meet. Her brother has joined the war campaign, so she’s left alone with her mother, who has succumb to alcoholism to numb her pains. Iris works alongside Rowan, her arch rival, who is also pining for the same position as her. But, Iris has a trick up her sleeve, a magical typewriter that sends letters to an unknown recipient, who begins to reply to her. We follow as Iris faces the biggest struggles of her life, following her dreams, and trying to find her brother.
I enjoyed this book, but didn’t find it overly amazing. It was slow paced, and although there are magical elements, this reads more as a historical fiction. I read through it, thinking I knew how it would end, but there was a twist I didn’t see coming. Even in saying that, I don’t think I’ll be picking up the second book, as I didn’t find myself caring enough to see how it ends (& I’m happy with my assumptions on how it most likely ends, which I’m sure aren’t too far from the book, even if there’s parts I’d be missing.)
Iris was a fine character – She was mostly fleshed out, although she did have some prominent features which were the main focus. She’s poor, she’s small, she’s struggling, and that’s most of what we know of her. We don’t really find out too much about what she loves or wants from life, only that she wants to find her brother and ensure that he’s safe. The hurdles she has to jump are definitely difficult, but we do see growth as her knowledge of the world is expanded.
Rowan is the classic arrogant rich enemy-to-lover character. It’s obvious from the beginning that they’ll end up together, and he’s a carbon copy of so many other characters in the same role, but different books. We never learn much about him, other than a difficult family/home life, and expectations he doesn’t want put upon him.
The found family aspect is my favourite part of this book. The people Iris is surrounded by, who show her nothing by love and welcome her into their lives from the moment she meets them is a beautiful part of the book. No matter what’s going on in the world, they continue to show that they truly care for her and want the best, no matter what. Although they’re in a war-torn country, there’s still love, and hope, and joy, no matter how small.
I will say that the reveal of who is behind the other type-writer feels a bit.. icky? Seeing as they knew who she was, but she was clueless as to who they were definitely felt a bit gross. Putting her in a position where she realises how much they know that she never wanted them to know made me very uncomfortable, even if they ended up having no nefarious motives.