I know, given how popular this book is on social media platforms, that you’ve heard all about it. You probably have had this on your TBR since the first week it popped up. I won’t take up too much of your time, but perhaps I can give you a dose of realism to take onboard with Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. It won’t be a downer or a spoiler – simply, a thing to remember as you’re reading it.

You are probably wondering why I phrased it this way. It is because I can see a lot of people liking this book, a lot more than the target demographic given its historical fiction feel, and with this there are things to note if you happen to be one of these historical fiction minded readers rather than the teen fantasy reader this is also aimed at.

Divine Rivals is a beautiful tale, featuring enemies-to-lovers, enchanted typewriters, a war looming on the horizon and, at the centre of it all, a girl who is searching for something to live for and a boy who will follow her to the ends of the earth to be with her. It has stunning imagery, palpable tension between characters, wonder character dynamics and dialogue, and it touches on a genuine understanding of war and the wounded and those soldiers whose lives are completely altered. Keyword: touches.

You see, for the historical fiction readers out there who pick up this book, I think you’ll be in the same boat as me and you’ll be halfway through the novel and realise that it isn’t reaching the depths that you want it to. It’s a brilliant book, don’t get me wrong, but there are times that I just wish it went a little deeper. The sounds sharper. The tastes grittier. The smells more acrid. I needed her to go one step further with the description or the internal monologues to get into the whole war aspect of the book. I needed her to really comment on the oppression of news, the limitations of knowledge spread to the masses as a means of controlling the narrative, the differences of everyday life in a war-zone compared to living in Oath. I know that it comes down to this being a teen fantasy with historical fiction themes rather than the other way around. I understand that it’s more appealing to a mass audience to hold back on the realities of war. I just think that it would have made this even stronger of a novel.

The mythology and fantasy elements of this book are very interesting, reminiscent of classic Greek and Roman mythology and the tales of the gods and their interactions. That is another sub-genre that could easily pick this up and run with it – the classics fans. Though, I admit, I’m not sure how much one would get out of the book looking at it from that perspective.

Divine Rivals has created a solid foundation for itself and I can see why there are so many fans of the book. The imagery is there, the relationship is there, there are new details and backgrounds to work with while still remaining in an attractive setting and incorporating all the good tropes and cliches that readers love. I simply wish this was an adult fantasy. That would turn it from a 4/5 into a 5/5 for me.