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boyname's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Body horror and War
katelynndzindzio's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Favorite quotes:
"She was the same as she had been centuries ago, drawn from very old wind and cold constellations.
But she was not here to fall prey to what had been." -Enva; Ruthless Vows
"Soon it would be night; the stars would pierce the sky like nails, and he would light the candles and write by fire because the words came easier in the darkness" -Roman; Ruthless Vows
"He wouldn't change a thing. Because if he could, would the two of them still be here, bound together by vow and trial and love that had crept up on him like ivy on stone?" -Roman; Ruthless Vows
I sit here wishing there was more to their story, the story of Iris and Roman. One where they live together in piece forever and no tragedy surrounds them; however, that isn't their story. They once believed they were rivals, but honestly they never truly were. If they were they wouldn't have been drawn to each other so intensely. Even without their magical typewriters that they inherited, they would have found each other.
"She was the same as she had been centuries ago, drawn from very old wind and cold constellations.
But she was not here to fall prey to what had been." -Enva; Ruthless Vows
"Soon it would be night; the stars would pierce the sky like nails, and he would light the candles and write by fire because the words came easier in the darkness" -Roman; Ruthless Vows
"He wouldn't change a thing. Because if he could, would the two of them still be here, bound together by vow and trial and love that had crept up on him like ivy on stone?" -Roman; Ruthless Vows
I sit here wishing there was more to their story, the story of Iris and Roman. One where they live together in piece forever and no tragedy surrounds them; however, that isn't their story. They once believed they were rivals, but honestly they never truly were. If they were they wouldn't have been drawn to each other so intensely. Even without their magical typewriters that they inherited, they would have found each other.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, War, Violence, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit and Terminal illness
erinreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This book has evocative description and exciting plot points, but I was honestly a bit disappointed in it overall. I loved Divine Rivals but for some reason, the sequel didn’t grip me as much.
This book had just as much plot and just as high of stakes, but the pacing felt a bit rushed to me. I didn’t feel like the characters had much time to breathe and because of that, I’m not sure we got to see the characters develop as much as we saw in the first book. I wanted to see more character interaction with the lovely side characters like Attie, Marisol, Keegan, and Tobias. But because there was so much action, we didn’t really get to see much interaction, which made it feel a bit removed. I wasn’t as invested in this book as I was with the first.
I also missed the epistolary bits of the first book; I wish this one had more of that. I understand that Iris and Roman didn’t have much time to be writing long love letters but that is central to their relationship, a point we are reminded of at the end. If they were to be separated for practically all of the book, I wanted to see more of their relationship through letters. It felt a bit like two different stories for most of the book, and I missed the passion and longing from the first book.
All in all, it was still an entertaining storythat I’m glad did not end in too much death . It did feel a bit rushed, though, and I don’t think it compares to Divine Rivals.
Read if you liked Divine Rivals, if you like wartime stories, or if you like action-packed low fantasy.
This book had just as much plot and just as high of stakes, but the pacing felt a bit rushed to me. I didn’t feel like the characters had much time to breathe and because of that, I’m not sure we got to see the characters develop as much as we saw in the first book. I wanted to see more character interaction with the lovely side characters like Attie, Marisol, Keegan, and Tobias. But because there was so much action, we didn’t really get to see much interaction, which made it feel a bit removed. I wasn’t as invested in this book as I was with the first.
I also missed the epistolary bits of the first book; I wish this one had more of that. I understand that Iris and Roman didn’t have much time to be writing long love letters but that is central to their relationship, a point we are reminded of at the end. If they were to be separated for practically all of the book, I wanted to see more of their relationship through letters. It felt a bit like two different stories for most of the book, and I missed the passion and longing from the first book.
All in all, it was still an entertaining story
Read if you liked Divine Rivals, if you like wartime stories, or if you like action-packed low fantasy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Terminal illness, Gun violence, Blood, Vomit, Violence, War, Classism, and Grief
themelodyofspring's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
God this duology! I loved the sequel. It was perfection. Always bawled my eyes out near the end. Love, love the prose. The writing was so magical. The audiobook narration that kept me hooked and made me buy the paperbacks, I love youuuuu 🥰
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit, War, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Classism
issiwerro's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Death, and Gun violence
Minor: Terminal illness
sariereads's review
adventurous
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping, Gun violence, Torture, War, Death, Confinement, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Violence, Terminal illness, Murder, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
marinajonesreads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What a beautiful end to this duology. Again, RR is a master at prose and this was beautifully done. I think the reason it’s a four for me this time and not a 5 is only because there was a lot of military strategy in the middle that I think could have been whittled down a bit. I’m also really glad not all our beloved characters made it out. War is gruesome and bloody and sad and she painted that perfectly. I will absolutely be reading more of her work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, War, Violence, Torture, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Confinement, and Death
Moderate: Blood and Vomit
Minor: Stalking
roget's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Many, many, many years ago, Longinus wrote about this sort of literary experience when he said, "For, as if instinctively, our soul is uplifted by the true sublime; it takes a proud flight, and is filled with joy and vaunting, as though it had itself produced what it has heard" ("On the Sublime").
He described the sublime as "the echo of greatness of spirit." To me, sublimity is, in essence, moving, wondrous, transcendent, lightning strikes of awe into our feeble, human hands. It is the rush of sensation that follows one's spirit rising and gasping in proof of a larger, greater song.
I wax poetic because this book much deserves it. It is the sublime.
I read 160 novels this year. This was the best one.
Thank you, Rebecca.
He described the sublime as "the echo of greatness of spirit." To me, sublimity is, in essence, moving, wondrous, transcendent, lightning strikes of awe into our feeble, human hands. It is the rush of sensation that follows one's spirit rising and gasping in proof of a larger, greater song.
I wax poetic because this book much deserves it. It is the sublime.
I read 160 novels this year. This was the best one.
Thank you, Rebecca.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Stalking, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Medical content, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Medical trauma
Minor: Terminal illness and Alcoholism
There isn't a school shooting, but there is a
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