‘Divine Rivals’ is a fascinating mash-up of mythology, historical fiction and romance. The story feels like it is set in the mid-twentieth century, with trench warfare and war correspondents typing up their dispatches on typewriters, and yet it is a more egalitarian world where both men and women fight in the army and same-sex marriage is legal. And in this world the war they are reporting on is due to the rivalry of two ancient gods: Dacre and Enva.
When her brother goes off to fight in the war, Iris types letters to him that mysteriously disappear when she puts them in her wardrobe. She is convinced that she is communicating with him through some magic means until someone writes back and it is not her brother. As Iris exchanges letters with the mysterious ‘Carver’ she begins to open up to him and realises that she is falling in love with someone she has never met.
But, in parallel to the clash between Dacre and Enva, Iris has a nemesis of her own. Roman Kitt was her fiercest competition for the coveted columnist job at the Oath Gazette, and now he has followed her to the front lines – to show her up again as a war correspondent, Iris is convinced. But if she hates him so much, why can’t Iris stop thinking about him? And why do they keep saving each other’s lives?
I couldn’t put this book down, between the chemistry sparking between Iris and Roman, the immersive setting, and Iris herself – a wonderfully brave, resilient and compassionate character. A thrilling and intriguing new fantasy world – I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Swimming in Books 