Divine Rivals

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.

These book club questions were prepared by Bookclubs staff.

Book club questions for Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What did you think of the world building in Divine Rivals? Does the integration of mythological gods, magical creatures, and enchanted objects into a historical war setting work or feel disjointed to you? Why or why not?

What aspects of the world building would you like to see further explored or explained in the second novel?

In what ways do Iris and Roman complement and bring out the best in each other? How does their relationship develop and grow over the course of the book?

Discuss Roman's backstory and family situation. How do you think this contributed to his personality and character development?

Both Iris and Roman's careers as journalists and writers are very important to them. Why do you think expressing themselves creatively matters so much to them? How does writing help them cope?

Discuss Iris's relationship with her mother Aster and brother Forest. How does her relationship with her family impact her and the choices she makes?

Attie, Marisol, and Keegan form a tight-knit found family with Iris. What is significant about these friendships and support networks in the story?

What symbolic meaning might Iris and Roman's linked typewriters carry? How do they use their "magic" connection to communicate and confide in each other?

Explore the theme of courage in the face of adversity. How do the characters demonstrate resilience, strength, bravery and sacrifice throughout?

Discuss the influence of the battling gods Dacre and Enva. How does Iris cope with living in a war-torn world that she can hardly control?

How would you characterize Rebecca Ross’s writing style? What are some standout passages or images?

What surprised you or subverted your expectations about where the plot goes in the final act? Discuss the emotional, tension-filled ending.

Based on the epilogue, what might happen in the sequel? What do you predict for Iris and Roman's relationship and future battles?

Would you recommend Divine Rivals to a friend? What did you like most about the book and what criticisms, if any, do you have?

Divine Rivals Book Club Questions PDF

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