'Divine Rivals' Book Club Readalong Day 5!

Amber and I are BACK this June for a fun new readalong! We're about to start our monthly discussion for our May "Against All Odds" book, Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross!

As a reminder, from now on, our monthly discussions will be both here on the OwlCrate blog AND on The Nest! 

On each day we'll read a section of Divine Rivals both on the blog and in The Nest's group, and then discuss in the comments our theories and predictions. This means there will be spoilers for each section! Beware! 

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for chapters 23-28 of Divine Rivals, so make sure you read are finished this section before continuing.

Find your discussion questions below, and find LOTS more on The Nest!

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We are halfway! I think this means that we have some truths that are about to be revealed...

Chapter 23

Roman is at work, wincing over giving Iris his middle name when his father pays him a visit. His father informs Roman that he's made lunch reservations for him and Elinor, his bride-to-be. This gives Roman an idea, and he starts a letter.

Meanwhile, Iris is helping in the infirmary when a large number of wounded soldiers are trucked in. Many are dying and cannot be saved. A Captain notices Iris and Attie and tells them that he has one space for a war correspondent at the front. Attie and Iris flip a coin and Attie wins. She will go to the front lines.

Roman goes to lunch with Elinor and questions her about Dacre and her father's bombs. Elinor replies that they are not bombs and is cold toward Roman. When Roman leaves the restaurant, however, he sees that a copy of the Inkridden Tribune has a front page article written by Iris: The Unexpected Face Of War.

With that, Roman makes up his mind to make his own choices.

Back at the infirmary Iris is assisting Marisol in preparing bodies for burial and asks about her wife, Keegan. Iris learns that she's fighting in the war. Upon returning to the B&B she writes Carver in sadness and he responds with words of encouragement.



Chapter 24

Attie returns from the front and tells Iris that she understands why people have been following the song of Enva. That if they and their forces don't manage to win the war if Dacre keeps advancing in the West, they could all be destroyed. She tells Iris that it's up to them now to tell the story of this war.

Iris goes to her room and finds a letter from Carver. He talks about a myth involving Enva's harp, made of dragon bone and the hair of harpies, held together with wind and that only Enva's hand can make it sing.

(Seems like a clue, my friends)

He mentions that he will also be away for a while and Iris responds asking if he will be leaving Oath but receives no response.



Chapter 25

Iris writes a letter to Carver, which is actually to herself, encouraging herself to be brave. Then she, Marisol and Attie plant seeds in the garden. When they're nearly done with their work, they hear a siren pierce the air. They rush into the house to take cover when they notice a person walking toward the B&B seemingly oblivious to the siren.

You guessed it, friends, it's ROMAN!

Iris bolts out of the house, runs toward Roman, tackles him to the ground and begs him to stay silent as cold settles in and monstrous wings snap above them.

Danger passes and Iris demands to know what he's doing. Roman just says "It's good to see you, too".

(Roman C stands for Cheeky Kitt)

Chapter 26


Iris and Roman get up. Roman identifies the creatures as eithrals and tells Iris that he's there to be a war correspondent with the Inkridden Tribune. 



He introduces himself to Attie and shows both she and Iris that recent articles of theirs have made the Inkridden Tribune's front page. He's then introduced to Marisol as a new correspondent. Marisol then asks Iris and Roman if they know each other. 





Iris returns to her room thinking about her mother, missing brother and why Roman has come to the front lines. She also thinks about Carver as she falls asleep listening to Roman typing away. 




Chapter 27


Roman is late for breakfast because he has gone on a run. When Iris returns to her room later that day, she starts to write to Carver but finds Roman knocking on her door. He tells her that she should run with him in the morning and she scoffs. Iris also abandons the letter she was writing Carver, deciding that he needs to write to her first. 

The next morning Iris agrees to run with Roman and they flirt and chat as they run up a hill, and they are late to breakfast by 7 minutes. 





Chapter 28

The chapter opens with Carver telling Iris about a dream he had of passing her on the street in Oath. 




Iris responds in a letter telling Carver that she's missed him and that she imagines his appearance. She also tells him of her rival showing up as a war correspondent and asks Carver where he's gone off to. 

That day Marisol realizes that she should have been watering the garden (same, Marisol) and decides that it will maybe be a late summer garden if it's not trampled by monster hounds (similar, but bunnies here).

They water the garden while Kitt and Iris exchange quips. They all return to the house later and Roman there's a knock on the front door. It's a Captain looking to take a war correspondent to the front. Iris volunteers but Roman insists on coming with her.

Iris returns to her room, fuming that Roman would put himself in danger at the front. She finds a letter from Carver asking her who the rival she has is, and letting her know that the letters cannot be posted as he is no longer in Oath.



Iris stops reading the letter and stuffs it in her pocket. She packs lightly and prepares to head to the front lines. 



Onto Act 3 of Divine Rivals tomorrow, my friends! Roman certainly has some explaining to do...

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 Questions:

1. 🤯How do you think Iris will react when she finds out it is Roman that she is communicating with?
   

2. ☠⚰ Why do you think some people in Oath want to keep the real events of the war off the front pages?

3. 👱Do you think Iris will find her brother on the front lines?

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