THE HEARTLESS DIVINE.

ISBN 978-1703493900

THE HEARTLESS DIVINE by VARSHA RAVI.

Warning ... The Book Blurb  contains what might be considered spoilers. Those wishing to read the whole synopsis should scroll over the hidden text to reveal the full contents. FGT

In this unexpected twist on mythology inspired by Sangam India, reincarnated lovers find themselves bound together, connected to their past by a centuries old tragedy that only one of them remembers.

In the ruthless martial empire of Naja, Suri is the crown’s unfailing blade. But the princess dreams of a life exploring the lands beyond the borders, unshackled by blood. The king and queen offer her freedom, at a price: marriage to a king she’s meant to kill, and the death of Athri, a kingdom her family once nearly destroyed.

Her only obstacle lies in the mountains above the Athrian capital of Marai, where a young prophet sees a world struck by catastrophe—a world where a girl lies dead in the temple of the fire god, and the city lies burning below.

Despite the secrets they guard, they fall deeply in love, entangling themselves in a cruel, fated tale that will play out long after their deaths.

Centuries later, Suri lives with no recollection of her past lives. Haunted by her family’s deaths eighteen years ago, Suri sees the boy bleeding gold on her doormat as an opportunity to unravel the mystery of the car crash that took their lives. But not all gifts are created equal, and the boy soon proves to be more trouble than he’s worth, a dangerous link back to a world of gods and wishes.

- Back Cover Blurb

Suri opened the door to a boy bleeding out on the pockmarked concrete, her dollar-store welcome mat crushed under him.

- First Sentence, Chapter 1: Lyne

He did not know her, but that held little importance. Prophecies wore a hundred different faces, and catastrophe knew millions of names.

- Memorable Moment, Page 37

    

MY THOUGHTS ... Its no big secret that for me its the characters that make a book. That's not to say that plot and world building aren't important because they are, its just that no matter how well done they are not compensation for poorly written characters. Thankfully in The Heartless Divine we have it all. 

The plot, inspired by Indian mythology and seeped in folklore. The world building exceptional, rich and detailed. And as for the characters ... 

In a beautiful truly magical story of a love that transcends time the characters are not only magnificently written but {squeaking excitedly} soul mates no less.

An exploration of the dichotomy between humanity and divinity, the element of fate ever present, the plot seamlessly alternating between myth and the novel's reality, between two distinct timelines that of the present day and that of many centuries ago.

This isn't just for fans of mythology nor those into fantasy and its most certainly not just for young adults. If your looking for a memorable read that offers these elements and so much more, if your looking for a read that will hold you spellbound right from the first page to the last, if your looking for a read in which the magic is innate, almost visceral, that offers characters that you can't help but fall in love with; if your looking for all this and so much more this may well be the book for you.

SUMMED UP IN A SENTENCE ... A debut novel by an obviously talented author, The Heartless Divine is a book well worth looking out for, Varsha Ravi a name to remember.

With thanks to the author, Varsha Ravi, from whom it was an honour and a pleasure to receive a copy of The Heartless Divine.