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A review by abby_ace_of_books
When Gods Fall by S.E. Bouvier
4.0
I was quite surprised by how much I enjoyed When Gods Fall. To be quite honest, the only reason I finished it as fast as I did was because I was convinced I could predict a plot twist and my roommate thought I was dead wrong. (Well, guess what, I was right! Did I miss all of the other plot twists? Yes. But do I care? A little, but that's not important.)
The world-building was probably my favorite part of the book. It's reminiscent of a Greco-Roman word with twelve gods that match with the twelve Olympians. However, there are three different sets of gods (including the main twelve) for the main three regions of the world. There are also Non-Humans...which I don't really know how to describe. There's also the Gifts of the gods, which is essentially the magic system. I really liked the take on "demigods" and the various forms of magic found throughout the book. In general, though, the world-building was super immersive and intriguing.
In terms of plot, it was relatively fast-paced. When I look back on how much happened in the book, I'm amazed at how much was fit into roughly 1,000 e-book pages. It did drag a bit closer to the end, but the actual ending was explosive and I can't say much more without spoiling anything.
I also really liked the character dynamics of this book. The backstories of Alena and Katell reminded me a bit of Veronyka and Val from the Crown of Feathers, whereas their actual relationship reminded me a lot of Ephyra and Beru from There Will Come a Darkness. Personally, I found Alena's POVs to be more interesting than Katell's, but I know I'm in the minority there. The romance was pretty good, although I can sense a love triangle forming and I don't know which side I like better. On one hand, Leukos and his Elsa powers are a safe bet, but Nik is the Luke Castellan I never knew I needed. I do hate Dorias though with my entire being and I will die on that hill.
When Gods Fall is the beginning of an epic fantasy series with Greco-Roman inspired world-building and magic combined with an enticing rebellion plot and mysteriously charming characters. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next, and I can see the villain becoming truly despicable.
Thanks to BookSSirens and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
4.25/5
The world-building was probably my favorite part of the book. It's reminiscent of a Greco-Roman word with twelve gods that match with the twelve Olympians. However, there are three different sets of gods (including the main twelve) for the main three regions of the world. There are also Non-Humans...which I don't really know how to describe. There's also the Gifts of the gods, which is essentially the magic system. I really liked the take on "demigods" and the various forms of magic found throughout the book. In general, though, the world-building was super immersive and intriguing.
In terms of plot, it was relatively fast-paced. When I look back on how much happened in the book, I'm amazed at how much was fit into roughly 1,000 e-book pages. It did drag a bit closer to the end, but the actual ending was explosive and I can't say much more without spoiling anything.
I also really liked the character dynamics of this book. The backstories of Alena and Katell reminded me a bit of Veronyka and Val from the Crown of Feathers, whereas their actual relationship reminded me a lot of Ephyra and Beru from There Will Come a Darkness. Personally, I found Alena's POVs to be more interesting than Katell's, but I know I'm in the minority there. The romance was pretty good, although I can sense a love triangle forming and I don't know which side I like better. On one hand, Leukos and his Elsa powers are a safe bet, but Nik is the Luke Castellan I never knew I needed. I do hate Dorias though with my entire being and I will die on that hill.
When Gods Fall is the beginning of an epic fantasy series with Greco-Roman inspired world-building and magic combined with an enticing rebellion plot and mysteriously charming characters. I look forward to seeing where the series goes next, and I can see the villain becoming truly despicable.
Thanks to BookSSirens and the publisher for the free e-ARC.
4.25/5