Wild Reverence (Letters of Enchantment #0) by Rebecca Ross

 

Summary (from the publisher): Born ​in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Review: A huge thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Born in the under realm, Matilda is deemed a lesser goddess who will yield limited magic at her birth, and thus not considered a threat in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power. Matilda is the herald of the gods and can swiftly deliver words and letters between realms. But she also has an unexpected connection with a mortal boy named, Vincent. A boy who dreams of her, despite having never met her. But when circumstances force Matilda to flee, both from the under realm where she was raised and from Vincent's dreams, it is ten long years before they see each other again. And when they do, she is a hardened lord of the river. And Matilda has grown into her power and is immensely sorry to have abandoned Vincent in a past time of need. 

I adored this book. It is ethereal and other-worldly. It is filled with ruthless gods with magical abilities who are constantly scheming, killing, and making alliances. In this world of callous connections, Matilda stands out as a deeply loyal and empathetic goddess. This deep capacity to love and feel compassion for others is both Matilda's greatest weakness and ultimately her greatest strength. 

This was achingly beautiful and hauntingly sad. Vincent and Matilda face great loss, hardship, and constant separation that disrupts their life and their burgeoning relationship. The whole novel, I was aching for them to find peace and to be given time with one another - all while knowing that the great tragedy that because Vincent is mortal, they will never have as much time together as they could have, given Matilda's immortality: "We were doomed, she and I. One day, I would perish, and she would live on, endless as the stars." Similarly, Matilda yearns for a father that will love and cherish her. The closest she has is the complicated yet tender relationship with the God of War, Bade, who is her ally thanks to a bargain made by Matilda's mother. This relationship was a beautiful love story in and of itself. 

In addition to the moving story, this was beautifully written with striking turns of phrase and skillful descriptive language. Matilda describes the vow she makes with Bade saying, "the vow tasted like the brine of the sea. Like a night laden with tears. Like drops of sweat provoked by a merciless midday sun." Later, Matilda says that her "mother's displeasure was crisp like a tart apple." The god of the spring describes Matilda by saying, "You are parchment, ink, cloves. You are water dripping down stone, and the smoke of a burning scroll. You are something deeper, darker still."

This reminded me of a lush reimagining of Greek mythology. With its pantheon of fighting gods, casual discarding of mortals, and visits to different realms and the underworld, it brilliantly echoes many Greek myths. It reminded me of other Greek-inspired novels such as Helen of Troy by Margaret George or The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. 

This is a prequel novel to Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows by the same author. And while this is a standalone novel that can absolutely be enjoyed without having read the others, I absolutely adored the way she tied this story to the plot of those novels in the epilogue. It was brilliant. 

I have no notes. I loved this. It was beautifully done. 

Stars: 5

Related Titles:

• Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1) by Rebecca Ross 
• Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment #2) by Rebecca Ross
  
• A River Enchanted (Elements of Cadence #1) by Rebecca Ross
  
• A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence #2) by Rebecca Ross