The narrative splits into two; one stays in the present, while the other explores Sephine’s memories ... At times both sharp and haunting, this novel embodies the awkwardness and regret of adolescence, complicated by Sephine’s superior identity as a Divine. A layered and complex debut.
Ellie Eaton makes her debut with The Divines, which combines the boarding school drama of novels like The Secret History with the emotional grit of works like True Story ... Ellie Eaton is a tremendously skilled writer who is able to bring to life the double-edged sword of freedom and claustrophobia that comes with youth and examine it from a distance ... even more skilled is the way that Eaton tracks these memories from the past and lays them bare against the present, forcing both Josephine and her readers to wonder about the power of perception and how we can reconcile our present with our past ... Provocative and full of insightful takes on toxic friendships, female sexuality and socioeconomic classism, The Divines is a must-read.
The Divines is an excellently written book that will suck you into its storyline. I loved each and every one of the characters and the author did an exemplary job of developing each one. A must-read for fans of the movies Heathers and Mean Girls.
Eaton’s intelligent debut follows freelance writer Josephine as she reflects on her past as a bully at a now-defunct all-girls English boarding school ... The book winds down on a satisfying note as a school reunion and Josephine’s travel for an assignment lead her to catch up with key characters and confront some unflattering things about herself. Eaton does a good job describing class tension and the misery of trying to fit into a social clique as a teenager. Josephine’s steady unraveling of her teenage dramas will keep readers riveted.
