Book Review: The Divines

THE DIVINES | Ellie Eaton
01.19.2021 | William Morrow
Ratingl: 3/5 stars

Memor Amici. Remember Friends.

Josephine will never forget the motto that belonged to her elite English boarding school, St. John the Divine. She will never stop being a Divine, no matter how hard she tries to put that time behind her. Fluctuating between present-day Los Angeles and flashbacks of school, Josephine must learn to come to terms with the memories she has buried. She must face the biggest secret of her life, which also just happens to be her former school’s greatest scandal. 

I’m a sucker for a book set in academia and boarding schools hold a certain level of mystery that always captivates my interest. Ellie Eaton’s debut novel, THE DIVINES, gives readers all the scandal and drama we have come to love with these boarding school tales. Eaton’s prose is lyrical and whip smart in a way that comes off much stronger than what I typically expect a debut to provide. 

The pacing of THE DIVINES is a bit on the slower side, as Eaton methodically chooses what to reveal about Josephine’s life. I found myself more invested with the timeline that examined Josephine’s time as a Divine over her present day. I was left wanting a bit more from the story overall, but I do believe that Eaton fully accomplishes creating a well-rounded memoir-style look into the life of a woman facing her past.

Fans of audiobooks should take note that the amazing Imogen Church narrates this story and truly brings the book to life!

This book is available to buy from: Amazon | Book Depository

A huge thank you to William Morrow for my gifted copy!

Disclosure: What Jess Reads is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This in no way influences my opinion of the above book.