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The Heartless Divine #1
The Heartless Divine
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.
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.
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.
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.
434 pages, Paperback
Published November 29, 2019
About the author
Varsha Ravi
2 books35 followersVarsha Ravi has been in love with stories from a young age, writing about mythology, family, and destiny. She is currently a student of neuroscience and classics at the University of California, Los Angeles. The Heartless Divine is her first novel. She can be found on Twitter @varshwrites or at varsharavi.com.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 116 reviews
January 29, 2021
the author really said "what better way to double the angst and yearning collectively present in all fantasy books than a 434-page tragic dual timelines about reincarnated star-crossed lovers, with only one of them having any memory of the other"
November 29, 2021
check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog!
It’s been almost a month since I read this and I can’t stop thinking about it. The Heartless Divine is one of those books that completely suck you into them, keep you captured in a strong hold with no scope to recover. The pure angst, the parallels, the writing were all so phenomenal, I have nothing but praise for this book.
This Sangam India inspired novel follows two lovers fated for tragedy across two timelines; princess and priest in the past, a college student and a god in the present.
Varsha Ravi’s writing is stunning. Right from page one, where Kiran shows up bleeding on Suri’s doorstep in the present timeline, she had my attention. Never did it get too descriptive for my liking, it delivered a punch to the gut when fate played with the characters and made me smile when they did. I have so many highlights and every single one of them is beautifully written. Ravi’s vivid writing binds together the plot, the characters, the tropes and the pain in such a way that I didn’t want to put the book down at all.
Reading about Suri and Kiran—these lovers reincarnated but bound by a tragedy— watching them fall for each other all over again in the present timeline, is like a train wreck about to happen. You know the train wreck is about to happen and yet you just sit there and witness it all. Kiran trying so hard not to fall for Suri again but Suri diving into it headfirst, it hurt so good. I love how the past and present timelines are entangled to form the story, where we get mirror image scenes across the two timelines and get hurt a second time. It didn’t help that Ravi used my favourite tropes throughout the book.
Viro and Tarak, the second pair, too quickly became my favourite characters. Seeing their story play out is a whole different hurt.
Apart from the above mentioned tropes, The Heartless Divine also has an excellent found family. I adored the brotherhood between Kiran, Viro and Tarak as well as Suri’s group of friends in the present. They were such a great addition to the story, I can’t wait to read more about them in the sequel, especially after that epilogue.
The themes of fate and tragedy and how it all comes down the freedom of one's choice that Ravi intended to play with in The Heartless Divine is another highlight. Because despite all the impending doom, there's the message of love, of the will to love someone and defy all odds to stay with them that's prominent. The quote that follows this paragraph sums it all up— Kiran and Suri, Viro and Tarak, make that choice to fall in love, find a home in each other again and again and how that freedom immortalises their love, making it magical.
Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And in the end, love made immortals of them all.
I really liked the worldbuilding, taking elements from Sangam India, which was very familiar to me. Reading about the city of Enesmat, the gods, the setting and Ravi's spin on them is so refreshing and warming, mixed with the atmospheric writing and themes of destiny and love.
With a steady buildup up to the climax and—slow burn romance, immortal gods, lovable characters and shit ton of pain throughout—The Heartless Divine is a story that is sure to stay with you, a story about star crossed fates, about the determination to love someone despite, written in the most beautiful way. I really hope you like this book as much as I do, when you decided to read it!
It’s been almost a month since I read this and I can’t stop thinking about it. The Heartless Divine is one of those books that completely suck you into them, keep you captured in a strong hold with no scope to recover. The pure angst, the parallels, the writing were all so phenomenal, I have nothing but praise for this book.
This Sangam India inspired novel follows two lovers fated for tragedy across two timelines; princess and priest in the past, a college student and a god in the present.
Varsha Ravi’s writing is stunning. Right from page one, where Kiran shows up bleeding on Suri’s doorstep in the present timeline, she had my attention. Never did it get too descriptive for my liking, it delivered a punch to the gut when fate played with the characters and made me smile when they did. I have so many highlights and every single one of them is beautifully written. Ravi’s vivid writing binds together the plot, the characters, the tropes and the pain in such a way that I didn’t want to put the book down at all.
Reading about Suri and Kiran—these lovers reincarnated but bound by a tragedy— watching them fall for each other all over again in the present timeline, is like a train wreck about to happen. You know the train wreck is about to happen and yet you just sit there and witness it all. Kiran trying so hard not to fall for Suri again but Suri diving into it headfirst, it hurt so good. I love how the past and present timelines are entangled to form the story, where we get mirror image scenes across the two timelines and get hurt a second time. It didn’t help that Ravi used my favourite tropes throughout the book.
Viro and Tarak, the second pair, too quickly became my favourite characters. Seeing their story play out is a whole different hurt.
Apart from the above mentioned tropes, The Heartless Divine also has an excellent found family. I adored the brotherhood between Kiran, Viro and Tarak as well as Suri’s group of friends in the present. They were such a great addition to the story, I can’t wait to read more about them in the sequel, especially after that epilogue.
The themes of fate and tragedy and how it all comes down the freedom of one's choice that Ravi intended to play with in The Heartless Divine is another highlight. Because despite all the impending doom, there's the message of love, of the will to love someone and defy all odds to stay with them that's prominent. The quote that follows this paragraph sums it all up— Kiran and Suri, Viro and Tarak, make that choice to fall in love, find a home in each other again and again and how that freedom immortalises their love, making it magical.
Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And in the end, love made immortals of them all.
I really liked the worldbuilding, taking elements from Sangam India, which was very familiar to me. Reading about the city of Enesmat, the gods, the setting and Ravi's spin on them is so refreshing and warming, mixed with the atmospheric writing and themes of destiny and love.
With a steady buildup up to the climax and—slow burn romance, immortal gods, lovable characters and shit ton of pain throughout—The Heartless Divine is a story that is sure to stay with you, a story about star crossed fates, about the determination to love someone despite, written in the most beautiful way. I really hope you like this book as much as I do, when you decided to read it!
November 6, 2021
"Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And, in the end, love made immortals of them all."
this is my friend's book and it's genuinely incredible the writing is gorgeous and draws upon notions of love & fate & divinity and the plot and characters are so well crafted please go read :')
this is my friend's book and it's genuinely incredible the writing is gorgeous and draws upon notions of love & fate & divinity and the plot and characters are so well crafted please go read :')
January 18, 2021
I would like to begin by saying this is one of my favourite reads ever. Everything from the setting, the characters, the writing was phenomenal. It took me a whole month to just put my thoughts down coherently.
This book is a sangam era India inspired story of reincarnation and two star crossed lovers who are fated for love and tragedy and is written so beautifully. It was wonderful to see words and settings I knew and just my culture and beliefs in a book for once. (the way i screamed when i saw gopuram lmao)
The characters were fantastic. I adored the hesitant assasin Suri was in the past as well as the devoted and selfless priest Kiran was. They way they fell in love seemed so intimate, it felt as if I was intruding on something private. Watching Kiran struggle with his duty and his devotion was hard to read but the outcome....was something.
The present characters were just as intriguing and so angsty. Seeing Suri slowly repeat the cycle of falling in love with Kiran and him trying as hard as he can not to do the same, hurt so good. We're reading with bated breath about the outcome and it was incredibly fun to read, I laughed, screamed and almost cried so many times. The whole mystery behind what god Kiran was, was done so wonderfully especially the different connections between that and Suri.The whole background of something bigger happening was very interesting and I cannot wait to find out more.
I adored the side characters as well, all of Suri's friends in the present as well as the friends and characters in the past were fun to read about and i cant wait to read even more after that particular ending.
The culture and premise was amazing. Seeing the parallels and connections between the past and the present either made me scream or cry. The two timelines were both genuinely captivating and I could not decide which I wanted more of. Overall this book was a masterpiece and I loved it completely and am eagerly anticipating more.
This book is a sangam era India inspired story of reincarnation and two star crossed lovers who are fated for love and tragedy and is written so beautifully. It was wonderful to see words and settings I knew and just my culture and beliefs in a book for once. (the way i screamed when i saw gopuram lmao)
The characters were fantastic. I adored the hesitant assasin Suri was in the past as well as the devoted and selfless priest Kiran was. They way they fell in love seemed so intimate, it felt as if I was intruding on something private. Watching Kiran struggle with his duty and his devotion was hard to read but the outcome....was something.
The present characters were just as intriguing and so angsty. Seeing Suri slowly repeat the cycle of falling in love with Kiran and him trying as hard as he can not to do the same, hurt so good. We're reading with bated breath about the outcome and it was incredibly fun to read, I laughed, screamed and almost cried so many times. The whole mystery behind what god Kiran was, was done so wonderfully especially the different connections between that and Suri.The whole background of something bigger happening was very interesting and I cannot wait to find out more.
I adored the side characters as well, all of Suri's friends in the present as well as the friends and characters in the past were fun to read about and i cant wait to read even more after that particular ending.
The culture and premise was amazing. Seeing the parallels and connections between the past and the present either made me scream or cry. The two timelines were both genuinely captivating and I could not decide which I wanted more of. Overall this book was a masterpiece and I loved it completely and am eagerly anticipating more.
August 25, 2021
24.8.21 — read my interview with the lovely talented author, varsha ravi, on my blog: ♡.
31.7.21 — took me an entire month to finish this and i’m still reeling from it. surikiran are ingrained in my heart and soul.
rtc.
31.7.21 — took me an entire month to finish this and i’m still reeling from it. surikiran are ingrained in my heart and soul.
rtc.
November 9, 2021
4.5 stars
read on my blog
rep: Indian (Tamil)-inspired world and characters; (Tamil-American author)
cw: mentions of deaths of loved ones in a car crash
I’ve seen so many friends rave about this book, and I finally decided to pick it up one day. And now I understand the love and adoration to this book! Lush and gorgeous, The Heartless Divine stitches together the stories of reincarnated lovers across two time periods: one of a princess and a prophet, and one of a college student and a god.
One day, Suri opens her door to find a bleeding boy, Kiran, on her doorstep. She takes him to her grandmother, only to find out that he is a god whose memories have been erased and that they are now inexplicably bound. In a different time, centuries earlier, Suri is a princess and an assassin, sent to marry an enemy king Viro and then kill him to inherit the country. Along the way, she bonds with Kiran, a prophet who is part-god and fully feared. As the two timelines begin to line up, it’s clear that Suri and Kiran are fated to be together, no matter what comes in between them, even death.
The Heartless Divine is a take on Sangam Indian mythology, I believe, which I am not too knowledgeable about. That being said, I really liked the worldbuilding! This book switches between two different timelines, and it was interesting to see how gods and stories, as well as Suri and Kiran, connect them. I particularly loved how destiny and divinity and love were all intertwined throughout the story and how, as Suri points out, it’s possible to take fate into your own hands when the gods are not listening.
The writing of this book was both gorgeous and heartwrenching. I found myself hooked to every word, while also in tears at certain turns of phrase. I highlighted so many quotes that it would be difficult to share them all here. For this to be Ravi’s debut novel, and written so young no less, is astounding, and I cannot wait to read the sequel and whatever she writes in the future.
The prose really adds to the desperation and hope of the premise of the novel: the reincarnated soulmates with only one of them remembering the other. There was a scene at the height of the novel that sent genuine shivers down my spine, and the dialogue only emphasized this. I had to put the book down to scream. Yet while this book is obviously a tragedy, it’s also difficult to ignore the hope and love at the heart of the story. And there’s so much of it in the book: love of all forms. Suri and Kiran’s love, Kiran’s love for Viro and Tarak, Suri and her grandmother, Suri and her group of friends.
This also leads me to the romance…which drove me slightly insane honestly. Suri and Kiran’s dynamic was just so, so good; I found all of Suri and Kiran’s interactions in the present both hilarious (because Kiran loves irritating Suri) and heartbreaking (because Kiran is the only one who remembers their past life and is also trying to protect Suri). Kiran’s reluctance to let Suri in yet also his inability to keep her out was a treacherous balance, but one that Ravi treads frighteningly well. They are all I will be thinking about for the next year at least, or until I get the sequel.
The Heartless Divine takes upon love and the magic of choice in the face of destiny and gods. I adored the characters and the prose, as well as the breathtaking romance. If you’re intrigued by a story of reincarnated soulmates and lush worldbuilding, I cannot recommend The Heartless Divine enough!
original review:
screaming
read on my blog
rep: Indian (Tamil)-inspired world and characters; (Tamil-American author)
cw: mentions of deaths of loved ones in a car crash
Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And in the end, love made immortals of them all.
I’ve seen so many friends rave about this book, and I finally decided to pick it up one day. And now I understand the love and adoration to this book! Lush and gorgeous, The Heartless Divine stitches together the stories of reincarnated lovers across two time periods: one of a princess and a prophet, and one of a college student and a god.
One day, Suri opens her door to find a bleeding boy, Kiran, on her doorstep. She takes him to her grandmother, only to find out that he is a god whose memories have been erased and that they are now inexplicably bound. In a different time, centuries earlier, Suri is a princess and an assassin, sent to marry an enemy king Viro and then kill him to inherit the country. Along the way, she bonds with Kiran, a prophet who is part-god and fully feared. As the two timelines begin to line up, it’s clear that Suri and Kiran are fated to be together, no matter what comes in between them, even death.
The Heartless Divine is a take on Sangam Indian mythology, I believe, which I am not too knowledgeable about. That being said, I really liked the worldbuilding! This book switches between two different timelines, and it was interesting to see how gods and stories, as well as Suri and Kiran, connect them. I particularly loved how destiny and divinity and love were all intertwined throughout the story and how, as Suri points out, it’s possible to take fate into your own hands when the gods are not listening.
I believe in happy endings. And I believe in the gods who grant them. But I don’t believe in their silence damning us. If the gods never answer, then we learn to make happy endings of our own.
The writing of this book was both gorgeous and heartwrenching. I found myself hooked to every word, while also in tears at certain turns of phrase. I highlighted so many quotes that it would be difficult to share them all here. For this to be Ravi’s debut novel, and written so young no less, is astounding, and I cannot wait to read the sequel and whatever she writes in the future.
The prose really adds to the desperation and hope of the premise of the novel: the reincarnated soulmates with only one of them remembering the other. There was a scene at the height of the novel that sent genuine shivers down my spine, and the dialogue only emphasized this. I had to put the book down to scream. Yet while this book is obviously a tragedy, it’s also difficult to ignore the hope and love at the heart of the story. And there’s so much of it in the book: love of all forms. Suri and Kiran’s love, Kiran’s love for Viro and Tarak, Suri and her grandmother, Suri and her group of friends.
“Who do gods pray to?” she asked aloud, a dream with open eyes.
The line of his mouth was sharp enough to draw blood. But when he spoke, his voice was snow-soft, death-soft. “This is not prayer, Suri. It is atonement.”
This also leads me to the romance…which drove me slightly insane honestly. Suri and Kiran’s dynamic was just so, so good; I found all of Suri and Kiran’s interactions in the present both hilarious (because Kiran loves irritating Suri) and heartbreaking (because Kiran is the only one who remembers their past life and is also trying to protect Suri). Kiran’s reluctance to let Suri in yet also his inability to keep her out was a treacherous balance, but one that Ravi treads frighteningly well. They are all I will be thinking about for the next year at least, or until I get the sequel.
“‘Love is dangerous, blinding,'” he quoted, voice soft against her cheeks in an empty semblance of amusement. He pulled back slightly, just enough that she could see the gentleness, the raw warmth in his gaze. The clean lack of regret. “And yet, I see you so clearly.”
The Heartless Divine takes upon love and the magic of choice in the face of destiny and gods. I adored the characters and the prose, as well as the breathtaking romance. If you’re intrigued by a story of reincarnated soulmates and lush worldbuilding, I cannot recommend The Heartless Divine enough!
original review:
screaming
August 23, 2021
rating may change i just need to sit on it for a while but god. i've never read a book like that before i genuinely felt like i was in the story and suri and kiran felt so real to me... sometimes i lost track of the plot because the writing was so beautiful and that ending was SO. anyway i can't believe varsha is only one year older than me 😭 this isn't very coherent and i'll try to put something better together tomorrow morning because this book deserves it but i'm in awe right now
November 6, 2020
“Gods are not kind. They have never been kind, and they never will be. Humanity would do well to remember that.”
This book ... vengeful deities, vengeful humans, girls with knives!!!!, star crossed reincarnated lovers, dual timelines for double the pain, excellent found family content, The Vibes, beautiful prose and broken brothers ... honestly what more could you want tbh
This book ... vengeful deities, vengeful humans, girls with knives!!!!, star crossed reincarnated lovers, dual timelines for double the pain, excellent found family content, The Vibes, beautiful prose and broken brothers ... honestly what more could you want tbh
November 21, 2021
need book two stat
May 25, 2021
It's like 11:30 PM right now and idk what to think i just need some time to process this so the review will be up tomorrow
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UPDATE: Okay so, I'm still reeling from this beautiful story that took me a long time to read but it was worth everything! I loved everything about this book, from the storyline to specific tropes to the character development, the chemistry between them and a world that made me want more of it. Varsha Ravi has blended Urban Fantasy and Historical Fantasy so well it left me in awe. There are lots of loose ends but hopefully, we'll get them soon tied up in the sequel (I can't wait for it!) The setting is lush and as a South Indian, the references felt so close to home I devoured it. The thing that I found the best was the writing style, it was so poetic, intricate and woven so well I couldn't not get hooked! In a nutshell, if you're looking for a beautiful story about reincarnated and forbidden lovers with beautiful prose and a perfect blend of modern day and ancient setting, then this book is perfect for you!
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UPDATE: Okay so, I'm still reeling from this beautiful story that took me a long time to read but it was worth everything! I loved everything about this book, from the storyline to specific tropes to the character development, the chemistry between them and a world that made me want more of it. Varsha Ravi has blended Urban Fantasy and Historical Fantasy so well it left me in awe. There are lots of loose ends but hopefully, we'll get them soon tied up in the sequel (I can't wait for it!) The setting is lush and as a South Indian, the references felt so close to home I devoured it. The thing that I found the best was the writing style, it was so poetic, intricate and woven so well I couldn't not get hooked! In a nutshell, if you're looking for a beautiful story about reincarnated and forbidden lovers with beautiful prose and a perfect blend of modern day and ancient setting, then this book is perfect for you!
September 10, 2021
. surikiran i love u
May 3, 2021
“𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔, 𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈—𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒆𝒕, 𝑰 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒚.”
4.5 stars
* mythology inspired by Sangam India
* reincarnation / literally soulmates
* slow burn star-crossed romance
* complex plot and character
What more do you want !!!
This book is phenomenal, it got me hooked from first page.It’s amazing seeing Suri and Kiran different timelines of their lives parallels those two have with angst...you just feel everything. I loved so much individually and as couple.
It's so beautifully written and it's shame that everyone is sleeping on this book. This book took by surprise in every way, read it.
4.5 stars
* mythology inspired by Sangam India
* reincarnation / literally soulmates
* slow burn star-crossed romance
* complex plot and character
What more do you want !!!
This book is phenomenal, it got me hooked from first page.It’s amazing seeing Suri and Kiran different timelines of their lives parallels those two have with angst...you just feel everything. I loved so much individually and as couple.
It's so beautifully written and it's shame that everyone is sleeping on this book. This book took by surprise in every way, read it.
November 9, 2021
I've wanted to read this book for quite a long time now, but I only bought it recently when I realized the sequel was coming out next year. I had only heard great things about this before from my dear friends, and it's so rare to find a South Indian inspired (in this case specifically Tamil Nadu) fantasy novel that I knew I had to give this a try.
However, I don't know if I am having a bit of a bad luck lately because I seem to not be loving all my reads. Which is ofcourse always possible because I can't always be reading 4 and 5 star books but I guess I've been spoiled for most of this year with absolutely wonderful books. That's not to say this book was bad. The prose is actually quite beautiful and the author does a lovely job telling both a historical and contemporary story in the same book. It is told in two alternate timelines, or in other words, two different lifetimes of the same characters. The current timeline is where I completely lost my interest.
I found the beginning itself to be very abrupt and then I couldn't fathom why the characters started feeling so deeply for each other, especially Suri because Kiran atleast had a reason to feel the love. The past timeline was definitely more interesting with Suri having to travel to an enemy kingdom and get acclimated to the land and it's people while also harboring a dangerous secret. I liked her character who has been brought up with violence as her creed but probably wants something different if she could choose. Kiran too is fascinating because he is neither completely human nor a god, and living a haunted life due to being able to see the visions of the future have made him seem much more guarded and dispassionate. While I enjoyed their relationship dynamic, I just found it not so plausible because she is technically betrothed to the king. And the other unbelievable part was that she hardly has any interactions with Viro, and none of them ever to alluding to the fact that they probably are supposed to be married someday. I probably liked Tarak the best of the lot but we see quite little of him. The mystery of who is betraying the kingdom is also pretty easy to guess but there are only a couple of choices, and why of it didn't seem convincing enough.
But overall, it wasn't something I couldn't get through. The lovely prose and the historical timeline hold enough water that it kept me going and I wanted to know how the subplot would end. But I really would have skipped the present timeline if I felt I could. Maybe it would have worked better for me if the two timelines were in separate books, but many others have enjoyed this book so I guess it's just my personal preference. And now I am unsure if I wanna continue with the sequel. Let's see what I will decide in the future.
However, I don't know if I am having a bit of a bad luck lately because I seem to not be loving all my reads. Which is ofcourse always possible because I can't always be reading 4 and 5 star books but I guess I've been spoiled for most of this year with absolutely wonderful books. That's not to say this book was bad. The prose is actually quite beautiful and the author does a lovely job telling both a historical and contemporary story in the same book. It is told in two alternate timelines, or in other words, two different lifetimes of the same characters. The current timeline is where I completely lost my interest.
I found the beginning itself to be very abrupt and then I couldn't fathom why the characters started feeling so deeply for each other, especially Suri because Kiran atleast had a reason to feel the love. The past timeline was definitely more interesting with Suri having to travel to an enemy kingdom and get acclimated to the land and it's people while also harboring a dangerous secret. I liked her character who has been brought up with violence as her creed but probably wants something different if she could choose. Kiran too is fascinating because he is neither completely human nor a god, and living a haunted life due to being able to see the visions of the future have made him seem much more guarded and dispassionate. While I enjoyed their relationship dynamic, I just found it not so plausible because she is technically betrothed to the king. And the other unbelievable part was that she hardly has any interactions with Viro, and none of them ever to alluding to the fact that they probably are supposed to be married someday. I probably liked Tarak the best of the lot but we see quite little of him. The mystery of who is betraying the kingdom is also pretty easy to guess but there are only a couple of choices, and why of it didn't seem convincing enough.
But overall, it wasn't something I couldn't get through. The lovely prose and the historical timeline hold enough water that it kept me going and I wanted to know how the subplot would end. But I really would have skipped the present timeline if I felt I could. Maybe it would have worked better for me if the two timelines were in separate books, but many others have enjoyed this book so I guess it's just my personal preference. And now I am unsure if I wanna continue with the sequel. Let's see what I will decide in the future.
October 4, 2020
I said I’d review it with better wording, but my feelings for this book are so strong I barely know what to say.
Before starting this, I was in a pretty terrible reading slump, and was scared to pick it up and not appreciate it enough. However, as soon as I opened the book and began reading, I was in love.
The characters are so complex and fascinating, and just overall lovely (I’m personally extremely in love with Kiran, lol). Getting to follow them in the different timelines was so interesting, and the way they were woven together was just beautiful.
The plot was intriguing from the beginning through to the end. While the major plotlines were fantastic, the minor ones and more filler-like ones were just as great.
Don’t even get me started on the writing. It was so beautifully written I had to put down the book at several points just because I was feeling too much. There were so many outstanding quotes - picking just one favourite would be impossible.
The moments I wasn’t reading, my brain was still only filled with thoughts about the book - about the characters, the relationships, what could possibly happen next. I’m still thinking about it, honestly, and I will for a long time.
To conclude, I’d just like to say: Please, read this book. There’s a huge chance you’ll love it, just as I did.
Before starting this, I was in a pretty terrible reading slump, and was scared to pick it up and not appreciate it enough. However, as soon as I opened the book and began reading, I was in love.
The characters are so complex and fascinating, and just overall lovely (I’m personally extremely in love with Kiran, lol). Getting to follow them in the different timelines was so interesting, and the way they were woven together was just beautiful.
The plot was intriguing from the beginning through to the end. While the major plotlines were fantastic, the minor ones and more filler-like ones were just as great.
Don’t even get me started on the writing. It was so beautifully written I had to put down the book at several points just because I was feeling too much. There were so many outstanding quotes - picking just one favourite would be impossible.
The moments I wasn’t reading, my brain was still only filled with thoughts about the book - about the characters, the relationships, what could possibly happen next. I’m still thinking about it, honestly, and I will for a long time.
To conclude, I’d just like to say: Please, read this book. There’s a huge chance you’ll love it, just as I did.
January 24, 2021
4.5 | "I believe in happy endings," she agreed, "And I believe in the gods who grant them. But I don’t believe in their silence damning us. If the gods never answer, then we learn to make happy endings of our own."
first, this book is so so stunning. i am in love with the language you can spend so much time chewing on the words. other thoughts:
- i really enjoyed the alternate timelines!! although the pacing wasn't very gripping in the beginning in terms of enesmat, it was really nice to switch between two completely different timelines and learn about the characters and their relationships (and boy, did things escalate when the wheels started turning)
- although some plot things were predictable there were parts that were just so utterly delightful and just. joy sparking
- FRIENDSHIP *shakes bars* i enjoyed the lyne timeline a lot because the interactions with suri's friends were SO fun honestly i had such a good time
- viro and kiran make me feel like a crazy person i need to lay down
honestly i don't think i quite have the words for it but this book is just so full of humanity and hope it made me very emotional
first, this book is so so stunning. i am in love with the language you can spend so much time chewing on the words. other thoughts:
- i really enjoyed the alternate timelines!! although the pacing wasn't very gripping in the beginning in terms of enesmat, it was really nice to switch between two completely different timelines and learn about the characters and their relationships (and boy, did things escalate when the wheels started turning)
- although some plot things were predictable there were parts that were just so utterly delightful and just. joy sparking
- FRIENDSHIP *shakes bars* i enjoyed the lyne timeline a lot because the interactions with suri's friends were SO fun honestly i had such a good time
- viro and kiran make me feel like a crazy person i need to lay down
honestly i don't think i quite have the words for it but this book is just so full of humanity and hope it made me very emotional
August 26, 2021
i think there are few things more meaningful than when you can feel that the book is going to leave a mark on you throughout the reading. and when you finish it you can see clearly all the moments that lead to it. it's almost like you can put it all together in a constellation of its own.
astounding. one of my all time favorites.
astounding. one of my all time favorites.
September 19, 2021
probably my favorite read of the year. the writing was absolutely beautiful, and i loved how the past and present chapters progressed, supporting each other and making you get to know and love the characters gradually. surikiran i love you so much.
March 18, 2021
4.5**
“Because gods could never be human, and humans were defined in broad, beautiful strokes of terror and love and ephemerality—immortals couldn’t understand such things, couldn’t understand how emotions struck paper-thin skin and set it aflame.”
i have no capacity for coherent thought right now but i just wanna say i loved this book
so so much and it deserves so much more love. (very annoyed i can't give it the half star) the love story between these two felt like something so omnipresent and private that it felt strange reading about it at times?? felt like i was part of something that isn't mine to partake in.
please please read this book and support this author, it saddens me it has only 46 ratings.
“Because gods could never be human, and humans were defined in broad, beautiful strokes of terror and love and ephemerality—immortals couldn’t understand such things, couldn’t understand how emotions struck paper-thin skin and set it aflame.”
i have no capacity for coherent thought right now but i just wanna say i loved this book
so so much and it deserves so much more love. (very annoyed i can't give it the half star) the love story between these two felt like something so omnipresent and private that it felt strange reading about it at times?? felt like i was part of something that isn't mine to partake in.
please please read this book and support this author, it saddens me it has only 46 ratings.
May 13, 2020
I don’t often get to read books that are just.....everything? But that’s certainly what this book was for me. From the first page to the last this book was so all encompassing, once I started I just wanted to stay between the pages forever. The characters in this book are a delight, every single one of them is so complex and interesting and I really enjoyed following their journeys through the story. The plot was something that kept me intrigued and guessing how things would turn out the whole way through and I just couldn’t put it down. I think I always feel so fortunate when I strike gold with stories - the ones that destroy me and then piece me back together right after - and that’s exactly what this story is. I feel incredibly grateful for every moment I had with this book and I just want everyone to read it so they can experience the magic that is this book too.
July 15, 2021
I really had high expectations going into this but thats my fault. I really liked the story and all the characters. The ONLY. PROBLEM I HAD WAS THE ROMANCE, which is literally the main part of the book considering its about reincarnated lovers. I just didn't feel the love, couldn't sense it. Even in when it went into their past life, I really couldn't sense the love. anyways thats my one problem.
February 9, 2021
This book stabbed me in the heart repeatedly but surikiran and their friend group brought me back to life
June 10, 2021
4.5. The Heartless Divine is a sweeping epic of star-crossed lovers reincarnated across millennia – their fates entwined through time and divine power.... this book is genuinely EVERYTHING you could ask for in the ultimate historical fic/fantasy/romance hybrid.
"She meant it in the way of uttriyasi – to live and die and live again, and dance across the threads of the world, through darkness and light, and always come back, always. She meant it like two whispered, wondrous words – find me."
Steeped in Indian mythology, the novel alternates between the two 💞soulmates 💞and two stories – one set in the ancient kingdom of Enesmat, where a mysterious, exiled boy with prophetic powers falls in love with the princess of an enemy kingdom, who was tasked with the mission to assassinate the king she is to marry– and the other set in modern-day Lyne, where a feverish, equally ~mysterious boy falls onto the steps of a young university student's apartment, bleeding and branded with an unknown mark, his eyes burning with a divine gold and an unspeakable familiarity.... and that is just the beginning of this absolutely stunning novel.
The Heartless Divine is the perfect combination of the tropes we all love – whether it be star-crossed lovers... dangerous assassin princesses... magical soul bonds... chosen families... or even angsty-estranged brothers... Ravi weaves a gorgeous story that hooked me in from page one. The worldbuilding of the ancient Enesmat kingdom, along with its religious history and magic system was beautifully done – it's not often you see a retelling of Indian history or folklore, so this was genuinely a breath of fresh air.
All this was topped off by the heartbreaking, prosaic writing throughout – HATS OFF to Ms. Varsha Ravi because not only was the storytelling off the charts, but the WRITING is indescribably lush and atmospheric – I have over 50 quotes highlighted and every single one of them is 10/10. The character descriptions... the angst... the setting... everything just teems with lucidity and beauty and is just *chefs kiss* – probably one of the best-written books I've read in ages!
"In the faint lamplight, her features were barely discernible but achingly familiar. A thoughtless, painful familiarity, recognition written into every line of his heart. I know you, he thought."
Crucially, The Heartless Divine explores the intricate grey areas between the mortal and the divine – interrogating what it means to be human, the unmentioned consequences of being a god, and how fate, love, and time ~tangle together in this vast cosmic universe. deep. but genuinely – this is such an important theme throughout the story and I ADORE how Suri and Kiran (more Suri, tbh) consistently challenge each other to stay together regardless of their differing 'destinies' in life. Torn apart by history, they find each other in their precious pockets of time – and what makes this ever the more interesting is that only one of the pair has memories of their past life together. This irrefutably highlights the disparity between the mortal and immortal, but Suri's steadfast stubbornness and Kiran's determination to keep his loved ones safe makes for great conflict.
I also loved the continuous motifs referring back to the Gods as stars and Kiran being constantly attributed to ash and asphalt because of his abilities with fire – the characterisation is genuinely great but I have to admit, modern-day Suri and Kiran cannot even hold a CANDLE to Enesmat-era Suri and Kiran. The modern timeline was partly why I knocked off half a star in my rating – although the chemistry was palpable and the contemporary twist with the storytelling was excellent, the lack of conflict and but the current Lyne story-arc felt like only a shadow to the rich, politically-intriguing world of the past.
Despite this, I still loved The Heartless Divine , which enraptured me from its first page – the intense slow-burn was both a blessing and curse as I found myself immersed into a lush world of immortal boys with burnished-gold eyes, princesses with knives tucked inside saris and sashes, and a love story spanning across centuries, against all the odds of the heartless gods above. At its core, The Heartless Divine is an homage to love, free will, and happy endings: despite their tumultuous, star-crossed destinies, both Suri and Kiran find a home in each other, immortalising their love in their choice to simply stay.
"Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And in the end, love made immortals of them all."
"She meant it in the way of uttriyasi – to live and die and live again, and dance across the threads of the world, through darkness and light, and always come back, always. She meant it like two whispered, wondrous words – find me."
Steeped in Indian mythology, the novel alternates between the two 💞soulmates 💞and two stories – one set in the ancient kingdom of Enesmat, where a mysterious, exiled boy with prophetic powers falls in love with the princess of an enemy kingdom, who was tasked with the mission to assassinate the king she is to marry– and the other set in modern-day Lyne, where a feverish, equally ~mysterious boy falls onto the steps of a young university student's apartment, bleeding and branded with an unknown mark, his eyes burning with a divine gold and an unspeakable familiarity.... and that is just the beginning of this absolutely stunning novel.
The Heartless Divine is the perfect combination of the tropes we all love – whether it be star-crossed lovers... dangerous assassin princesses... magical soul bonds... chosen families... or even angsty-estranged brothers... Ravi weaves a gorgeous story that hooked me in from page one. The worldbuilding of the ancient Enesmat kingdom, along with its religious history and magic system was beautifully done – it's not often you see a retelling of Indian history or folklore, so this was genuinely a breath of fresh air.
All this was topped off by the heartbreaking, prosaic writing throughout – HATS OFF to Ms. Varsha Ravi because not only was the storytelling off the charts, but the WRITING is indescribably lush and atmospheric – I have over 50 quotes highlighted and every single one of them is 10/10. The character descriptions... the angst... the setting... everything just teems with lucidity and beauty and is just *chefs kiss* – probably one of the best-written books I've read in ages!
"In the faint lamplight, her features were barely discernible but achingly familiar. A thoughtless, painful familiarity, recognition written into every line of his heart. I know you, he thought."
Crucially, The Heartless Divine explores the intricate grey areas between the mortal and the divine – interrogating what it means to be human, the unmentioned consequences of being a god, and how fate, love, and time ~tangle together in this vast cosmic universe. deep. but genuinely – this is such an important theme throughout the story and I ADORE how Suri and Kiran (more Suri, tbh) consistently challenge each other to stay together regardless of their differing 'destinies' in life. Torn apart by history, they find each other in their precious pockets of time – and what makes this ever the more interesting is that only one of the pair has memories of their past life together. This irrefutably highlights the disparity between the mortal and immortal, but Suri's steadfast stubbornness and Kiran's determination to keep his loved ones safe makes for great conflict.
I also loved the continuous motifs referring back to the Gods as stars and Kiran being constantly attributed to ash and asphalt because of his abilities with fire – the characterisation is genuinely great but I have to admit, modern-day Suri and Kiran cannot even hold a CANDLE to Enesmat-era Suri and Kiran. The modern timeline was partly why I knocked off half a star in my rating – although the chemistry was palpable and the contemporary twist with the storytelling was excellent, the lack of conflict and but the current Lyne story-arc felt like only a shadow to the rich, politically-intriguing world of the past.
Despite this, I still loved The Heartless Divine , which enraptured me from its first page – the intense slow-burn was both a blessing and curse as I found myself immersed into a lush world of immortal boys with burnished-gold eyes, princesses with knives tucked inside saris and sashes, and a love story spanning across centuries, against all the odds of the heartless gods above. At its core, The Heartless Divine is an homage to love, free will, and happy endings: despite their tumultuous, star-crossed destinies, both Suri and Kiran find a home in each other, immortalising their love in their choice to simply stay.
"Fate tangled threads and cut them in patterns that were so cruel and so lovely, and yet it allowed mortals to love. And in the end, love made immortals of them all."
May 27, 2021
easily one of the best books i’ve ever read
July 31, 2021
uhh so... this was good... yeah, very good...
leaves the room
enters the bathroom and closes the door at her back
starts ugly crying inconsolably
leaves the room
enters the bathroom and closes the door at her back
starts ugly crying inconsolably
Want to read
August 22, 2021NO ONE TOLD ME THIS IS A TAMIL-INSPIRED MYTHOLOGY. I'M DEAD. I FINALLY HAVE A TAMIL REP BOOK.
July 18, 2021
no plot resolution just love and straight vibes i liked it
August 7, 2021
The Heartless Divine is positively stunning—there’s simply not a better word to describe it. The prose, the plot, the world and the characters are all stunning. But that’s not all there is to the book, either. Reading The Heartless Divine honestly feels like watching a trainwreck about to happen and knowing that there is nothing you can do in your power to stop it—in the best way possible.
Let me start from the beginning.
The book opens up with Suri finding a boy bleeding on her doorstep. Except the boy isn’t just a boy, and this isn’t how the story starts or ends. Only a few chapters later, we’re thrown into a plot set thousands of years before Suri finds the boy who isn’t just a boy on her doorstep.
In this past timeline, Suri is the assassin princess of Naja, sent to marry—and kill—the boy king of Athri. It is also her chance for freedom, her last duty before she can wash the blood off her hands. But fate is a cruel thing, and Suri didn’t account for the boy who is not quite a boy from the temple, who has a gift of prophecy and has seen her dead body in a dream.
Everything that occurs from then on is a tragedy in the making. The writing of The Heartless Divine may be beautiful, but it is also haunting and morbid. The story it tells is of a war torn land, with characters who are hardened by it. It’s hard to not immediately know that something’s not right, that this isn’t a happy ending in the making. To me, this book serves as a reminder of why we as readers so often gravitate towards darker, bleaker stories: it’s because oftentimes it feels more real emotionally for us.
And yet, in Ravi’s own words in the acknowledgments, “I knew I wanted it to be about love and about fate, and how, in truth, they are both antonyms of one another. (…) I wanted to write a story about freedom, and how the freedom of human choice is a magic in and of itself, left solely for us.” I think that this, to me, is the beauty of this book. Despite the bleakness, the morbidity, the sheer hopelessness that the characters we’re rooting for are facing, choice will always be a freedom—a magic even in the face of fate.
And that message? That story that Ravi wanted to write? She did it with The Heartless Divine—beautifully, too. I adore all the parts of The Heartless Divine individually, but most of all, what made me fall in love with it as a book is the moral of the story, and how Ravi took all these components—characters, plot, setting and even prose—and put them together to deliver that message.
I could go on about how I think the prose is absolutely magical, —which it is, it’s flowery in a way that adds to the atmosphere that the book is painting—or about how the depth to each character adds so many layers to the plot, but at the end of the day, I think it’d be so much more fun to engage with the world of The Heartless Divine yourself. All I can say is that even before I finished the book, I knew it was one that would stick with me for a long time, because it was such a beautiful sum of its parts.
To quote Suri herself, “We make our own happy endings; I don’t care if catastrophe lives in your shadow.” And you know what? She’s right. Even if you don’t believe in fairy tales, you can believe in happy endings—as long as you are willing to make them.
Let me start from the beginning.
The book opens up with Suri finding a boy bleeding on her doorstep. Except the boy isn’t just a boy, and this isn’t how the story starts or ends. Only a few chapters later, we’re thrown into a plot set thousands of years before Suri finds the boy who isn’t just a boy on her doorstep.
In this past timeline, Suri is the assassin princess of Naja, sent to marry—and kill—the boy king of Athri. It is also her chance for freedom, her last duty before she can wash the blood off her hands. But fate is a cruel thing, and Suri didn’t account for the boy who is not quite a boy from the temple, who has a gift of prophecy and has seen her dead body in a dream.
Everything that occurs from then on is a tragedy in the making. The writing of The Heartless Divine may be beautiful, but it is also haunting and morbid. The story it tells is of a war torn land, with characters who are hardened by it. It’s hard to not immediately know that something’s not right, that this isn’t a happy ending in the making. To me, this book serves as a reminder of why we as readers so often gravitate towards darker, bleaker stories: it’s because oftentimes it feels more real emotionally for us.
And yet, in Ravi’s own words in the acknowledgments, “I knew I wanted it to be about love and about fate, and how, in truth, they are both antonyms of one another. (…) I wanted to write a story about freedom, and how the freedom of human choice is a magic in and of itself, left solely for us.” I think that this, to me, is the beauty of this book. Despite the bleakness, the morbidity, the sheer hopelessness that the characters we’re rooting for are facing, choice will always be a freedom—a magic even in the face of fate.
And that message? That story that Ravi wanted to write? She did it with The Heartless Divine—beautifully, too. I adore all the parts of The Heartless Divine individually, but most of all, what made me fall in love with it as a book is the moral of the story, and how Ravi took all these components—characters, plot, setting and even prose—and put them together to deliver that message.
I could go on about how I think the prose is absolutely magical, —which it is, it’s flowery in a way that adds to the atmosphere that the book is painting—or about how the depth to each character adds so many layers to the plot, but at the end of the day, I think it’d be so much more fun to engage with the world of The Heartless Divine yourself. All I can say is that even before I finished the book, I knew it was one that would stick with me for a long time, because it was such a beautiful sum of its parts.
To quote Suri herself, “We make our own happy endings; I don’t care if catastrophe lives in your shadow.” And you know what? She’s right. Even if you don’t believe in fairy tales, you can believe in happy endings—as long as you are willing to make them.
January 18, 2021
this book must have literal magic woven into it because god damn the emotional rollercoaster i went on when reading this book ! the state of bliss i am in from finishing this book probably wont diminish for a whole. i smiled and i laughed and i came very very close to tears reading this book. i loved the mythology on the side and the way neither timeline was firmly ground in reality.
if you're in a reading slump, or if you're not in a reading slump, i would definitely recommend this book !
if you're in a reading slump, or if you're not in a reading slump, i would definitely recommend this book !
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