Review by Booklist Review
The Diviners drown, repeatedly, in the magical springs of the Aisling Cathedral, reading the Omens from the five gods worshipped in Traum. Sybil, a foundling, trades her name for a number--Six--and is brought to the cathedral with her eyes shrouded, isolated from everyone except her fellow Diviners, the living gargoyles, and the abbess who curates the divination requests. As their decade of service nears its end, after divining for the new king, the Diviners sneak out to a nearby village for a single night to plan for their future. After that adventure, her colleagues disappear, one each night, and Six escapes with the king's knight Rory and a gargoyle, embarking on a quest to find the Omens. As King Benedict, his knights, and Six encounter each Omen in turn, their revelations alter her understanding of the world. Her budding relationship with Rory, as well as new friendships, helps soften the shocks until one of those friends betrays them. Gillig's creative world building and riveting plot will have readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the Stonewater Kingdom series.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Gillig (the Shepherd King series) launches a new series with this uneven romantic fantasy. The Six Diviners confined to Aisling Cathedral, where they foretell futures through dreams and water rituals, are finally nearing the end of their 10-year service. Before they retire, the newly crowned king of Traum, Benedict Castor III, pays them a visit under the pretense of inquiring about his future, but really so he and his court can steal Aisling's sacred spring water. Diviner Six, once called Sybil Delling, catches them but agrees not to report the crime to the gargoyles that guard the cathedral if king's knight Rodrick "Rory" Myndacious will help her and her fellow Diviners sneak out for a night of fun. Upon returning to Aisling, however, the Diviners start to vanish one by one. Six, suspecting foul play, flees the cathedral with Rory's help. As she reintegrates into the wider world and searches for her missing friends, she learns that everything she thought she knew about Aisling is a lie and develops feelings for Rory. The premise feels fresh and the worldbuilding is inventive, but the pace flags in the talky middle section and the relatively chaste romance arrives too late. Still, there's plenty of promise to be explored in future installments. (May)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Six and her five sisters remember nothing of their lives before they became Diviners for Aisling Cathedral a decade ago. Now, Six drowns daily to trigger premonitions in a dream state. When the newly crowned king comes to have his fortune divined, Six meets his knights, and one knight, Rodrick Myndacious, mocks her belief in the gods and her adherence to the rules. Shortly after, Diviners mysteriously disappear, until only Six remains. Desperate to find her sisters, Six seeks the help of the errant knight, going against everything she believes in to find her sisters and leaving the only home she knows for a quest across the kingdom of Traum with the king and his knights. Six's travels will bring her face to face with her revered gods and make her question whether her destiny is truly preordained or if she has the strength to change it. VERDICT Gillig (Two Twisted Crowns) excels at creating an eerie world, rife with creepy legends and macabre creatures, sure to please any fan of gothic fantasy; it's a perfect setting for the love-to-hate-you romance between Six and Myndacious. Excellent for fans of Deborah Harkness, Sarah A. Parker, or Leigh Bardugo.--Eve Stano
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