As a huge fan of The Bone Shard Daughter I was so excited for The Gods Below. What I initially thought was a story about sisters, ended up being about so much more. It’s about religion, rebellion, and sacrifices. Keep reading this book review of The Gods Below for my full thoughts.
Summary
A divine war shattered the world leaving humanity in ruins. Desperate for hope, they struck a deal with the devious god Kluehnn: He would restore the world to its former glory, but at a price so steep it would keep the mortals indebted to him for eternity. And, as each land was transformed, so too were its people changed into strange new forms – if they survived at all.
Hakara is not willing to pay such a price. Desperate to protect herself, and her sister Rasha, she flees her homeland for the safety of a neighboring kingdom. But when tragedy separates them, Hakara is forced to abandon her beloved sister to an unknown fate.
Alone and desperate for answers on the wrong side of the world, Hakara discovers she can channel the magic from the mysterious gems they are forced to mine for Kluehnn. With that discovery comes another: her sister is alive, and only the rebels plotting to destroy the God Pact can help rescue her.
But only if Hakara goes to war against a god.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I initially heard about The Gods Below as a story about sisters taking on the gods. And while that’s definitely true, I ended up staying reading this multiple POV story about ambition, sacrifice, and love. About a competitive world that shows us we aren’t sure who we can afford to trust. With a world that was immediately intriguing, I fell into The Gods Below. I adored this world of gods, godkillers, and religion with no room for questions. It’s still a story about sisters, about betrayal, and hearts broken. But it’s also a story about the pursuit of knowledge, about redemption, and sacrifices demanded.
(We also love a MC who adores cats and this is the case!)
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My favorite element of The Gods Below ended up being about the religion of the godkillers and the rebellions. The idea of a discipline which requires complete obedience without questions. That tells us that anything anyone else says is just them trying to lead us astray. The Gods Below is a story about gems. But, in many ways, it’s also about the experiences in our life than harden us into gems. Or that break us. A matter of desperation and how much further we can be pushed.
Find The Gods Below on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.