Book Review :: Dividing Eden, by Joelle Charbonneau

Dividing Eden by Joelle Charbonneau
ISBN: 9780062673336
Series: Dividing Eden #1
Published by HarperCollins
on June 6th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 336
Goodreads

Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.

But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.

As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.

With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal?

Last updated on 14 October 2023

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My thoughts on Dividing Eden

It pains me to say it, but Dividing Eden did not live up to my expectations. I was so ready for a royal Hunger Games type standoff – brother against sister in a series of ridiculous trials that would result in one of them wearing the crown – but the trial aspect that drew me into this book was such a small part of it that they could have just cut it out.

Neither Carys nor Andreus can take the throne after their father and brother die, because they are equal in age, neither farther up the hierarchy than the other. Their mother has gone mad with grief and the woman who delivered them is long gone, so no one can be a witness as to which twin was delivered first. Carys and Andreus must fight for the crown, or the lords of the castle will appoint another ruler.

The concept of this book was very cool. I love the idea, but for some reason, it just didn’t work for me. It wasn’t until about halfway through the book that the trials came into play, and I was expecting and hoping them to take front and centre of the entire book. While the characters were okay, they weren’t great, and I couldn’t really care less if any of them died (sorry!). My favourite was Lord Errik, who sort of sides with Carys, and he’s barely in it until the second half.

There was a big revelation, not quite a twist, but a moment that should have taken me by surprise, but I had called it right at the beginning so that *gasp* aspect was lost on me.

Despite my meh attitude towards this book, I have given it 2 stars. I use the Goodreads system for rating, and 2 stars indicate ‘it was okay’. And it really was, but just okay; nothing too amazing, but not horrific.

If you’re after a young adult fantasy that takes place in a hierarchy of royals, lords and ladies, with a curse and a set of trials, then by all means, pick up Dividing Eden. You may really enjoy it; it just wasn’t for me, unfortunately.

Have you read Dividing Eden?