Is it too early to get in the spooky spirit? Maybe. But not for THP! We’re just getting started with E. V. Woods’ debut Gothic fantasy, Girls of Dark Divine.
Girls of Dark Divine follows a ballet dance troupe who are all cursed, the girls’ bodies bound and controlled by the show manager, Malcolm. And Emberlyn, the protagonist and lead dancer, wants out at all costs. She encounters a boy made of shadows with an even darker past, and they team up to get their lives back.
The Black Swan x Phantom of the Opera energy is so haunting in this Gothic romantasy. Here are three of our favorite things about Girls of Dark Divine by E. V. Woods!
Book Overview: Girls Of Dark Divine
Content warnings: death, graphic violence, torture, gore, bodies, serious injury, abusive relationship, forced captivity, drinking (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: In the legendary ballet theatre of New Kora, the girls onstage enchant the audience each night with their grace and divine beauty. Before Emberlyn was the star of the show, it was her dream to become one of them . . . until she learned the price of their living nightmare.
A magical curse binds the girls to the show’s mastermind, Malcolm, whose invisible strings wield their limbs as if they are marionettes . . . and the commands don’t stop when the curtain comes down. Each dancer is destined to turn to dust once the curse consumes her.
When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows who has a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival. But the cost of freedom might be too high, and as Emberlyn dances closer to the edge of darkness, she realizes she might break the curse . . . or break her own heart forever.
The Sisterhood
One of the biggest themes in Girls of Dark Divine is sisterhood within the Marionette dance troupe. These girls have all suffered the painful and horrific ritual that bound them to Malcolm. They find strength and comfort in each other. Even when Emberlyn pushes them away and separates herself to protect them from her plans, the girls don’t leave her alone. We have such a soft spot for their sisterhood that has truly been through it all.
Gothic Themes
We always love being able to pick up on the different Gothic elements within books like Girls of Dark Divine. There are, of course, the origins of the spell tying the Marionettes and Malcolm to the final cleansing of the curse. We also get Emberlyn trying to find loopholes within the curse, rejecting the parts of her that she can’t control and often failing. Then we have Étienne, an uncanny and unknown being, whose existence shouldn’t be possible. We could literally nerd out about this all day.
An Ill-Fated Romance
Finally, Girls of Dark Divine does a fantastic job of playing with our feelings. Emberlyn and Étienne’s romance is both healing and angsty, which is a deadly combination. (It seems a lot of our recent romances have been angst-filled.) Because while we were fully prepared for a not-so-happy ending for these two, we were not ready for the sliver of hope that hung on for a happy one. A girl who’s a puppet and a boy made of shadows. They deserve a chance, Your Honor!
E. V. Woods weaves a dark and haunting Gothic tale in her debut novel, Girls of Dark Divine. We didn’t dare look away, especially not at the gory details.
Girls of Dark Divine by E. V. Woods comes out August 5th, and you can order a copy of it here!
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