Divine Descendant by Jenna Black
Series: Nikki Glass #4
Urban Fantasy
May 16, 2016
Pocket Star
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “I’m surrounded by the dead in the middle of the night hoping to pull a previously unknown power out of my ass. What could possibly go wrong?”
Private Investigator and immortal descendant of Artemis, Nikki Glass, learns a very valuable lesson in vengeance when a group of fertility goddesses decide to strike. The lives and loves of the gods and goddesses play out on an epic scale when Nikki’s boss, Anderson Kane, goes awol and his ex-wife goes ballistic and declares war on humanity in revenge. To add insult to injury, Cyrus, the new leader of the Olympians, has learned Anderson killed his father and he wants Anderson’s head on a pike.
Once again Nikki finds herself outmanned and outgunned but with the fate of mankind resting on her shoulders, Nikki will have to find a way to get this ex-couple into counseling quick before the world as we know it ends.
Divine Descendant, the fourth book in Jenna Black’s Nikki Glass series, has been a long time coming. Three years to be exact. However, Black shows no signs she has backed off this series and once again presents readers with an action-packed urban fantasy that uses Greek mythology to create an engaging world filled with dark humor, engaging characters, and intriguing convoluted plotlines. The world building remains simplistic in its construction yet each layer we uncover reveals a twisting mass of lies and half truths. The result is a fascinating world you can’t wait to further explore.
Heavily character driven, what I continue to enjoy about this series is the unapologetic makeup of the cast. There are no clear cut good or bad guys in here; there are just degrees of separation. These people are gods and demigods. Powerful and deadly, each has a tragic story begging to be told. And each will kill to protect it. Each installment has given readers more information on these men and women backgrounds, showing the suffering, pain, and difficult choices one must make when immortal. Nikki’s connections with her new family seem to be strengthening as she has begun to accept her destiny and getting to know them better. It’s very apparent in this installment when she is forced into a position where she has to weigh the consequences of saving the world against the damage her decisions may cause those she has grown to care for.
“It’s not like I’m going to hurt him.”
I shuddered. “You might not hurt him, but you can destroy him.”
Black picks up right where book three left off. Anderson is missing and no one can find him. The whole team knows what Anderson truly is and that brings about some serious questions. Cyrus is calling, demanding answers to know what exactly happened to his father when Anderson rescued Nikki. When a young woman appears at the Liberi mansion and asks for her help, she tells Nikki and the group a horrific tale about Anderson’s dark past deeds that causes them to further question their leader. Black takes some liberties with Anderson’s past, using the legend of Niobe to weave a sorrowful tale of love, loss, betrayal, insanity, and vengeance.
“I will die happy knowing my suffering is finally over and yours just begun.”
As with book three, Rogue Descendant, the arc is pretty much at a standstill through most of the book. The conflict focuses on one character rather than the group as a whole but the action and suspense more than makes up for that. I love that Anderson is the focus of this installment and remains the enigma we met in book one. Black doesn’t alter or downplay his personality in order to create an easy resolution. Once again it’s Nikki, her close ties with to her humanity, and ability to see the whole picture that saves the day though there are some close calls that leave you wide-eyed at the events unfolding. Black does shockingly change the direction of the arc with this dark conflict and opens the door to a multitude of future storylines, one that puts Nikki firmly front and center.
On a more personal level, the slow burning romance between Jamaal and Nikki finally picks up the pace and the faint love triangle we were all seeing is no more. Nikki has made her choice and the advancements made between the two of them are phenomenal and quite sexy. A smaller secondary romance experiences some changes that leaves the reader unsure of its future. This particular love triangle seems to be destined for heartbreak no matter the choice made.
“I’ve done a lot of distasteful things in my life. This will be just one more.”
Divine Descendant was worth the wait and I’m looking forward to book five, title and release date to be announced. I am cross my fingers it won’t be another 3 year wait.
GRADE: B-
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