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Hymn of Memory
As the Divine of Blackburn, Morgan sends its departed souls into the afterlife. It's a sacred job spanning generations of Divines before him, but there's a problem: the process invites the dead's memories inside and those memories quickly erode and erase his own. Before long, he fears he will completely lose who he is and no one seems to care.
Then Fin, a familiar face from town, sneaks into Morgan's room to beg for a resending of his grandmother and Morgan quickly agrees, knowing it means an opportunity to escape .
As escape quickly turns into a road trip with Fin to replace the memories he's lost, Morgan has to confront what it means if he never returns. Without him to send souls, they die completely, leaving a void in the world where nothing will live or grow. Returning, however, means he will lose himself.
And so, Morgan must decide if never returning and living his life as himself—not the Divine—is worth more than the souls he's leaving behind.
Then Fin, a familiar face from town, sneaks into Morgan's room to beg for a resending of his grandmother and Morgan quickly agrees, knowing it means an opportunity to escape .
As escape quickly turns into a road trip with Fin to replace the memories he's lost, Morgan has to confront what it means if he never returns. Without him to send souls, they die completely, leaving a void in the world where nothing will live or grow. Returning, however, means he will lose himself.
And so, Morgan must decide if never returning and living his life as himself—not the Divine—is worth more than the souls he's leaving behind.
312 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2023
4 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
S. Jean
12 books30 followersS. Jean (she/they) is a queer sci-fi & fantasy author writing whatever strikes their fancy at any given moment. When not writing or dreaming of what to write, they can be found dabbling in game dev and drawing!
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 26, 2023
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author. This has not influenced my review.*
This was such a chill story! The characters were soft and kind. The romance was gentle. The friendship was supportive. The pace was relaxed. Morgan's power and the way it affected him could be harsh, and there were some unkind characters as antagonists, but even they didn't ruin the vibe.
The world was similar to ours (in the 90s, according to the author), but with some fantasy elements. Each city has a Divine who sees to the recently deceased, taking on their lingering memories and sending their soul through the veil. These Divine are humans, with normal lives until it's their time to fulfill their role.
The real focus of this story though was on Morgan's inner turmoil and growth. His understanding that he was losing his memories, and thus losing himself, but that running away would be leaving souls to die. His grief over what he'd given up and lost. His resentment at being forced into duties he didn't choose. And his joy at finally living a little, experiencing new things, and making real connections with other people who saw him as a person.
Also the friendship and found family and small touch of romance, all of which was sweet.
Overall, a chill, sweet story with soft, gentle characters that I enjoyed!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes light fantasy elements, calm stories, soft characters, a touch of gentle romance, and supportive friendship.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
This was such a chill story! The characters were soft and kind. The romance was gentle. The friendship was supportive. The pace was relaxed. Morgan's power and the way it affected him could be harsh, and there were some unkind characters as antagonists, but even they didn't ruin the vibe.
The world was similar to ours (in the 90s, according to the author), but with some fantasy elements. Each city has a Divine who sees to the recently deceased, taking on their lingering memories and sending their soul through the veil. These Divine are humans, with normal lives until it's their time to fulfill their role.
The real focus of this story though was on Morgan's inner turmoil and growth. His understanding that he was losing his memories, and thus losing himself, but that running away would be leaving souls to die. His grief over what he'd given up and lost. His resentment at being forced into duties he didn't choose. And his joy at finally living a little, experiencing new things, and making real connections with other people who saw him as a person.
Also the friendship and found family and small touch of romance, all of which was sweet.
Overall, a chill, sweet story with soft, gentle characters that I enjoyed!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2023 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes light fantasy elements, calm stories, soft characters, a touch of gentle romance, and supportive friendship.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
July 16, 2023
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I’ve received an arc from the author and this is my honest opinion!
With that said: if you want a book to make you both sad and warm ➡️ I’ve got the book for you.
Morgan’s life is barely one, he’s stuck with responsibilities too big for a seventeen years old, without anyone here for him he feels like he’s slowly fading loosing his memories little by little. I won’t lie it’s nearly impossible to not shed tears for him.
Fin and Eryn are the sweetest and I would have loved to learn more about them. Mostly Eryn, because she was super fun. Fin was super cute and he really wanted to help Morgan and I enjoyed their relationship, they were meant to be !
I think it will be the perfect beach read for this summer ! And I’m super keen to read more by the author ✨
I’ve received an arc from the author and this is my honest opinion!
With that said: if you want a book to make you both sad and warm ➡️ I’ve got the book for you.
Morgan’s life is barely one, he’s stuck with responsibilities too big for a seventeen years old, without anyone here for him he feels like he’s slowly fading loosing his memories little by little. I won’t lie it’s nearly impossible to not shed tears for him.
Fin and Eryn are the sweetest and I would have loved to learn more about them. Mostly Eryn, because she was super fun. Fin was super cute and he really wanted to help Morgan and I enjoyed their relationship, they were meant to be !
I think it will be the perfect beach read for this summer ! And I’m super keen to read more by the author ✨
July 4, 2023
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!
Hymn of Memory is about a teenager named Morgan who has too much responsibility and not enough space to figure out who he is because helping the dead pass on as the Divine chips away at who he is bit by bit. It's this inner fight that's the main focus of the story that takes place in a soft 90s-esque setting.
What I truly liked about this is how Morgan isn't the only Divine. He wasn't the first, and he wasn't going to be the last either. This role for the deceased fit into the setting perfectly and never once stood out as something off or out of place. We know the Divines and world will continue to exist after the end of Morgan's story.
Besides the role Morgan takes as the Divine, his inner turmoil of not having an identity and his resentment towards his duty comes across as painful and realistic to someone who feels like they have no escape. At one point he thinks about hurting himself and has thoughts about suicide, which made me wish more he could escape this. Thankfully, there is an opportunity to escape, which turns into a journey of self-discovery and Morgan figuring out who he is by truly living.
I'd recommend this book to people who like light or calm contemporary fantasy settings or self-discovery done via road trips.
Hymn of Memory is about a teenager named Morgan who has too much responsibility and not enough space to figure out who he is because helping the dead pass on as the Divine chips away at who he is bit by bit. It's this inner fight that's the main focus of the story that takes place in a soft 90s-esque setting.
What I truly liked about this is how Morgan isn't the only Divine. He wasn't the first, and he wasn't going to be the last either. This role for the deceased fit into the setting perfectly and never once stood out as something off or out of place. We know the Divines and world will continue to exist after the end of Morgan's story.
Besides the role Morgan takes as the Divine, his inner turmoil of not having an identity and his resentment towards his duty comes across as painful and realistic to someone who feels like they have no escape. At one point he thinks about hurting himself and has thoughts about suicide, which made me wish more he could escape this. Thankfully, there is an opportunity to escape, which turns into a journey of self-discovery and Morgan figuring out who he is by truly living.
I'd recommend this book to people who like light or calm contemporary fantasy settings or self-discovery done via road trips.
June 23, 2023
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
This little book knocked the wind out of me.
I was already familiar with how S. Jean has an amazing way with somber, bittersweet stories from her games, and Hymn of Memory is is another fine example. Morgan struggling with his memories and the haze and confusion as they slipped away felt almost palpable, as did his desperation and his clutching at precious moments of being truly himself, even as he was afraid to grasp them too tightly.
It hit me particularly hard, I think, because I’ve suffered some severe memory loss myself (although mine was for much more mundane reasons); it was all too easy for me to put myself in Morgan’s shoes and the bleak, numb horror of not being able to remember some of the simplest things about his past. Faces lost, names lost, years lost... and how much worse would it be, then, if those spaces were instead filled with the fragmented memories of other people, other lives, and their deaths?
However, Morgan, despite being so young and feeling so trapped, barely hesitates when an opportunity to live presents itself. He doesn’t have to be dragged along to a better fate: despite his fears and his guilt, when he's offered the hand of friendship and freedom in the form of Fin, a young man who crashes through his roof, he takes his fate in his own hands.
This is a story with many heavy themes -- crushing loneliness, struggling with identity and memory loss, religious abuse, and death, as well as a scene that made me gasp a sob, but importantly, there’s hope, and how Morgan keeps reaching for it even when fear, doubt, and duty threaten to drown him.
This little book knocked the wind out of me.
I was already familiar with how S. Jean has an amazing way with somber, bittersweet stories from her games, and Hymn of Memory is is another fine example. Morgan struggling with his memories and the haze and confusion as they slipped away felt almost palpable, as did his desperation and his clutching at precious moments of being truly himself, even as he was afraid to grasp them too tightly.
It hit me particularly hard, I think, because I’ve suffered some severe memory loss myself (although mine was for much more mundane reasons); it was all too easy for me to put myself in Morgan’s shoes and the bleak, numb horror of not being able to remember some of the simplest things about his past. Faces lost, names lost, years lost... and how much worse would it be, then, if those spaces were instead filled with the fragmented memories of other people, other lives, and their deaths?
However, Morgan, despite being so young and feeling so trapped, barely hesitates when an opportunity to live presents itself. He doesn’t have to be dragged along to a better fate: despite his fears and his guilt, when he's offered the hand of friendship and freedom in the form of Fin, a young man who crashes through his roof, he takes his fate in his own hands.
This is a story with many heavy themes -- crushing loneliness, struggling with identity and memory loss, religious abuse, and death, as well as a scene that made me gasp a sob, but importantly, there’s hope, and how Morgan keeps reaching for it even when fear, doubt, and duty threaten to drown him.
June 26, 2023
Review originally published on JamReads
Hymn of Memory is a deliciously queer slice of life contemporary fantasy, written by S. Jean. In this novel, we are the spectators of the struggles of Morgan, a teenager with too many responsibilities, as he's the Divine of Blackburn, sending the souls into the afterlife; all of this coming with a prize: he's losing his own memories each time he fulfills his job.
This loss of memories is making Morgan struggle with his identity, especially after each time he acts as the Divine; being recluded from the world in the abbey just worsens this situation. So when a face that seems familiar, Fin, enters his room and offers Morgan the possibility of escaping for a bit of time in exchange for a service, Morgan accepts without too many doubts.
Soon this quick escape gets turned into a road trip with Fin, generating new memories and helping Morgan to find who he's in reality, more than just an instrument to fulfill a purpose, even if sending the souls away is a really important one.
A big decision must be taken: Morgan can return and continue being the Divine, in exchange for his identity and his memories, or just continue traveling and living, creating more memories.
Jean made an excellent work at portraying that escapism in the road trip, a low-stakes fantasy that is really enjoyable, queer, and full of feelings, in which we can empathize a lot with our main characters. Some difficult themes have been touched on, so be aware and read the CW before diving into this book.
Hymn of Memory is an excellent queer novel, about identity and duty, which feels like a warm hug at many moments. If you are looking for something cozy in your contemporary fantasy, give this book a try!
Hymn of Memory is a deliciously queer slice of life contemporary fantasy, written by S. Jean. In this novel, we are the spectators of the struggles of Morgan, a teenager with too many responsibilities, as he's the Divine of Blackburn, sending the souls into the afterlife; all of this coming with a prize: he's losing his own memories each time he fulfills his job.
This loss of memories is making Morgan struggle with his identity, especially after each time he acts as the Divine; being recluded from the world in the abbey just worsens this situation. So when a face that seems familiar, Fin, enters his room and offers Morgan the possibility of escaping for a bit of time in exchange for a service, Morgan accepts without too many doubts.
Soon this quick escape gets turned into a road trip with Fin, generating new memories and helping Morgan to find who he's in reality, more than just an instrument to fulfill a purpose, even if sending the souls away is a really important one.
A big decision must be taken: Morgan can return and continue being the Divine, in exchange for his identity and his memories, or just continue traveling and living, creating more memories.
Jean made an excellent work at portraying that escapism in the road trip, a low-stakes fantasy that is really enjoyable, queer, and full of feelings, in which we can empathize a lot with our main characters. Some difficult themes have been touched on, so be aware and read the CW before diving into this book.
Hymn of Memory is an excellent queer novel, about identity and duty, which feels like a warm hug at many moments. If you are looking for something cozy in your contemporary fantasy, give this book a try!
July 27, 2023
Okay, so I don't normally read YA, for the record. But with the absolutely lovely art the artist draws of the characters, and a very interesting premise to the overall story from the blurb, I really wanted to check this out! And I'm so glad I did!
Throughout the story, there's so much sadness, so much dread, so much melancholy with the inner workings of Morgan's life and Morgan's thoughts. But even with all that, the other character Fin is a shining ray of hope. How their lives intertwine, and with the help of their friend Eryn along the way, it gives for an incredibly compelling story! I loved reading this whole thing, every chapter kept me invested! 🥰💕 Thank you S. Jean for writing such a lovely book!
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
Throughout the story, there's so much sadness, so much dread, so much melancholy with the inner workings of Morgan's life and Morgan's thoughts. But even with all that, the other character Fin is a shining ray of hope. How their lives intertwine, and with the help of their friend Eryn along the way, it gives for an incredibly compelling story! I loved reading this whole thing, every chapter kept me invested! 🥰💕 Thank you S. Jean for writing such a lovely book!
I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
September 29, 2023
sweet and gentle end-of-summer story, though i found it quite slow especially at the start and had a hard time getting into it.
June 26, 2023
i received a free digital copy of this book and am providing this honest review voluntarily
i am not really experienced in reviewing/analyzing books; i rate everything based purely on vibes and how much i enjoyed my time reading it so that’s what i have to offer here! 😎
this book was so warm and sad and lovely and ultimately left me feeling excited and hopeful for morgan - and fin, who stole my heart ❤️ - and i will be thinking about them for a long time.
i hope one day they will have another adventure i can follow along with (and check in on eryn living her best life and kissing girls at university🙃)
i loved this book so much i also purchased the paperback and i can’t wait for it to arrive so i can smile at it on my bookcase every day ✨
i am not really experienced in reviewing/analyzing books; i rate everything based purely on vibes and how much i enjoyed my time reading it so that’s what i have to offer here! 😎
this book was so warm and sad and lovely and ultimately left me feeling excited and hopeful for morgan - and fin, who stole my heart ❤️ - and i will be thinking about them for a long time.
i hope one day they will have another adventure i can follow along with (and check in on eryn living her best life and kissing girls at university🙃)
i loved this book so much i also purchased the paperback and i can’t wait for it to arrive so i can smile at it on my bookcase every day ✨
February 20, 2024
I finished HYMN OF MEMORY over a week ago and it has taken me this long to gather my thoughts. There is so much in this book – joy, sorrow, despair, warmth, comfort, happy and sad tears alike. This book is a heartache. I felt connected to Morgan at once, and I wish I could give him a hug. I loved following his journey out of his lonely isolation into the joy he found with his friends. I loved that this book was about finding and loving yourself as much as it was about finding family.
I just. Wow. This one’s gonna stay with me. I absolutely love it.
I just. Wow. This one’s gonna stay with me. I absolutely love it.
May 4, 2024
Some warm and sunny days are the perfect excuse to read Hymn of Memory and follow Morgan's road-trip journey to recover his memories.
Morgan is just such a sweet boy, his struggle to choose between his own life and happiness, or return to his duties, which entail unhappiness, loneliness and loss of his memories, is always tangible. So is the overwhelming attraction to Fin.
The story and descriptions of both the environment and Morgan's struggles suck you right into the pages, the sun's warmth, fire and sunflowers almost palpable.
The side characters were also perfectly implemented. Head Prior Get-Lost invokes such annoyance, while Aurora and Vesper were incredibly interesting.
Morgan is just such a sweet boy, his struggle to choose between his own life and happiness, or return to his duties, which entail unhappiness, loneliness and loss of his memories, is always tangible. So is the overwhelming attraction to Fin.
The story and descriptions of both the environment and Morgan's struggles suck you right into the pages, the sun's warmth, fire and sunflowers almost palpable.
The side characters were also perfectly implemented. Head Prior Get-Lost invokes such annoyance, while Aurora and Vesper were incredibly interesting.
June 15, 2023
Hymn of Memory by S Jean is a beautiful and haunting book about the importance of identity that will linger in the readers mind for all the right reasons.
Morgan is the "Divine" of Blackburn, a sacred role that he has fulfilled since he was called to it in childhood. His role is to send the souls of the departed into the afterlife, and it is a difficult and emotional one since the process involves taking the dead persons memories inside his mind , and sharing their experiences. Not only does this take an emotional toll, it seems that all of these imported memories are causing his own memories to erode, and Morgan is staring to wonder how long he can continue with his sacred duties before he loses himself entirely.
When Fin, a young man whose Grandmother recently died, breaks into Morgan's room and begs him to revisit his Grandmother as he is sure there is something she was trying to tell him before she died, and offers him a chance to escape, Morgan knows he has to take this opportunity, it may never come again. The intrepid duo flee and soon find themselves on a road trip to give Morgan a chance to experience all the things he has missed out on because of his sacred role and restricted upbringing. Before long they grow close and Morgan finds himself imagining a future that he had never contemplated. In the end the choice will be his, will he return to his role as the Divine and lose himself completely or will he reach for the future that could bring him personal happiness but would mean that the souls of the dead would not cross and so they would die completely instead of being reborn.
This is such a beautiful book, and I do not just mean the striking cover. It is clear that the author has spent a lot of time thinking about the ethical dilemma that lies at the heart of the book and it is a testament to their skill that the outcome of Morgan's decision is not a forgone conclusion. The development of the relationship between Fin and Morgan is deliciously sweet, the protective Fin and the naive Morgan coming together is a treat , and never seems heavy handed or rushed in any way . I found myself feeling so much sympathy for Morgan, his fate as the Divine is genuinely terrifying , and I could really see in his character the struggles of many children made to grow up too fast and take on burdens that were never meant for them to bear as well as the self doubt that comes with losing his memories and his sense of self.
A powerful and beautiful book that I would highly recommend.
I read and reviewed an ARC supplied by the author , all opinions are my own.
Morgan is the "Divine" of Blackburn, a sacred role that he has fulfilled since he was called to it in childhood. His role is to send the souls of the departed into the afterlife, and it is a difficult and emotional one since the process involves taking the dead persons memories inside his mind , and sharing their experiences. Not only does this take an emotional toll, it seems that all of these imported memories are causing his own memories to erode, and Morgan is staring to wonder how long he can continue with his sacred duties before he loses himself entirely.
When Fin, a young man whose Grandmother recently died, breaks into Morgan's room and begs him to revisit his Grandmother as he is sure there is something she was trying to tell him before she died, and offers him a chance to escape, Morgan knows he has to take this opportunity, it may never come again. The intrepid duo flee and soon find themselves on a road trip to give Morgan a chance to experience all the things he has missed out on because of his sacred role and restricted upbringing. Before long they grow close and Morgan finds himself imagining a future that he had never contemplated. In the end the choice will be his, will he return to his role as the Divine and lose himself completely or will he reach for the future that could bring him personal happiness but would mean that the souls of the dead would not cross and so they would die completely instead of being reborn.
This is such a beautiful book, and I do not just mean the striking cover. It is clear that the author has spent a lot of time thinking about the ethical dilemma that lies at the heart of the book and it is a testament to their skill that the outcome of Morgan's decision is not a forgone conclusion. The development of the relationship between Fin and Morgan is deliciously sweet, the protective Fin and the naive Morgan coming together is a treat , and never seems heavy handed or rushed in any way . I found myself feeling so much sympathy for Morgan, his fate as the Divine is genuinely terrifying , and I could really see in his character the struggles of many children made to grow up too fast and take on burdens that were never meant for them to bear as well as the self doubt that comes with losing his memories and his sense of self.
A powerful and beautiful book that I would highly recommend.
I read and reviewed an ARC supplied by the author , all opinions are my own.
July 1, 2025
(review paraphrased from the comment I posted as a comment on itch.io, where I purchased the book)
Oh, this is dreamlike and lovely, and manages to craft an atmosphere that I really enjoy but can't really describe. It's a story and feeling that feels both new and old at the same time, and I love it so much! This story naturally lends itself to the readers thinking about the characters in the future, and just in general as well.
As for the themes of death...man. Okay, so fun fact about me, two years ago I took a course on spirituality/faith and death, taught by a person who had briefly been interested in becoming a mortician and working with the dead/ dead bodies (I don't remember the exact details). It was an amazing experience. I don't mean that in the sense that it was pleasant, but the fact that the feeling of discussing death, grief, trauma and the afterlife with a group of people I had grown to trust, under the guidance of a teacher, is something I feel like more people need to experience. I'm saying all this to say that I genuinely kind of want to talk about this book with the person who taught that class. I thought of her often while reading it.
All in all, a wonderful book that I highly recommend!
Oh, this is dreamlike and lovely, and manages to craft an atmosphere that I really enjoy but can't really describe. It's a story and feeling that feels both new and old at the same time, and I love it so much! This story naturally lends itself to the readers thinking about the characters in the future, and just in general as well.
As for the themes of death...man. Okay, so fun fact about me, two years ago I took a course on spirituality/faith and death, taught by a person who had briefly been interested in becoming a mortician and working with the dead/ dead bodies (I don't remember the exact details). It was an amazing experience. I don't mean that in the sense that it was pleasant, but the fact that the feeling of discussing death, grief, trauma and the afterlife with a group of people I had grown to trust, under the guidance of a teacher, is something I feel like more people need to experience. I'm saying all this to say that I genuinely kind of want to talk about this book with the person who taught that class. I thought of her often while reading it.
All in all, a wonderful book that I highly recommend!
July 24, 2025
As more and more people develop memory problems from technology overuse and dementia from microplastics, the idea of memory loss is now more feared than ever. This book is eerie and fantastical and explores what it’s like to live without your memories (spoiled: not good).
“Fin's eyes lit up. Morgan's heart skipped, his face flushing. The smile was warm, eager, and incredibly infectious. For some reason, Morgan remembered tracing it softly with his fingers.”
While the first half was a little slow, this book has a great big ending and gets super sweet. Definitely worth the read for anyone who likes the idea of a dark book without being traumatized.
“Fin's eyes lit up. Morgan's heart skipped, his face flushing. The smile was warm, eager, and incredibly infectious. For some reason, Morgan remembered tracing it softly with his fingers.”
While the first half was a little slow, this book has a great big ending and gets super sweet. Definitely worth the read for anyone who likes the idea of a dark book without being traumatized.
July 29, 2023
This is a gentle, patient story.
I love stories where gods have a sort of neutral view on humanity and only a little bit deal with humans’ problems. All of the dialogue is kind and generous while still being fun and realistic. The chemistry between the friends is well-built-up-to and believable.
There is definitely a threat simmering and some suspicious behavior from some characters and some cool twists, but actually, I really didn’t find myself craving a ton of action or drama – it was really lovely to see Morgan struggle with knowing which memories are his, but then, go on this journey with some friends and actually for the first time pretty much ever, MAKE some memories. In that regard, I wanted the pacing to go slow and I wanted to watch Morgan absorb all these details, and I was cheering for this group to stay together and keep doing fun things like go to the fair and the beach.
Content warnings: mention of suicide, some suicidal ideation (not too graphic.)
I love stories where gods have a sort of neutral view on humanity and only a little bit deal with humans’ problems. All of the dialogue is kind and generous while still being fun and realistic. The chemistry between the friends is well-built-up-to and believable.
There is definitely a threat simmering and some suspicious behavior from some characters and some cool twists, but actually, I really didn’t find myself craving a ton of action or drama – it was really lovely to see Morgan struggle with knowing which memories are his, but then, go on this journey with some friends and actually for the first time pretty much ever, MAKE some memories. In that regard, I wanted the pacing to go slow and I wanted to watch Morgan absorb all these details, and I was cheering for this group to stay together and keep doing fun things like go to the fair and the beach.
Content warnings: mention of suicide, some suicidal ideation (not too graphic.)
June 27, 2023
This is a beautiful story. The empathy of the characters is amazing. I found the story moved at just the right pace, not to slow and not to fast.
June 27, 2024
Read the full review with cute art drawn by S. Jean here
This book drew me in with its themes of amnesia, loss of identity, personal autonomy, and gentle queer love, and it resonated deeply with me. The story of Morgan, a Divine who loses himself to a duty he never wanted and all he wants is to escape and be his own person, touched my heart and made me cry many times over.
Morgan's journey, from imprisonment in an abbey and his Divine role to finding freedom and love with Fin, moved me. Fin was always there to offer compassion and support to help Morgan experience life and form his own identity, a journey that's so much like my own struggles with trauma and self-discovery (I could do with a Fin myself, honestly). Although the book could use more polish and an epilogue for closure (I NEED to know Morgan is happy several years down the line), its message about being allowed to be selfish for your own happiness means a lot to me. For those who have felt lost or struggled to form their own identity due to trauma, I think this book might bring you hope, too.
Content warnings: Fire and burning, death and grief, death of a young child, amnesia and loss of identity, religious abuse and control
This book drew me in with its themes of amnesia, loss of identity, personal autonomy, and gentle queer love, and it resonated deeply with me. The story of Morgan, a Divine who loses himself to a duty he never wanted and all he wants is to escape and be his own person, touched my heart and made me cry many times over.
Morgan's journey, from imprisonment in an abbey and his Divine role to finding freedom and love with Fin, moved me. Fin was always there to offer compassion and support to help Morgan experience life and form his own identity, a journey that's so much like my own struggles with trauma and self-discovery (I could do with a Fin myself, honestly). Although the book could use more polish and an epilogue for closure (I NEED to know Morgan is happy several years down the line), its message about being allowed to be selfish for your own happiness means a lot to me. For those who have felt lost or struggled to form their own identity due to trauma, I think this book might bring you hope, too.
Content warnings: Fire and burning, death and grief, death of a young child, amnesia and loss of identity, religious abuse and control
September 19, 2023
"Some Divines dealt with more dead at a time. Dealt with souls who simply refused to believe they were dead, and Morgan could hardly handle a single room. He hated it.
I love reading new paranormal or supernatural books dealing with the beyond, the afterlife and the ultimate ending of life. Sounds pretty macabre, I know, but I always had so many questions growing up. Does it hurt when we passed on? Will I go to hell or heaven? Is there an afterlife? Will I become a ghost? Experienced reincarnation? Who will guide me in the end of the tunnel with the bright scorching light? So many questions but never the most important one:
Who handles all of it? Who are the shepherds that calm and assist the departed souls to the afterlife?
"Divines were supposed to be untouchable, unflappable, completely holy and in control over their divinity. And here he was, struggling with the simplest duty he had. Extracting memory from his own. Remembering the dead. How could he remember the dead if he could hardly remember himself?"
S.Jean crafted a somber, realistic, magical realism tackling those issues. Divines, heralds of life, are the only ones capable of saving wayward souls. Healing, stopping or liberating those who died and guide them to the afterlife. But it's not without a cost. Divines lose their individuality in the process, detaching their emotions and memories each time they help another ghost before their passing. Through Morgan, our protagonist, eyes we can see the journey he has to endure. How much he hates this and he has not life outside of it. Society and its rules be it supernatural or governmental have dictate his life since the moment he was changed into a Divine.
I won't spoil the story, but I beg of you to give it a read. Everyone who gone through a loss, experience a sudden death in the family or still mourning will find the magic to no pun intended, move on!
I love reading new paranormal or supernatural books dealing with the beyond, the afterlife and the ultimate ending of life. Sounds pretty macabre, I know, but I always had so many questions growing up. Does it hurt when we passed on? Will I go to hell or heaven? Is there an afterlife? Will I become a ghost? Experienced reincarnation? Who will guide me in the end of the tunnel with the bright scorching light? So many questions but never the most important one:
Who handles all of it? Who are the shepherds that calm and assist the departed souls to the afterlife?
"Divines were supposed to be untouchable, unflappable, completely holy and in control over their divinity. And here he was, struggling with the simplest duty he had. Extracting memory from his own. Remembering the dead. How could he remember the dead if he could hardly remember himself?"
S.Jean crafted a somber, realistic, magical realism tackling those issues. Divines, heralds of life, are the only ones capable of saving wayward souls. Healing, stopping or liberating those who died and guide them to the afterlife. But it's not without a cost. Divines lose their individuality in the process, detaching their emotions and memories each time they help another ghost before their passing. Through Morgan, our protagonist, eyes we can see the journey he has to endure. How much he hates this and he has not life outside of it. Society and its rules be it supernatural or governmental have dictate his life since the moment he was changed into a Divine.
I won't spoil the story, but I beg of you to give it a read. Everyone who gone through a loss, experience a sudden death in the family or still mourning will find the magic to no pun intended, move on!
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