“Divinity 36: Tinkered Starsong,” by Gail Carriger. 334 pages. Gail Carriger LLC, 2023. $15.99 (paperback).

Used to being left alone, Phex is overheard singing while working as a barista and suddenly recruited to become a god. As part of the galaxy’s entertainment industry, Phex must learn how to make his music visible, exactly what the price of fame can be and how to deal with all his friends wanting to be worshipped. The Divinity is a wholly different life from what he has known before – where celebrity is religion. If people become obsessed over him, it can mean becoming Divine and a God, or death.

Sound odd? I completely understand. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it in the beginning after reading the description – and I love every book of Gail Carriger’s I’ve gotten my hands on. But I promise, you’ll love it. Just give it a chance. Certain things will always reel me into a book: Good world-building, fun dialogue and something new. This book has all three, and more. We begin on a random moon and follow Phex around as he does his job. One day, while singing along with the Gods on the dome above him at work, he is discovered, forced to audition, and offered the chance to become a God himself. Apparently, this scenario was inspired by the author’s love of K-Pop.

The world-building here is, in a word, divine. You gradually learn about Phex’s universe as the story develops. No info-dumping, no boring lectures on history. We learn as Phex does, or in backstory, about how the world’s work, what different races and species there are, and how the process of becoming a God works.

“Divinity 36” is so different from most other things I’ve read. I enjoyed soaking up every detail and plan to reread it for things I probably missed.

Phex was genetically engineered to be perfect – physically, anyways. Even so, he has issues, is lonely and has no family. Those imperfections, and those social awkwardly moments he has, make him all the more lovable. Phex can also be quite a grouch. If you love those kinds of characters, he’ll be a favorite.

The other characters you either instantly fall in love with, or slowly grow to love or hate. The novel introduces quite a few characters, so you might lose track for just a bit. There is also a slow-burn romance, too.

Of course, this book has a strong sense of found family. If that is one of your favorite tropes, then I strongly recommend this book to you. Phex was so lonely in his old life. It truly is heartwarming to watch him meet new people and find friends in the God selection program. By the end I loved how all the characters bonded together and can’t wait to see what they do in the sequels. Everyone who winds up in Phex’s group needed each other, which is what makes them coming together so powerful. They still have a lot of issues to work on.

There are a lot of parallels between the celebrity cultures in our world and Phex’s. There are no guarantees of happiness or success. One of the characters falls from grace. Some of Phex’s group fail to make the cut, and we read about who gets left behind and see the paths they take.

Fandom plays a key part in the story. In Phex’ world, as in ours, people obsess over the Gods. Sometimes fans take their obsessions too far, as it happens in our world. The author weaves in discussion of the religion, music, culture and traditions of Phex’s universe. These passages are extremely well done, and never heavy-handed.

Perhaps one of the best pieces of the world building is how music is so intrinsic to Phex’s cultural universe. All species audition to become Gods. They manipulate music in various ways and broadcast their creations out into the world around them through special domes and other means. I won’t spoil all the specifics for you.

This love of music and songs, and the emotions that music generates, is a powerful element of the novel and Phex’s world. I have loved music my entire life, and it has helped me get through a lot. Gail Carriger found a way to make the power of music even more real, and I love it.

This book is the first installment of a trilogy. The second book, “Demigod 12: Tinkered Starsong,” was released at the end of the summer. The third book will be released this fall. Luckily, “Divinity 36” does not end on a cliffhanger, which I always appreciate. Carriger’s also written “Crudat,” a novel that is not part of the trilogy but is set in the same universe and takes place on Phex’s home planet. In this book, as in the rest of hers, there is LGBTQ+ representation. Carriger’s wit and great dialogue have made every book I’ve read wonderful.

Content warnings: discussions of xenophobia, disease, child abuse, abandonment, death and bullying.

Gail Carriger once worked as an archaeologist but now writes fiction full time. She has written dozens of books, including more than a dozen New York Times bestsellers. Her books are always full of wit, and often feature paranormal romances. Carriger’s books have been translated into many languages.

– Reviewed by Fallon Willoughby, Assistant Professor, First Year Experience, Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College.