This is what I wanted Divine Rivals to be, and it was absolutely wonderful. Slower paced than I normally enjoy, but beautifully written and read. The hunt for the hala doesn't actually start until the last quarter of the book, but considering the hunt only lasts a day and the preparations take weeks, I'll forgive it. Allusions to real-world xenophobia and antisemitism were well done, and descriptions of the alchemy and religious myths were magical. The development of Margaret and Wes's relationship felt natural and lovely.