Title: The Diviners
Author: Libba Bray
Series/Standalone: The Diviners Series (Book #1)
Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery
Pages: 578
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2012
Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)
First Line: "In a town house at a fashionable address on Manhattan's Upper East Side, every lamp blazes."
"Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City- And she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic. It's 1926, and new York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.
Evie worries he'll discover her darkest secret, a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.
As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened."
My Rating: 5/5
This book gets hype so much and I totally get it. The Diviners is unlike anything that I've ever read. I really enjoyed the writing style, it was beautiful but spooky. I would give a precursor that this book is a little spooky with the idea of supernatural and the occult. But if you're fine with a bit of a thrill then I think you'd enjoy it overall. This story follows so many characters that you get a really good view of the world and the time period from so many different perspectives.
The suspense in this book was on amazing. I had to do the thing where I would close the book and just stare at the wall to calm myself down. I would get so caught up in the story and then realize that it was a book, it was all in a book and I could calm my butt down.
Overall I would recommend this book to anyone who loves paranormal elements along with a crazy mystery. Can't wait to continue on with the series.
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
So this is the first time in a long time that full length book got a 5/5 stars from me. And here is why:
1. Characters that you fall in love with and who bring a lot of depth to the story.
2. The settting/time period
3. The writing style: beautiful, spooky, suspenseful, thrilling
4. PARANORMAL MYSTERY IN 1920s? Sign me up.
When I first heard about this book I proceeded with caution because of the hype. The more a book is hyped the less I tend to like it. Maybe I'm an accidental hipster... you tell me. But this book was amazing. It was so different than anything I'd ever read before, the language and the setting made it unique and interesting. I love the idea of speakeasies, the idea of the suspense that anyone could catch you at any time drinking.... scandal. The author does a marvellous job at keeping the reader intrigued and guessing.
Characters:
Evie: She is really something. The way she describes doing things "wrong" really caught me in this book. How she would try her best to do and say the right things at the right time but always felt like she was messing up. I feel like that's super relatable for most people. Don't we all just wonder if we are messing things up sometimes? There were other parts of her personality that I didn't care for, selling out stories to newspapers, sneaking into "abandoned" houses, ya know just things that didn't seem like the smartest ideas. I'm excited to see where her gifts take her next.
Memphis: I loved him more than most of the characters. The fierce love he had for his brother and the way he did anything for him made me heart warm. The way he felt about Theta and treated her was beautiful. I can't wait to see what happens in his life with so many people aware of his powers and those his brother possesses as well..
Theta: She's amazing. I'm very interested in what she can do and how she will handle her past going forward with Memphis.
Henry: To be living his life in a time period where such things were considered much more than Taboo, it makes you wonder how he got so strong to handle rumours
Will: I want to know so much more about his life and what's coming? Why won't he take advice from any one whose letting him know their premonitions?
Jericho: How long before things mess up for him? Also I understand he's not interested in Mabel but maybe he should just tell her that, instead of her finding out that he's with her best friend.
Sam: I thought that Evie would end up with him for sure. What with their witty banter and the way they had started to get on throughout the book. Ugh. I like him I won't lie. I wonder where he'll come into play again.
Mabel: I wonder what she'll do if or when she finds out about the powers everyone around her seems to have.
Isiah: He might be the most in danger from Blind Bill of all people. What's that story about? I can't wait to see where that part of the story line goes.
Moments to Remember:
Final Line: "he took her face in his hands and his kiss blotted out the sky."
Thanks for reading,
Sidny
