Author: Libba Bray
Published: September 2012
Genre: YA Mystery / Historical / Horror / Paranormal
Series: The Diviners #1
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
POV: 3rd, alternating
Pages: 578
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating: 3.8 out of 5
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.
Highlights: Libba Bray books tend to be either a hit or a miss with me, so I was a bit anxious when I left my local library with the behemoth that is THE DIVINERS. But, it fortunately did deliver the eerie read I was promised. Atmospheric and rich in details, THE DIVINERS features a diverse cast of characters, a captivating mystery, and a wonderfully depicted setting. In addition, Bray knows how to write with humor, which allows a nice balance in regard to the horror aspect of the novel. Plus, it's written in 3rd person POV (which, obviously, I love)!
Lowlights: THE DIVINERS reads like a long book. It feels long, and certain moments seem utterly unnecessary. In the end, it doesn't seem like enough is accomplished, especially when taking into consideration the amount of "main" characters the story features. I probably would have loved this story more if it had narrowed it's focus to only one or two main characters.
In the end, I would give THE DIVINERS a 3.8 out of 5 rating – I really, really liked it, but I also had a few issues with this novel. If you're looking for an eerie, historical novel with a large cast of characters, this book is perfect for you!
I've picked up and put down this book multiple times and just can't seem to get into it, which makes me sad! The beginning is So. Slow! But it's Libba Bray so I'll probably give it one more shot.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit hard to get into this book - I think the only reason I made it past the first chapters was because I checked this one out from the library (I always feel compelled to read library books, even if the story doesn't initially keep my attention). It became more interesting, eerie and amusing as it went on!
DeleteHope you enjoy it, if you give it a second shot!
I'm still unsure about this one. The length intimidates me. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI normally love long books, but this story was a bit of a challenge to get through. You should still check it out - you might like it :)
DeleteFantastic review. I felt the same way about the book. I believe I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. It felt WAY too long for my taste and it was a bit too eerie for me at times - (I am a total wimp). I completely agree about narrowing the story and focusing on one or two characters. There were just SOO many. I probably won't pick up the next book in the series. I really like the setting though.
ReplyDeleteGlad I wasn't the only one who felt it was a bit too long! I usually love long books, but I kept wishing this story was shorter.
DeleteI'm probably done with this series too. It's a fun book, but if the sequel is as long (and has as many main characters) as the first, I probably wouldn't enjoy it as much!
Agreed about the setting - it was fantastic!
This book only took me awhile to read because it was too spooky to read right before bed. I'm glad you enjoyed it though. I hope the sequel is a bit more direct then this first one.
ReplyDeleteHa! Definitely a spooky book for nighttime. I made the mistake once of reading TEN by Gretchen McNeil at night - and I spent about four hours trying to go to sleep after I finished it!
DeleteThanks for dropping by, Britt!
Sorry it felt long but glad it delivered the atmosphere for you
ReplyDeleteThe atmosphere was excellent! I just wish it was a tad more focused.
DeleteI had a bit of a hard time getting into it, as well, Lea, but I really ended up loving it. I think this is the first of Libba's books that really, really worked for me, too, so that's always fun haha Great review, lady!
ReplyDeleteGlad you ended up loving it! Libba's books are always an interesting experience for me - I loved GOING BOVINE, liked the Gemma Doyle books, and barely got through BEAUTY QUEENS. I like that she writes differently each time though, I never know what to expect!
DeleteI agree that it was really long! I was interested in the main story but there were just too many things going on and I didn't see why half of it was relevant. Glad you enjoyed it overall though! Great review.
ReplyDeleteSo long! And I agree too, about the relevancy of some aspects. Perhaps some parts will become more important later on?
DeleteThanks for stopping by!
I really want to try this but I am worried about the length. You indicate that that is a problem but I still plan to give this a read just as soon as I can carve out more time-I tend to seek out shorter books to pump up my numbers read for the year.
ReplyDeleteIt's a long book - definitely something you need to give yourself a lot of time to read. It's fun and eerie, though!
DeleteI had the same thoughts as you when I read The Diviners. It's not as good as Gemma but it definitely has the potential to be a great read!
ReplyDeleteMarlene Detierro (Ad Wizards)