Reviews tagging 'Confinement'

The Diviners, by Libba Bray

4 reviews

queerseer's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book is thrilling, lovely, terrifying, sad, and diverse. It explores a society beyond the standard straight white rich viewpoints so prevalent early 20th century New York City, and has a lot to offer in terms of religious, supernatural and occult mystery and history. You’ll learn period-accurate slang, references and daily activities and it makes the setting that much richer. In fact, there’s SO much in the way of intrigue and fast-paced terror and brilliant characters…that I was kind of disappointed to reach the end and realize it was set up for a series. I, personally, feel exhausted from the adventure I just read and wish that the book had either been longer or gone differently to tie in all the backstory at once. Great standalone story, but not one I have any interest in learning more about afterward.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Mental illness, Grief, Classism, Blood, Alcoholism, Abandonment, Violence, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/injury detail, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Confinement, Torture, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal death

There is graphic animal (pet) death in multiple sections.

trippalli's review

dark funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

A funny adventurous book about a murderous ghost set in a roaring 20s plus occult and individuals with specific powers, like seeing memories in touching an object or seeing glimpses of the future, becoming unseen temporarily... But I never thought I'd let l laugh so much while a serial killer is trying to be stopped. I loved all the very diverse cast and I wanted them to all be safe! They are so quirky, using their ability to pick pockets or make party games and sprinkled constantly with the 20s slang of the lead character, a girl who wants to party and turns detective and PR for her academic uncle's museum of the occult she is so sassy, spontaneous and friendly... All the characters are very vivid and unique and the world is fabulous. I have the first 4 books and am eager to read the next one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Murder, Physical abuse, Stalking, Torture, Abandonment, Animal death, Death, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Injury/injury detail, Violence, Animal cruelty, Racism, Child death, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Ableism and War

davidrb's review

adventurous dark funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Just Okay. I think I'm just never gonna get into a YA fantasy, but the setting and lore both appealed to me! I'll probably continue the series, seeing as some characters (namely Memphis, Henry, and Sam!?) didn't have much of a presence in the story when it came to the main plot. (Poor Mabesie too!)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and War

This book is much more graphic than I was expecting, especially when it comes to the child death, sexual and domestic abuse, and animal death. Watch out!

genny's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The audiobook is fantastic, one of the best I've ever listened to. I still cannot believe there's only one narrator - January LaVoy is so skilled that it sounds like you're listening to a full cast! If you like audio at all and are interested in this story, do yourself a favor and go with the audiobook. Anyway, this was so much fun! I felt immersed in the 1920's setting and loved the main cast, though we didn't see enough of Mabel or Henry (fingers crossed for character development in the next books). Evie is a darling protagonist, and I find her blossoming relationship with

Spoiler

Jericho

sweet, though it's pretty obvious we'll be getting a

Spoiler

love triangle with Sam, which I'm not mad about as he and Evie are adorable together

. The "mystery" was fine, just the right amount of spookiness, though I admit I cared less about it than getting to know the characters. Even side characters appear to harbor secrets of their own; I look forward to seeing how they're all connected as the series progresses.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Kidnapping, Racism, and Suicide

Moderate: Abortion, Misogyny, and Sexual violence

Minor: Animal death and Death of parent