Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

The Diviners, by Libba Bray

4 reviews

glens's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Medical content

Minor: Abortion, Antisemitism, Death, Vomit, Animal death, and Rape

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!

katherinek's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

The first half was good, but a bit slow. The second half was excellent. It wasn’t too predictable and kept me wondering what could happen next. I wanted more of Sam.

Spoiler

Jericho being a robot was kind of random?? It just didn’t really fit the vibe of the book in my opinion. Jericho and Evie as a couple was also kind of weird but I didn’t hate it.

Mabel reminds me of Penny from Hairspray. I could totally see this book as a TV series!! Bray is a great writer!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death

Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Suicide, Rape, and Medical content

Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, Racism, and Grief

ollieshark's review

adventurous dark funny informative mysterious tense slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The characters are fun to see interacting with each other. Bray does well giving them snappy dialogue that quickly bounces off each other. The slow pacing allows characters (and the city) to feel alive and not just plot-relevant. Interactions are not always necessary to the plot but add to and explain the dynamic between them so that certain actions made as a result of that dynamic aren't thrown at the reader out of nowhere.

It feels almost as if this was intended for more adult audiences but was aged down at the last minute. Regardless, the maturity with which the diviners treats its characters, setting, politics, and audience is extremely refreshing to see in ya. 

The setting is one of my favorites--1920s era america with a pinch of occult salt on top. While not overbearing, the inclusion (and bray's minimal commentary) of real life politics during the decade was refreshing to read in ya.

The only improvement i would make (not that it matters since this book has been out for about 8 years) is that bray has a habit of taking up whole chapters explaining a very minor antagonist's backstory and motivations and then recounting a much shorter version of that story later on when evie and co are investigating. I would cut out those chapters and just let the present characters teach us about the antagonists from newspaper clippings, since that's how *they* learn about them.

All in all, a very very solid first installment. I preemptively boufht lair of dreams and am starting it the second i post this review.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Toxic relationship and Vomit