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overbooked207's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
2nd book of September 2022 and 28th of the year:
This was another great addition to the Diviners series with truly creepy moments, great mysteries, an amazing, lovable, and diverse cast of characters, important commentary and messages, the always beautiful found family trope, queer representation, disability representation, fantastic writing, and more! I think that Lair of Dreams is still my favorite of the three books I've read so far, but I still recommend the whole series as a whole and canโt wait to finish it hopefully soon! TW for death, violence, murder, mention of lobotomies and memory loss, discrimination, racism, antisemitism, eugenics, domestic abuse, blackmail, ableism, homophobia, alcohol, institutionalization, bomb/explosion, vomit, rape, sexual assault, gun violence, medical content/trauma, and grief๐๐ฎโ ๏ธ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, and Alcohol
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Animal death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Torture, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Grief
bookswithbec's review against another edition
- 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
I have many theories about how this quartet will end... but for now I can say that I did not see where this third installment took us. I am impressed with the history (and research) that was put into the creation of the diviners.
Ling Chen - dream walker, talks to the dead; having her idols crushed throughout this book has built her up to be stronger, tougher, and more confident.
Henry DuBois IV - dream walker; becoming proud of who he is after a tough loss/realization, protector of his "family" - the fellow diviners.
Isaiah Campbell - predictor of the future, dream walker; little brother who just wants to be recognized as one of the members of the group... and a valuable member.
Memphis Campbell - healer; trying so hard to tale care of those who he loves.
Theta Knight - heat/flame creator; Trying to run from her past, she has found a new life as a performer and a new love.
Jericho Jones - non-diviner but equally special; with the help from Will & Jake, he is able to be alive and feel what family truly means to people. Pinning for that one special someone throws him into a head spin he might not recover from.
Sam Lloyd - ability to become invisible; he is on a mission to discover the deep, dark truth about Project Buffalo and the location of his mother, what he finds instead stops him dead in his tracks.
Evie O'Neil - object reader; America's Sweetheart Seer by day, flapper/ party girl by night, she seems to be the wild one that brings this group together... but can she keep them together?
Mabel Rose - non-diviner, activist; being Evie's best friend and the daughter of communist labor organizers, she is bound to find herself in trouble once or twice... but the biggest trouble she will find will be with what her heart wants.
In 1920s America, these KIDS are just trying to find their way in a country that really doesn't seem to want to accept them. each is dealt with a history that is unfair but as a dysfunctional unit they learn what is truly important - family and love!
Some of my favorite quotes:
"But how did you fight an enemy who never fought fair? Didn't you have to break the rules to win against the devil?"
"Before the devil breaks you, first he will make you love him. Beware little sister. Beware the King of Crows."
"I'll be counting cats when I come over. There better be the same number each time."
"Even Evie believed in something, that something bing Evie a lot of the time."
"It's Yiddish. Like ... Ike hob dish lib."
"Soon I will take all you love and watch you burn. Sweet dreams, Object Reader."
"We are a country built by immigrants, dreams daring, and opportunity. We are a country built by the horror of slavery and genocide, the injustice of racism and exclusion. These realities exist side by side. It is our past and our present. The future is unwritten. This is a book about ghosts - for we live in a haunted house."
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Minor: Racism, Violence, and Murder
bookswithjess's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Racism and Rape
Moderate: Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
kirstym25's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Murder
Moderate: Confinement, Mental illness, and Racism
larareads's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Death, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Slavery, Torture, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
emilyplun's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Police brutality, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Gun violence, Homophobia, Slavery, Death of parent, and Alcohol
genny's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
In other words: this hurt my heart. I loved that we finally got to see more of Mabel's perspective, though this did feel detached from the rest of the story. Her struggle with morality as she fights the good fight? How she both missed and resented Evie, and all that she represented? So good. I'm a little bitter that we won't see how she could've reconciled these inner conflicts.
I listened to the audiobook - amazing voice work, as expected. I will likely reread the entire series in print one day. I'm a bit scared of book 4 because I've heard its the weakest, and that's never a good thing to hear about a series' conclusion.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, and Antisemitism
Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Eugenics is discussed multiple times, with proponents advocating for racist, homophobic, and ableist beliefs. A character gets threatening messages from their abuser, who eventually tracks them down and acts controlling/threatening. Two female characters are forcefully kissed; one scene is more graphic, as the woman is attacked and held down. The diviners visit an asylum; some patients are there willingly, some aren't. A character shares that their mother suffered from a mental illness. Another character reminisces about their mother dying from cancer.riella_reads's review
- 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
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Kidnapping, Stalking, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
danaleelin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, and Murder
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Police brutality, and Antisemitism