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diem's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
Mabel, Henry, Sam and Memphis could have been cut without much trouble and it would have streamlined everything. It´s clearly just a setup and it should have been more.
Moderate: Sexual assault, Domestic abuse, Racism, Chronic illness, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Police brutality, Rape, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, War, and Xenophobia
er1nmoore'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: Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Blood, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, War, and Xenophobia
lindseythelibrarian's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Rape
asleepyreader's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Racism, Rape, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Animal death
katherinek's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death
Moderate: Alcohol, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, Suicide, Rape, and Medical content
Minor: Gun violence, Vomit, Racism, and Grief
vanesst'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: Murder, Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Death
Moderate: War, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Racism, Suicide, Abandonment, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Gore, Grief, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Racial slurs, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Homophobia, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Rape
mishi543's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Racism, and Torture
Minor: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Rape
hannah1734's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Murder, and Racism
Moderate: Misogyny, Xenophobia, and Rape
Minor: Abortion and Death of parent
kelly_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Evie, her uncle, and a couple of friends need to research some creepy cult-like murders with supernatural elements to help stop a serial killer.
The time period it’s set in is very apparent, with the vocabulary, attitudes, clothing described etc. Initially it was great but it quickly got annoying as I did find that this was overdone with Evie particularly, with excessive slang terms and the suffix “ski” with random words (“positiv-a-lutely” and “you bet-ski”).
I enjoyed that there were hints towards a group of people with special abilities, and lots of info to gather around the location and serial killer, but the book did jump around to different POVs too much for my taste.
This book came across like an extended ghost story with the Ouija board leading to a killer ghost rampage and nightmares etc. What he was doing would certainly have been scary and disturbing but someone calling themselves “naughty John” constantly and singing a children’s song all the time just got really silly. It was a bit like Jeepers Creepers, without the jump moments.
Overall, I liked the idea but I didn’t personally connect to the any of the main characters so it’s clearly not for me.
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Child death, and Rape
ollieshark's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
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.
Graphic: Religious bigotry
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Toxic relationship and Vomit