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A review by sarahtribble
The Diviners by Libba Bray
4.0
I'll preface with this: I really, really enjoyed this book. I didn't think I was going to; I haven't been interested in getting invested in book series' recently, and I usually stray away from horror/paranormal/supernatural/generally scary genres anyway. I prefer not to be afraid to turn out the lights when I go to bed, thank you very much. Yet I had heard such rave reviews about this book, and when I picked it up at Whitcoulls and skimmed the first few pages, I was hooked, so I bought it -- despite the opening scene describing a gang of tipsy teens convening with a malevolent spirit via a ouija board. I know, I know: I'm a huge baby if ouija boards can scare me.
I'm so glad I decided to read this. The plot is riveting, the characters have compelling depth and back stories, and I loved the historical setting -- 1920s New York is such a rich, luscious period in which to set a story, and I was fascinated by the history and the ways in which Libba Bray incorporates the language, mannerisms, and culture of the 1920s into the story. I'm glad this book kickstarts a trilogy, because I can't wait to dive back into this world, to learn more about its historical setting and to experience more adventures with the diverse and engaging cast of characters.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars because I enjoyed the setting and the story so much, but in the end, I took off a star for two reasons. The first: I found that some of the themes and subplots in this book lacked substance, or hadn't been fully fleshed out. There were often times when Evie would randomly begin to monologue internally about how misunderstood her generation was by the old-fashioned adults who always told her what to do, which I guess made sense considering the context, but it still felt out-of-place; it came up so sporadically that it threw me off balance as opposed to rallying me in Evie's favour, and this happened with a number of themes and ideas that Bray unwisely littered throughout the text. The second: I HATE the pairing of Evie and Jericho. Evie's affections for Jericho come out of nowhere, seemly only added to cause friction between Mabel and Evie in the second and/or third books in the series. In summary: Evie and Jericho are NOT a power couple, and as much as I enjoyed Evie's precocious perspective, I also hate her for breaking the girl code. Bitch can choke.
I'm so glad I decided to read this. The plot is riveting, the characters have compelling depth and back stories, and I loved the historical setting -- 1920s New York is such a rich, luscious period in which to set a story, and I was fascinated by the history and the ways in which Libba Bray incorporates the language, mannerisms, and culture of the 1920s into the story. I'm glad this book kickstarts a trilogy, because I can't wait to dive back into this world, to learn more about its historical setting and to experience more adventures with the diverse and engaging cast of characters.
I wanted to give this book 5 stars because I enjoyed the setting and the story so much, but in the end, I took off a star for two reasons. The first: I found that some of the themes and subplots in this book lacked substance, or hadn't been fully fleshed out. There were often times when Evie would randomly begin to monologue internally about how misunderstood her generation was by the old-fashioned adults who always told her what to do, which I guess made sense considering the context, but it still felt out-of-place; it came up so sporadically that it threw me off balance as opposed to rallying me in Evie's favour, and this happened with a number of themes and ideas that Bray unwisely littered throughout the text. The second: I HATE the pairing of Evie and Jericho. Evie's affections for Jericho come out of nowhere, seemly only added to cause friction between Mabel and Evie in the second and/or third books in the series. In summary: Evie and Jericho are NOT a power couple, and as much as I enjoyed Evie's precocious perspective, I also hate her for breaking the girl code. Bitch can choke.