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A review by libralita
Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray
5.0
This was a step up from the last book but there were still some problems. I felt like the Diviners were kind of being brats to Will and Walker. These two are the only people who know what the hell they’re doing and for part of the book they’re just dicking around. But other than that I really enjoyed this book.
Everything was going wrong for the characters. They’re starting to hit their lowest moments and we’re getting ready for probably the final book. I didn’t even mind the back and forth between Evie, Jericho and Sam. It felt natural and not annoying. I like Evie’s interactions with boy guys. This was just a really fun if flawed book in a fun if flawed series.
~Spoilers~
Why does it have to be a creepy asylum?
“Pack up you troubles in your old kit bag, and smile, smile, smile!”—Page 6
Nopenopenope.
“Not everyone here knows the story, Evie,”—Page 11
Plus we gotta recap since there was like a two year gap between books 2 and 3.
We must create Will Fitzgerald’s School for Gifted Youngsters!
Nothing says friend of the working class like being stuck up snobs.
Sarah Snow and Harriet Henderson, what are they part of the Alliteration Association?
“The Metaphys—needle thing—is all fine and dandy. But what about weapons? What do you have that get rids of ghosts? Is there a Jake Marlowe ghost container lying around somewhere?”—Page 54
Who yah gonna call? Ghostbusters!
Aw, Will and Evie are having a family moment. Evie’s great when she’s not being…bratty.
“Will dunked a cookie half into his cup while Evie watched in fascinated revulsion.
She wrinkled her nose.”—Page 67
What? Dunking your cookies into milk is like a standard thing.
“‘I don’t know where he is,’ Sister Walker said with a note of sadness. ‘He left us one day. We never saw him again.’”—Page 68
Heh…about that….
There’s flashbacks to Will’s days in the DoP which was interesting.
“He was a magician involved with the occult. He performed pagan ceremonies in the basement.”—Page 101
I’m sure that won’t be important at all.
Don’t be fire Theta, be light.
150 dollars is 2,046 dollars a week! Jesus Christ.
“‘What you did, that was terrorism.’
Arthur’s eyes flashed. ‘What do you call it when they shoot up our camp with machine guns and terrify the workers? Why does no one hold them accountable? Where are the prisons for them, huh?’”—Page 120
Why technically what they’re doing isn’t terrorism because it’s not for a political goal. It’s incredibly shitty and horrible but probably not terrorism. I’d have to know what Arthur and his brother’s intent were to say whether blowing up the factory was terrorism. If it was to incite terror and for a political goal then yeah. The shooters are inciting terror but not really for a political goal.
Don’t do it Mabel.
“Didn’t you have to break the rules to win against the Devil?”—Page 121
You’re dehumanizing your enemy.
“He was thirty-seven years old.”—Page 159
Oh shit.
Aw, the Bennington ghost is nice!
“Ling moved as swiftly as she could. She touched the credenza gingerly. It was still warm. ‘It’s pos-i-tute-ly solid now.’
‘You’re using the word!’ Henry beamed. ‘I taught her that word, you know.’”—Page 175
I love Henry.
Protect Conor Flynn? Oh! He’s the drawer!
The crops had turned bad…was that the place that Bill destroyed?
“‘Nearly seven thousand,’ the warden said. ‘The asylum was built to house far less than that. And we’ve only a third of the staff we need. We’ve written to the governor countless times. It seems that no one cares about these poor people except us.’”—Page 189
He’s so slime-y.
Let’s sneak around a creepy asylum. What could possibly go wrong?
What’s going on with James?
I bet the men in the gray suits didn’t burn down the town. Theta did.
Roy is alive? Is this just to make Theta not a murderer? I think that’s kind of silly. I don’t know if Roy will be important but I think it would have been better if Theta had to deal with the fact that she killed Roy. We’ll see what Bray does with him in the next book.
It’s the girl who was kidnapped! Why does Jake have her? Is he using Diviner blood to help Jericho?
“I’ve been injecting her with the purification serum for weeks now.”—Page 232
What the fuck? You’ve been getting rid of her “Jewishness”? What the fuck???
Miriam is talking to Connor?
Sleep over at the ghost-filled asylum! Greaaaaaat!
Oh shit, Father Hanlon must’ve molested or raped Conor.
Evie is acting weird…. Oh shit! She’s possessed!
Oh good, they’re all together again!
And now everyone knows that Theta is a Diviner. Also good job Isaiah for ringing the fire alarm.
“‘I’m an ass.’
‘Well. That’s true.’
‘Why you gotta be so agreeable?’”—Page 281
I love Henry.
“‘‘Oh, pardon me, I thought you were my pal, Ling. But now that you’re trying to eat my face, I can see I was wrong about that!’’
Ling grimaced. ‘If I were going to eat a face, it would not be yours.’
‘I’ll have you know my face is quite edible,’ Henry insisted.”—Page 283
I love these two.
Wait, James’s crew of Diviners were holding hands the last time.
“Evie marched up to Will and slapped him hard. ‘How could you? How could you!’”—Page 298
Oh shit.
Y’all are acting like brats. Just shut up and listen to the only two people who know what’s going on.
“She had to end it decisively. Burn it all down. Make him hate her. That was the only way to keep him from coming back. That was the only way to keep him safe.”—Page 302
UGHHHHHHH! In my 20 years of life I have never once been in a situation where the solution was “make the person I love, hate me” was the solution. NEVER.
Theta, dear, you can’t stab Memphis in the heart and then try to talk to him again.
Who ya gonna call? The Diviners. Doesn’t have the same ring to it as Ghostbusters.
Memphis’s mother made a bargain with the King of Crows? Damn. That’s why she didn’t want Memphis to heal her.
Oh no, Bill-Memphis confrontation.
I’m glad that Theta at least is telling someone about Roy but I don’t know if Evie is the best person to tell.
“The whole quest felt more like an elaborate game designed to keep them busy.”—Page 371
Maybe it is.
“The gift is yours. It has chosen you,”—Page 385
I pretty sure Theta just has this gift because of scientific experiment.
“Jericho had no idea what Marlowe was talking about. It really did sound like something from a fantasy novel.”—Page 388
*coughs*
Jericho is talking to Miriam!
“January 25, 1920. Subject deceased.”—Page 406
They’re all died. Chills.
Bountiful, Nebraska. Isn’t that with the creepy girl from Isaiah’s vision.
Is Miriam in the basement?
Diviners blood. At least he’s not completely killing them…hopefully.
Well at least this whole “making Memphis think Theta hate him” thing only lasted 100 pages.
Chapter 51: Horny teenagers.
So Arthur’s just trying to get dirt on Mabel’s parents for the government and the rest of the Secret Six.
Fight fire with fire and see the whole world burn down.
“Twelve dead children, burned to bones, lying on a field in New Jersey because of one man’s greed.”—Page 459
Actually, I’m pretty sure they’d be alive if you hadn’t…y’know BLOWN UP THE MINE.
Hmmm…maybe Sarah Snow is there to sew the doubt in the public’s mind about Diviners. She’s his propaganda generator.
Before the Devil Breaks You…have sex.
OH NO SAM IS KIDNAPPED!
Isaiah saw a vision of the holocaust. I wonder how much these Diviners shenanigans influences the future.
Oh shit, Mabel died. BRAY THIS IS A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO KILL KIND OF MAIN CHARACTERS!
Sarah Snow died, too. Sucks.
After Mabel’s death happened Fight Song by Rachel Platten came on and YEAH THAT DID NOT HELP AT ALL!
So Memphis, Isaiah and Bill are leaving through the underground railroad. Wonder where they’ll end up.
WILL IS DEAD AND DAMMIT BRAY! YOU GOT ME CRYING! DAMMIT! I’M SO MAD THAT EVIE AND HIM NEVER MADE UP. AHHHH!
Is Connor dead? I doubt he is.
I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get a check in with Jericho about how he was doing before the book end but eh. Oh, he’s going to be so sad when he finds out Will is dead. He could never explain why he went to Marlowe’s.
Everything was going wrong for the characters. They’re starting to hit their lowest moments and we’re getting ready for probably the final book. I didn’t even mind the back and forth between Evie, Jericho and Sam. It felt natural and not annoying. I like Evie’s interactions with boy guys. This was just a really fun if flawed book in a fun if flawed series.
~Spoilers~
Why does it have to be a creepy asylum?
“Pack up you troubles in your old kit bag, and smile, smile, smile!”—Page 6
Nopenopenope.
“Not everyone here knows the story, Evie,”—Page 11
Plus we gotta recap since there was like a two year gap between books 2 and 3.
We must create Will Fitzgerald’s School for Gifted Youngsters!
Nothing says friend of the working class like being stuck up snobs.
Sarah Snow and Harriet Henderson, what are they part of the Alliteration Association?
“The Metaphys—needle thing—is all fine and dandy. But what about weapons? What do you have that get rids of ghosts? Is there a Jake Marlowe ghost container lying around somewhere?”—Page 54
Who yah gonna call? Ghostbusters!
Aw, Will and Evie are having a family moment. Evie’s great when she’s not being…bratty.
“Will dunked a cookie half into his cup while Evie watched in fascinated revulsion.
She wrinkled her nose.”—Page 67
What? Dunking your cookies into milk is like a standard thing.
“‘I don’t know where he is,’ Sister Walker said with a note of sadness. ‘He left us one day. We never saw him again.’”—Page 68
Heh…about that….
There’s flashbacks to Will’s days in the DoP which was interesting.
“He was a magician involved with the occult. He performed pagan ceremonies in the basement.”—Page 101
I’m sure that won’t be important at all.
Don’t be fire Theta, be light.
150 dollars is 2,046 dollars a week! Jesus Christ.
“‘What you did, that was terrorism.’
Arthur’s eyes flashed. ‘What do you call it when they shoot up our camp with machine guns and terrify the workers? Why does no one hold them accountable? Where are the prisons for them, huh?’”—Page 120
Why technically what they’re doing isn’t terrorism because it’s not for a political goal. It’s incredibly shitty and horrible but probably not terrorism. I’d have to know what Arthur and his brother’s intent were to say whether blowing up the factory was terrorism. If it was to incite terror and for a political goal then yeah. The shooters are inciting terror but not really for a political goal.
Don’t do it Mabel.
“Didn’t you have to break the rules to win against the Devil?”—Page 121
You’re dehumanizing your enemy.
“He was thirty-seven years old.”—Page 159
Oh shit.
Aw, the Bennington ghost is nice!
“Ling moved as swiftly as she could. She touched the credenza gingerly. It was still warm. ‘It’s pos-i-tute-ly solid now.’
‘You’re using the word!’ Henry beamed. ‘I taught her that word, you know.’”—Page 175
I love Henry.
Protect Conor Flynn? Oh! He’s the drawer!
The crops had turned bad…was that the place that Bill destroyed?
“‘Nearly seven thousand,’ the warden said. ‘The asylum was built to house far less than that. And we’ve only a third of the staff we need. We’ve written to the governor countless times. It seems that no one cares about these poor people except us.’”—Page 189
He’s so slime-y.
Let’s sneak around a creepy asylum. What could possibly go wrong?
What’s going on with James?
I bet the men in the gray suits didn’t burn down the town. Theta did.
Roy is alive? Is this just to make Theta not a murderer? I think that’s kind of silly. I don’t know if Roy will be important but I think it would have been better if Theta had to deal with the fact that she killed Roy. We’ll see what Bray does with him in the next book.
It’s the girl who was kidnapped! Why does Jake have her? Is he using Diviner blood to help Jericho?
“I’ve been injecting her with the purification serum for weeks now.”—Page 232
What the fuck? You’ve been getting rid of her “Jewishness”? What the fuck???
Miriam is talking to Connor?
Sleep over at the ghost-filled asylum! Greaaaaaat!
Oh shit, Father Hanlon must’ve molested or raped Conor.
Evie is acting weird…. Oh shit! She’s possessed!
Oh good, they’re all together again!
And now everyone knows that Theta is a Diviner. Also good job Isaiah for ringing the fire alarm.
“‘I’m an ass.’
‘Well. That’s true.’
‘Why you gotta be so agreeable?’”—Page 281
I love Henry.
“‘‘Oh, pardon me, I thought you were my pal, Ling. But now that you’re trying to eat my face, I can see I was wrong about that!’’
Ling grimaced. ‘If I were going to eat a face, it would not be yours.’
‘I’ll have you know my face is quite edible,’ Henry insisted.”—Page 283
I love these two.
Wait, James’s crew of Diviners were holding hands the last time.
“Evie marched up to Will and slapped him hard. ‘How could you? How could you!’”—Page 298
Oh shit.
Y’all are acting like brats. Just shut up and listen to the only two people who know what’s going on.
“She had to end it decisively. Burn it all down. Make him hate her. That was the only way to keep him from coming back. That was the only way to keep him safe.”—Page 302
UGHHHHHHH! In my 20 years of life I have never once been in a situation where the solution was “make the person I love, hate me” was the solution. NEVER.
Theta, dear, you can’t stab Memphis in the heart and then try to talk to him again.
Who ya gonna call? The Diviners. Doesn’t have the same ring to it as Ghostbusters.
Memphis’s mother made a bargain with the King of Crows? Damn. That’s why she didn’t want Memphis to heal her.
Oh no, Bill-Memphis confrontation.
I’m glad that Theta at least is telling someone about Roy but I don’t know if Evie is the best person to tell.
“The whole quest felt more like an elaborate game designed to keep them busy.”—Page 371
Maybe it is.
“The gift is yours. It has chosen you,”—Page 385
I pretty sure Theta just has this gift because of scientific experiment.
“Jericho had no idea what Marlowe was talking about. It really did sound like something from a fantasy novel.”—Page 388
*coughs*
Jericho is talking to Miriam!
“January 25, 1920. Subject deceased.”—Page 406
They’re all died. Chills.
Bountiful, Nebraska. Isn’t that with the creepy girl from Isaiah’s vision.
Is Miriam in the basement?
Diviners blood. At least he’s not completely killing them…hopefully.
Well at least this whole “making Memphis think Theta hate him” thing only lasted 100 pages.
Chapter 51: Horny teenagers.
So Arthur’s just trying to get dirt on Mabel’s parents for the government and the rest of the Secret Six.
Fight fire with fire and see the whole world burn down.
“Twelve dead children, burned to bones, lying on a field in New Jersey because of one man’s greed.”—Page 459
Actually, I’m pretty sure they’d be alive if you hadn’t…y’know BLOWN UP THE MINE.
Hmmm…maybe Sarah Snow is there to sew the doubt in the public’s mind about Diviners. She’s his propaganda generator.
Before the Devil Breaks You…have sex.
OH NO SAM IS KIDNAPPED!
Isaiah saw a vision of the holocaust. I wonder how much these Diviners shenanigans influences the future.
Oh shit, Mabel died. BRAY THIS IS A YOUNG ADULT NOVEL YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO KILL KIND OF MAIN CHARACTERS!
Sarah Snow died, too. Sucks.
After Mabel’s death happened Fight Song by Rachel Platten came on and YEAH THAT DID NOT HELP AT ALL!
So Memphis, Isaiah and Bill are leaving through the underground railroad. Wonder where they’ll end up.
WILL IS DEAD AND DAMMIT BRAY! YOU GOT ME CRYING! DAMMIT! I’M SO MAD THAT EVIE AND HIM NEVER MADE UP. AHHHH!
Is Connor dead? I doubt he is.
I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get a check in with Jericho about how he was doing before the book end but eh. Oh, he’s going to be so sad when he finds out Will is dead. He could never explain why he went to Marlowe’s.