Author: Libba Bray
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 18th, 2012
Format: ARC copy
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608 pages
Summary:
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.
Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.
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My Review:
The Diviners has quickly become one of my favorite books of the year and of all time! I completely devoured this book, with its beautiful writing (courtesy of the ever brilliant Libba Bray), carefully constructed plot, disturbing mystery, captivating romance, imaginative fantasy, and enthralling characters. It was as though I was afraid that if I put this book down, even for a moment, the gruesome killer would choose me as its next victim, or, even more terrifying, the book might disappear forever before I could finish it. The Diviners had me in its grasp within the first chapter and I have been unable to stop thinking about it since!
I
was completely in awe of how Libba Bray was able to make this book about
supernatural powers on one page, a creepy and gruesome murder mystery on the
next, and then a totally normal, old-fashioned romance on the page after. All of the varying story plotlines and
characters were woven together perfectly by the end of the book, making a fantastic
and unforgettable book.
Evie,
the protagonist, is a seventeen year old with a unique personality. When I think of this young girl, the first
thing that comes to mind is that she certainly lives her life to the fullest;
she is a fun-loving and humorously sarcastic character who always tries to
dwell on the positive. However, Evie
also has a deeply sad temperament that is always hiding beneath the surface,
which has to do with her mysterious power, and is the reason for her somewhat
excessive need to drink and party. Some
of the minor, yet equally intriguing characters include Memphis, Theta, Jerico,
Uncle Will (whom Evie calls “Unc”), Sam, Mabel, and Henry, each of whom harbor
their own, often supernatural, secrets. These characters are completely fleshed out and realistic, all with
their own special quirks.
I
felt that this book was mainly split into two separate parts that ended up
coming together in what appeared to be an effortless and faultless way: the old
fashioned world of partying and romance, and the supernatural, disturbingly
eerie murder mystery. Evie is completely
immersed in each world, helping her uncle solve the murder during the day while
never missing a night out partying.
However, while Evie’s life running around old-fashioned New York City
was captivating and well-told, the part of the story that truly did it for me
was the murder mystery.
In
the book, there is a variety of what appears to be cult murders throughout the
city, all surrounding a strange bible and a myth regarding someone named Naughty
John. The spine-chilling little tune
that always accompanies the murderer goes like this: “Naughty John, Naughty
John, does his work with his apron on. Cuts
your throat and steals your bones, sells them for a couple of stones”. And if the words alone aren’t enough to raise
the hairs on your arm, be sure to check out the eerie tune that accompanies the
chilling words in The Diviners book trailer.
Overall,
this book was an absolutely amazing mix of supernatural, horror, and romance. It was an intense and wonderful book that
only an author as brilliant as Libba Bray could have pulled off. And boy, did she do a great job! Everyone should definitely, definitely,
definitely pick up a copy of The Diviners as soon as possible!
My Rating:
608 pages!? Holy moly! I dont know f this book is for me but your review made it more interesting than I was before, might have to get it!
ReplyDeleteGosh, I am SO excited for this one! I love Libba Bray and I have some very high hopes for this book and I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! The murder mystery premises seems to be so good and I think Evie is a character I'll really love. Wonderful review, Jaime! :D
ReplyDelete~Keertana
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