doubleace2423's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- 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
4.25
gayusbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I had too much expectations from 'The Diviners'. Maybe that's why it left me feeling unsatisfied. Let's begin by talking about the things that I loved....
Spoilers Ahead
The Atmosphere: It took me a long time to finish reading this book because I had to do quite a bit of extra reading to understand the context in which the story was taking place. The author has done her research really well and it translates on to the page. The 1920's New York city comes alive with it's teeming population, dreamers and risk takers, the opulent theaters,the glamorous Ziegfeld girls,the men who work hard to make ends meet, the flappers who lived life to the fullest, all existing together in a city that breathes and thrives on the dreams of its masses. You feel like you are really walking along with these characters seeing and feeling the sights and sounds of the city. This is one of those books that's going to translate really well onto the visual media.
The 'Creepy' Factor : A word of advice to those who are yet to read this one - DO NOT read 'The Diviners' before you go to sleep or late into the night while you are alone unless you want to jump at every little sound and imagine shapes in shadows!!!! This book IS creepy. Libba Bray has got the horror factor quite right in this novel. Every time Naughty John came into the scene to do his deed, I had to take a moment and go look at some funny memes so that I could continue reading.
Now onto the things that were not that satisfactory...
The Plot and The Characters That were Just There : The premise in which the story takes place was quite interesting. We get the idea that the Diviners are a kind of prophesied group of people whose destiny is to save the world. Then why not bring them together???
Evie, Memphis,Theta,Henry,Sam,Isaiah are all people with special powers but they wander through the story without any purpose at all. I mean, what was the point of spending so much page time for Memphis if he was not going to play a part in bringing an end to Naughty John. Same with Theta, Henry and Sam. They are just there. We don't get any resolution to any of their stories. I get that there is a big picture involved. But that will matter only if you are reading the whole series together. For me, every book in a series has to have a story and completeness in itself, so that they can stand on their own as well as be a piece of the puzzle that will make the whole picture. Like in the [b:Harry Potter: The Complete Collection|28787664|Harry Potter The Complete Collection (1-7)|J.K. Rowling|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453928175l/28787664._SY75_.jpg|2962492] and [b:Percy Jackson: The Complete Series|18813911|Percy Jackson The Complete Series (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1-5)|Rick Riordan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384776140l/18813911._SY75_.jpg|40697560]. They do have a big picture but the characters that appear in each book has a part to play too.
But here Memphis spends the whole time worrying about his little brother and his parents and his power and at the end of the book that's exactly where he stays. I expected him to play a major part in the story. His backstory has so many secrets that needed further exploring. But sadly his journey in this book makes no progress at all, other than him falling for Theta. (Wouldn't have minded more of that actually. They make a good pair.)
Same with Theta. We get a glimpse of her back story and that's it. The scene where she hears the whistling in the theater and runs for her life feeling the stirring of power within herself, the scene was developed meticulously only to leave it dangling in the air.
Also,why wasn't Henry's story explored further? His powers and his struggles - being a gay man in the 20's with strange powers must not have been an easy one for sure - don't even get a passing glance. From whatever little glimpse we get, he comes across as a fun, extremely nice gentleman and his relationship with Theta is the absolute best.
We can guess what their powers are and it is repeatedly mentioned that they have a bigger destiny, then why aren't their stories developed further. How can you be excited for a sequel if you don't have enough to be excited about? Every time Memphis met Evie or one of the others, I was expecting them to come together and move the story forward but that didn't happen. He meets Theta, learns that she has powers like him, meets Evie and offers to help her in finding the killer. But none of it leads anywhere. Evie and Theta are close friends. Theta even has a glimpse of Evie's powers. But she doesn't inquire anything further .Henry meets Evie in a dream. But nope,that doesn't lead anywhere either even though they hang out together many times.
Same with Will's character. He was so underdeveloped that he became a stereotype - the character that provides a platform for the other characters to get together. When he mentioned that he was going to make a protective circle so that he can perform the ritual to destroy the pendant and Naughty John, all I could think was "Wait, how can he do that?" Sure, he runs the Museum of Creepy Crawlies and is a supposed master of Occult studies, but other than the one lecture that he gives in the very beginning of the story, nothing else is shown or mentioned to denote how able Will is in sending evil spirits back to where they belong.
Also, why is everyone so okay with unanswered questions?? Evie constantly asks Will about her powers and how she can master that and he conveniently ignores her and never answers. Memphis asks questions to Sister Walker and gets zero response back. Theta develops powers one day and she is completely unbothered about exploring it further. Will asks Evie to hide her powers as if it will bring trouble but she displays it anyway with zero consequences. What is Sam doing in the story??? What even was that whole thing with Blind Bill Johnson?? I kept expecting answers and it turned frustrating after a while.
The Love Triangle : Jericho and Evie - Why??? If there had to be a relationship, then Sam and Evie had more chemistry than Jericho and her. Why did Evie suddenly develop feelings towards Jericho??!! I'm not even going to talk about how she spent 90% of the book on Operation Jericho for Mabel. Jericho is a lonely man and he craves companionship,that much is clear. Evie is still grieving her brother James. Then why not Jericho and Evie develop a bond of understanding and friendship where they become each other's family. That would have been a lot better than the current scenario in my opinion.
The Ending : Naughty John deserved a better ending. He was so creepy and spooky and spent more than half a century plotting and planning his grand scheme and pufff...there he goes vanishing on the tail of a comet.
John Hobbes was the best part about this whole book. He is such a grand and terrifying villain that he will surely give you nightmares for weeks. His whole [b:Angels & Demons|960|Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon, #1)|Dan Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1558711679l/960._SY75_.jpg|3338963] scheme of sacrifices, that chilling whistling sound and the whole band of undead supporters, all promised a grand fight in the end. And Evie single handedly gets rid of him!!!???? I'm all in for a badass heroine saving the day. It's the absolute best. But here, with all the horrible things that Naughty John was promised to be - the demon, the Beast from hell, the one that was one sacrifice away from becoming invincible - Evie's (who hasn't practiced her powers, who hasn't even got any answers regarding her powers or her dreams) ability to dismiss him that way was not convincing enough. And then we return to Memphis worrying over his brother and just like that Naughty John became a side character from the terrifying villain. And the police and the public needed no explanation at all?? The police let go of Will because there were spontaneous fires at three different places at once?? What about the circumstantial evidence against Will? How are they going to prove that he was not the murderer?? And Evie's revelation of her part in all this was welcomed without any further troubles???
That ending was lukewarm at its best.
So, all in all - I really loved Libba Bray's writing style and the whole concept of the novel. But I wish she had dedicated separate chapters to each main character, told from their POVs, so that their stories were developed properly, with each of them revealing bits about their back stories. I wish all of them came together to form a group of their own, testing and learning their powers, supporting each other and I really wish all of them played a part in bringing an end to Naughty John's terrifying scheme. Then they could have gone on to play a part in the bigger picture.
Maybe that happens in the later books, but as far as 'The Diviners' is concerned, it sure was a bit unsatisfying.
Spoilers Ahead
The Atmosphere: It took me a long time to finish reading this book because I had to do quite a bit of extra reading to understand the context in which the story was taking place. The author has done her research really well and it translates on to the page. The 1920's New York city comes alive with it's teeming population, dreamers and risk takers, the opulent theaters,the glamorous Ziegfeld girls,the men who work hard to make ends meet, the flappers who lived life to the fullest, all existing together in a city that breathes and thrives on the dreams of its masses. You feel like you are really walking along with these characters seeing and feeling the sights and sounds of the city. This is one of those books that's going to translate really well onto the visual media.
The 'Creepy' Factor : A word of advice to those who are yet to read this one - DO NOT read 'The Diviners' before you go to sleep or late into the night while you are alone unless you want to jump at every little sound and imagine shapes in shadows!!!! This book IS creepy. Libba Bray has got the horror factor quite right in this novel. Every time Naughty John came into the scene to do his deed, I had to take a moment and go look at some funny memes so that I could continue reading.
Now onto the things that were not that satisfactory...
The Plot and The Characters That were Just There : The premise in which the story takes place was quite interesting. We get the idea that the Diviners are a kind of prophesied group of people whose destiny is to save the world. Then why not bring them together???
Evie, Memphis,Theta,Henry,Sam,Isaiah are all people with special powers but they wander through the story without any purpose at all. I mean, what was the point of spending so much page time for Memphis if he was not going to play a part in bringing an end to Naughty John. Same with Theta, Henry and Sam. They are just there. We don't get any resolution to any of their stories. I get that there is a big picture involved. But that will matter only if you are reading the whole series together. For me, every book in a series has to have a story and completeness in itself, so that they can stand on their own as well as be a piece of the puzzle that will make the whole picture. Like in the [b:Harry Potter: The Complete Collection|28787664|Harry Potter The Complete Collection (1-7)|J.K. Rowling|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1453928175l/28787664._SY75_.jpg|2962492] and [b:Percy Jackson: The Complete Series|18813911|Percy Jackson The Complete Series (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1-5)|Rick Riordan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1384776140l/18813911._SY75_.jpg|40697560]. They do have a big picture but the characters that appear in each book has a part to play too.
But here Memphis spends the whole time worrying about his little brother and his parents and his power and at the end of the book that's exactly where he stays. I expected him to play a major part in the story. His backstory has so many secrets that needed further exploring. But sadly his journey in this book makes no progress at all, other than him falling for Theta. (Wouldn't have minded more of that actually. They make a good pair.)
Same with Theta. We get a glimpse of her back story and that's it. The scene where she hears the whistling in the theater and runs for her life feeling the stirring of power within herself, the scene was developed meticulously only to leave it dangling in the air.
Also,why wasn't Henry's story explored further? His powers and his struggles - being a gay man in the 20's with strange powers must not have been an easy one for sure - don't even get a passing glance. From whatever little glimpse we get, he comes across as a fun, extremely nice gentleman and his relationship with Theta is the absolute best.
We can guess what their powers are and it is repeatedly mentioned that they have a bigger destiny, then why aren't their stories developed further. How can you be excited for a sequel if you don't have enough to be excited about? Every time Memphis met Evie or one of the others, I was expecting them to come together and move the story forward but that didn't happen. He meets Theta, learns that she has powers like him, meets Evie and offers to help her in finding the killer. But none of it leads anywhere. Evie and Theta are close friends. Theta even has a glimpse of Evie's powers. But she doesn't inquire anything further .Henry meets Evie in a dream. But nope,that doesn't lead anywhere either even though they hang out together many times.
Same with Will's character. He was so underdeveloped that he became a stereotype - the character that provides a platform for the other characters to get together. When he mentioned that he was going to make a protective circle so that he can perform the ritual to destroy the pendant and Naughty John, all I could think was "Wait, how can he do that?" Sure, he runs the Museum of Creepy Crawlies and is a supposed master of Occult studies, but other than the one lecture that he gives in the very beginning of the story, nothing else is shown or mentioned to denote how able Will is in sending evil spirits back to where they belong.
Also, why is everyone so okay with unanswered questions?? Evie constantly asks Will about her powers and how she can master that and he conveniently ignores her and never answers. Memphis asks questions to Sister Walker and gets zero response back. Theta develops powers one day and she is completely unbothered about exploring it further. Will asks Evie to hide her powers as if it will bring trouble but she displays it anyway with zero consequences. What is Sam doing in the story??? What even was that whole thing with Blind Bill Johnson?? I kept expecting answers and it turned frustrating after a while.
The Love Triangle : Jericho and Evie - Why??? If there had to be a relationship, then Sam and Evie had more chemistry than Jericho and her. Why did Evie suddenly develop feelings towards Jericho??!! I'm not even going to talk about how she spent 90% of the book on Operation Jericho for Mabel. Jericho is a lonely man and he craves companionship,that much is clear. Evie is still grieving her brother James. Then why not Jericho and Evie develop a bond of understanding and friendship where they become each other's family. That would have been a lot better than the current scenario in my opinion.
The Ending : Naughty John deserved a better ending. He was so creepy and spooky and spent more than half a century plotting and planning his grand scheme and pufff...there he goes vanishing on the tail of a comet.
John Hobbes was the best part about this whole book. He is such a grand and terrifying villain that he will surely give you nightmares for weeks. His whole [b:Angels & Demons|960|Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon, #1)|Dan Brown|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1558711679l/960._SY75_.jpg|3338963] scheme of sacrifices, that chilling whistling sound and the whole band of undead supporters, all promised a grand fight in the end. And Evie single handedly gets rid of him!!!???? I'm all in for a badass heroine saving the day. It's the absolute best. But here, with all the horrible things that Naughty John was promised to be - the demon, the Beast from hell, the one that was one sacrifice away from becoming invincible - Evie's (who hasn't practiced her powers, who hasn't even got any answers regarding her powers or her dreams) ability to dismiss him that way was not convincing enough. And then we return to Memphis worrying over his brother and just like that Naughty John became a side character from the terrifying villain. And the police and the public needed no explanation at all?? The police let go of Will because there were spontaneous fires at three different places at once?? What about the circumstantial evidence against Will? How are they going to prove that he was not the murderer?? And Evie's revelation of her part in all this was welcomed without any further troubles???
That ending was lukewarm at its best.
So, all in all - I really loved Libba Bray's writing style and the whole concept of the novel. But I wish she had dedicated separate chapters to each main character, told from their POVs, so that their stories were developed properly, with each of them revealing bits about their back stories. I wish all of them came together to form a group of their own, testing and learning their powers, supporting each other and I really wish all of them played a part in bringing an end to Naughty John's terrifying scheme. Then they could have gone on to play a part in the bigger picture.
Maybe that happens in the later books, but as far as 'The Diviners' is concerned, it sure was a bit unsatisfying.
alexabookish's review against another edition
5.0
OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS BOOK. this book was the best thing i’ve read so far this year, and now one of my all time favorite series. it’s spooky in the best way and is just so amazing. it’s the cat’s pajamas!
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
Very complex story, with historical aspects from the '20s in NYC, magic, ghosts, weird powers, and many characters to follow on their creepy adventures.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
COYER scavenger hunt item #42: Read a book set in the 20s (3 points)
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
COYER scavenger hunt item #42: Read a book set in the 20s (3 points)
emboyle101's review against another edition
3.0
A good story. Loved the 1920s New York flapper setting. Lots of build up for an ending that didn’t quite deliver satisfaction for me.
dannycakez8808's review against another edition
5.0
The Diviners by Libba Bray
Fantasy/Historical Fiction
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very seldom do I give a book 5 stars but this one blew me away. The writing style is unique, engaging, and makes you immediately be invested in the story line and characters. With the mix of magic, 1920's New York, and the creepy supernatural vibes you can't go wrong with this fantasy historical fiction! There were moments where I was so entranced in the story and caught up in all the spooky vibes. I adored this book and can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. You can really tell that the author put in a lot of research to the time period and the cultural aspects of the city.
"
Fantasy/Historical Fiction
5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very seldom do I give a book 5 stars but this one blew me away. The writing style is unique, engaging, and makes you immediately be invested in the story line and characters. With the mix of magic, 1920's New York, and the creepy supernatural vibes you can't go wrong with this fantasy historical fiction! There were moments where I was so entranced in the story and caught up in all the spooky vibes. I adored this book and can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. You can really tell that the author put in a lot of research to the time period and the cultural aspects of the city.
"
tiffyofthemonts's review against another edition
4.0
This was the first book I've read by Libra Bray and it did not let me down. The story and characterizations were very compelling, although I feel like a lot of it was overwritten. Like, reminiscent of White Oleander with its heavy, overwrought descriptions. Still, I appreciate Libra Bray's attention to detail. She doesn't really introduce a character without having their story thought out, which I just really appreciate. I wish this wasn't a series though. I'm starting to have a visceral reaction to the whole concept because these days it seems like every YA author wants to write a series filled with action, suspense, romance (love triangles are especially key), and the paranormal. Curses, Twilight franchise, for ruining everything!
P.S. OMG this book is totally the Misfits of Manhattan.
P.P.S. I read 60% of this book last night by myself. Terrible idea. Gave me the heebie-jeebies, and how! ;) Would only recommend if you want to keep yourself awake at night, wondering if you locked the door or not.
P.S. OMG this book is totally the Misfits of Manhattan.
P.P.S. I read 60% of this book last night by myself. Terrible idea. Gave me the heebie-jeebies, and how! ;) Would only recommend if you want to keep yourself awake at night, wondering if you locked the door or not.
sargar114's review against another edition
4.0
Audiobook review:
Such an improvement! Loved the audiobook version of this and will give the rest of the series a go in this format. Still a touch long even in this version, but still also got chills listening to certain passages. Bray paints such a vivid and beautiful portrait with her words; I’m shocked I haven’t seen this as a tv series or movie. Evie is much more tolerable in this format than the way I read her. Still a 4, but a much more solid score for me. Will definitely continue the series in this format
****
Hard copy Review:
Bray really created quite the world. So much so that it was slow go to start. I considered putting it down and possibly giving the audiobook a try since that seemed to warrant the most praise...then Memphis meets Theta. While it’s a small part of the novel, the chemistry between them is so strong...I WANT MORE! From that point the overall story also took off and it was tough to put down. Exciting, unique, and so quoteable. My biggest issue is I’m not a fan of Evie. The supporting cast in this saves the book, hands down. Looking forward to the rest of the series just to find out what happens to everyone else.
Such an improvement! Loved the audiobook version of this and will give the rest of the series a go in this format. Still a touch long even in this version, but still also got chills listening to certain passages. Bray paints such a vivid and beautiful portrait with her words; I’m shocked I haven’t seen this as a tv series or movie. Evie is much more tolerable in this format than the way I read her. Still a 4, but a much more solid score for me. Will definitely continue the series in this format
****
Hard copy Review:
Bray really created quite the world. So much so that it was slow go to start. I considered putting it down and possibly giving the audiobook a try since that seemed to warrant the most praise...then Memphis meets Theta. While it’s a small part of the novel, the chemistry between them is so strong...I WANT MORE! From that point the overall story also took off and it was tough to put down. Exciting, unique, and so quoteable. My biggest issue is I’m not a fan of Evie. The supporting cast in this saves the book, hands down. Looking forward to the rest of the series just to find out what happens to everyone else.
mckellstar's review against another edition
5.0
4.5/5
This is my first time reading Libby Bray, and I really dug her writing style! You could tell she did a lot of research about the 1920s and what was happening with Prohibition, the fascination with the occult, and some racial issues of the time - including, but not limited to, eugenics. There were times I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t because everything was written so effortlessly and both the fantastical and historical details were very detailed.
I found the pacing to be a little up and down for me, but listening to the audiobook while following along with the ebook helped me get through some of the slower chapters.
The villain was terrifying and believable; I was actually scared for people in this book, and I was so sad whenever a new murder occurred. The violence/gore was a little intense at times, and that mixed with some of the mature subject matter had me wondering why this was a YA book and not adult… But, whatever!
This is my first time reading Libby Bray, and I really dug her writing style! You could tell she did a lot of research about the 1920s and what was happening with Prohibition, the fascination with the occult, and some racial issues of the time - including, but not limited to, eugenics. There were times I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t because everything was written so effortlessly and both the fantastical and historical details were very detailed.
I found the pacing to be a little up and down for me, but listening to the audiobook while following along with the ebook helped me get through some of the slower chapters.
The villain was terrifying and believable; I was actually scared for people in this book, and I was so sad whenever a new murder occurred. The violence/gore was a little intense at times, and that mixed with some of the mature subject matter had me wondering why this was a YA book and not adult… But, whatever!
vfrowe's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0