A review by kellyk_15
The Diviners by Libba Bray
2.0
DNF at 33%
This book was painful to read, and not just because it was slow. The way they talked for the time era was correct, until the main character started talking about drinking every five seconds and just being plain annoying and one-dimensional. You heard it here folks, she's not even two-dimensional. I hate all of the characters. There is no one that makes me want to continue the story.
And while we're talking about him: Sam. I hate this guy. At first I swooned. Then he stole Evie's wallet and I was frustrated. He came by the museum and stole something just to make up a half-assed story and somehow he got a job, because no one is reliable in the 1920s. And even after he got a job, he stole those ashtrays and I wanted to sock him in the jaw. You know what buddy? You shouldn't steal from an employer. I know you want to make sure you will have money later, but maybe you could focus on keeping your job instead of preparing for the second you will lose it. Jesus Christ.
Evie: She seemed pretty cool in the first chapter. I liked her trickery to get to New York with her parents. And then she teased her friend for not getting a haircut to match hers exactly and be trendy or whatever bullshit she was making up. To be honest, I'm not sure why she and Mabel were friends. They didn't seem to have anything in common and Evie seemed more interested in her new friend Theta. And making fun of Mabel with Theta. She had more in common with someone she had just met than with someone she's apparently been friends with for a while.
Also, Theta and Henry's relationship felt forced right off the bat. It would have made more sense to make them be lovers and not friends. I also hated a line, (pg 89) "but it was also clear by the way they were with each other that they were not loves, only dear friends." cut the bullshit please. It felt too forced, especially for the 1920s. You wouldn't dream of living with the opposite sex in those days, even if you were really really really good friends. People would talk and everyone would assume you were doing unholy things before marriage or whatever. Heck, you wouldn't live with a boyfriend/girlfriend or fiance, so why are two friends living together? Was there seriously no one else the two could tolerate living with?
As for the other characters, they were so unremarkable that I hardly remembered their names or their backgrounds half the time. Or maybe that was just because we spent a few pages with them, and then 30 pages with the Evie and her gang of assholes. The only character I really want to see more of is Ruta. And she's the girl that was murdered.
That's all for my review. To cap it off, this book was slow, and the characters were annoying and I wish I had the opportunity to slap the majority of them in the face for one reason or another.
This book was painful to read, and not just because it was slow. The way they talked for the time era was correct, until the main character started talking about drinking every five seconds and just being plain annoying and one-dimensional. You heard it here folks, she's not even two-dimensional. I hate all of the characters. There is no one that makes me want to continue the story.
Spoiler
Her uncle: He seemed nice, until he sided with Sam against Evie and gave him a fucking job after he stole from his niece. It wasn't as if he needed anyone or was looking to hire. It was mainly plot convenience that made him give this shitty asshole a job. And he was the typical uncle who is sort of a presence, and helps get you into things, but is only really there for plot convenience and never anything else. You know what I'm talking about.And while we're talking about him: Sam. I hate this guy. At first I swooned. Then he stole Evie's wallet and I was frustrated. He came by the museum and stole something just to make up a half-assed story and somehow he got a job, because no one is reliable in the 1920s. And even after he got a job, he stole those ashtrays and I wanted to sock him in the jaw. You know what buddy? You shouldn't steal from an employer. I know you want to make sure you will have money later, but maybe you could focus on keeping your job instead of preparing for the second you will lose it. Jesus Christ.
Evie: She seemed pretty cool in the first chapter. I liked her trickery to get to New York with her parents. And then she teased her friend for not getting a haircut to match hers exactly and be trendy or whatever bullshit she was making up. To be honest, I'm not sure why she and Mabel were friends. They didn't seem to have anything in common and Evie seemed more interested in her new friend Theta. And making fun of Mabel with Theta. She had more in common with someone she had just met than with someone she's apparently been friends with for a while.
Also, Theta and Henry's relationship felt forced right off the bat. It would have made more sense to make them be lovers and not friends. I also hated a line, (pg 89) "but it was also clear by the way they were with each other that they were not loves, only dear friends." cut the bullshit please. It felt too forced, especially for the 1920s. You wouldn't dream of living with the opposite sex in those days, even if you were really really really good friends. People would talk and everyone would assume you were doing unholy things before marriage or whatever. Heck, you wouldn't live with a boyfriend/girlfriend or fiance, so why are two friends living together? Was there seriously no one else the two could tolerate living with?
As for the other characters, they were so unremarkable that I hardly remembered their names or their backgrounds half the time. Or maybe that was just because we spent a few pages with them, and then 30 pages with the Evie and her gang of assholes. The only character I really want to see more of is Ruta. And she's the girl that was murdered.
That's all for my review. To cap it off, this book was slow, and the characters were annoying and I wish I had the opportunity to slap the majority of them in the face for one reason or another.