Review: The Diviners

by Libba Bray
publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
date of publication: September 18, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 592
source: from the publisher for review

From Goodreads:

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.

Upon first glance, you might think that The Diviners is a daunting book to read due to the sheer size of it.  I can happily say, however, that it truly is not that daunting.  It may be thicker than your typical YA novel, but it makes up for it in several ways.  I hope to share those ways with you today so that, just maybe, you will decide to give this book a try.

The Diviners is a great mixture of humor and horror and is made up of several wonderful characters.  There is a nice balance of vibrant, buoyant characters such as Evie, as well as more reserved, level-headed characters such as Evie's uncle Will and her best gal pal, Mabel.  By placing such an array of characters in a truly fascinating setting (New York City in the Roaring Twenties), Bray has laid the foundation for a remarkable series.

The thing that I enjoyed most about The Diviners was the sheer horror and eeriness that serves as an undercurrent to the entire story.  With a villain such as Naughty John, who wouldn't be creeped out.  It isn't often that you come across a villain so thoroughly frightening as Naughty John.  When those villains come with their own creepy song, you know you are in for some scares.

"Naughty John, Naughty John, does his work with his apron on. Cuts your throat and takes your bones, sells 'em off for a coupla stones."

-excerpt from The Diviners by Libba Bray

With the exception of some slow-moving chapters and a romance that seemingly popped up out of nowhere, The Diviners proved to be an excellent read well worth the time it took to finish.  With its references to flapper fashions, gritty locations, and truly awesome characters, I can posi-tute-ly recommend this one to you all.  Whether you enjoy historical fiction or not, I have the feeling you will enjoy this one thanks to its paranormal and horror elements.

Buy The Diviners at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository

Obligatory legal statement: This book was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.