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The Diviners (The Diviners #1)

by Libba Bray (Goodreads Author)

4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 · rating details · 9,992 ratings · 2,437 reviews

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 Mus...more

Hardcover, 578 pages

Published September 18th 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (first published September 1st 2012)

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Dec 28, 2012 Brigid *Flying Kick-a-pow!* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-books, badass-ladies, demons, ghosts, ooh-pretty-cover, addicting-as-crack, favorites, young-adult, historical-fiction, romance-done-correctly, fantasy, superpowers, romance, paranormal, i-have-met-the-author, scared-the-shit-out-of-me, i-think-i-just-peed-myself, crime-and-mystery

OH GOD OH MAN OH GOD OH MAN.

So yeah, basically this book left me like this:

I've been a die-hard Libba Bray fan ever since the fabulous Gemma Doyle books. I also loved the insane, bizarre adventure of Going Bovine. And Beauty Queens was hilarious––although I thought it was a bit lacking in the usual strong storytelling element that Bray's other books have. However, that element is back again in The Diviners.

I just about died of happiness when I first heard of this book. I adore Libba Bray, and I...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Mitch rated it 3 of 5 stars

I don’t know how else to describe The Diviners except to say it’s pretty clear when reading this that Libba Bray set out to write a quintessentially American novel, and - good and bad - she’s succeeded. She may insist no historians were harmed in the writing of her book, but I just don’t see how she’s mastered such command of American history, not just through the facts, but through the way she captures the American experience, that she didn’t torture it out of someone. But just like America, th...more I don’t know how else to describe The Diviners except to say it’s pretty clear when reading this that Libba Bray set out to write a quintessentially American novel, and - good and bad - she’s succeeded. She may insist no historians were harmed in the writing of her book, but I just don’t see how she’s mastered such command of American history, not just through the facts, but through the way she captures the American experience, that she didn’t torture it out of someone. But just like America, this is a book full of contradictions, it has some of the most complex, evocative writing I’ve ever seen for historical fiction, yet at the same time relies on some oversimplistic, almost stereotypical characters - I’m seriously conflicted.

There’s no nice way to phrase this, so I’m just gonna come right out and say it - I’m sorry, but Evie O’Neill is a ditz. And that really puzzles me, why, despite the strength of her writing, Bray has to try so hard to fit everything into some 1920s stereotype. Maybe it’s just me, but after reading the superb writing that really showcases how much Bray gets the Roaring Twenties, I want to see some smart characters that does that excellent writing justice, not some shallow socialite obsessed with ‘dizzy water’ and partying at speakeasies, who thinks everything is ‘the cat’s meow’ or ‘the duck’s quack’. Who talks like that? It doesn’t even work the first time, much less the hundredth, by which time the dialogue seriously grated on my nerves. I kept expecting more from Evie’s character, kept wondering if she really is that shallow, and my unfortunate conclusion is, well, yes, she is that shallow, there really isn’t anything more to her, despite Bray’s attempts to incorporate some emotion and mystery with her dead brother and an antagonist in the villainous Naughty John. She just never behaves like a relatable character, or is anything more for me than a 20s stereotype who keeps spouting annoying catchphrases and obsessing over the New York social scene.

Evie’s by far my biggest problem with the story, but she definitely isn’t my only problem. To fill out the flat characters department, look no further than presumptive love interest Sam Lloyd, who fills the cad … er fella (another word that’s reduced to a 20s sound bite) role to a tee, his only interesting bit of character development being more of a hint of what’s to come in the sequel. Or other presumptive love interest Jericho Jones, the wooden, straight shooter with, predictably, a mysterious secret that bizarrely isn’t of the paranormal variety but somehow sends this series careening down a steampunk path? I guess it’s really a weird mix of science and mysticism. Oh, and lest I forget, Evie spends most of the book trying to set Jericho up with her best friend Mabel Rose (Evie’s own relationship with Jericho is pretty much platonic almost the entire way through) until Mabel happens to bump into someone else and, well the rest is easy to guess. The Roaring Twenties may have been one glamorous and exciting period, but these characters just didn't do it for me. Well, I like Mabel’s interesting and surprisingly emotional communist parents side plot that really captures a big issue of the day, I’ll give the book that.

But all these side plots, that really is another problem with The Diviners. So many times, I’m following what Evie is doing, or another creepy scene with Naughty John, and the book would all of a sudden cut off to something else, whatever alternative main character Memphis Campbell and his own special powers related problems are or some other background story. It’s really a symptom of a larger problem, Bray’s blatantly setting up The Diviners as the first in a series, and she’s sacrificing the flow of this book in order to spend too much time developing a character, Memphis, that I really didn’t feel was all that integral to the plot at all. The entire time, the story’s telling me that the Diviners as a group is what’s important and planting all these hints and reminders that something big, bigger even than Naughty John, is coming, and the entire group will be needed to stop it, but what that actually did was just really distracted me from enjoying the actual story of this book. Because it turns out, Memphis really has almost nothing to do with the Naughty John story at all, Sam and Evie’s other friend Theta very little, and as The Diviners is already a fairly long read, following the stories of these secondary characters when it turns out their stories have almost no bearing on the actual plot feels like a chore.

Maybe I wouldn’t feel the way I do if certain sections of the book weren’t just so darn good that I just couldn’t get enough of certain chapters. It’s hard to describe, but I really feel Bray has captured the soul of America, as Evie explores Naughty John’s mysterious past, Bray’s exploring American history from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War to the Gilded Age, capturing the hopes and dreams and ideals that make America tick, whether it’s the mix of cultures and religions or the Second Great Awakening or racial attitudes towards African Americans from the Civil War up to the Roaring Twenties, it’s all here, in this book, seamlessly incorporated in the plot. And Bray excels at iconography, there’s a character named Gabriel who’s an excellent trumpet player and the way she works him into the religious motifs was just shockingly inspired. And whether it was the wind carrying its warnings or Naughty John’s haunted mansion working its evils or Evie and Mabel’s neighbors Miss Lillian and Miss Addie offering their creepy insights on the goings on, the story could get so dark and spooky and the imagery so spot on that I absolutely hate how the flat characters and sequel setting detours Bray forces on me sort of ruin that effect.

I have a hard time rating The Diviners because half the book is utterly amazing and the other half is just meh. Parts of the book are creatively on fire, but they’re sandwiched between sections that are utterly tedious stereotypes. I don’t know what my overall opinions of this book are, I really don’t.(less)

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May 16, 2013 Carol rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: I don't.

Recommended to Carol by: I don't hate you. Honest.

Shelves: female-lead, multi-culti, urban-fantasy, young-adult, yawn

"Ms. Bray, I have an idea for your next book."
"Yes?"
"Well, the researcher who worked on The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York left some notes lying in the library, and someone I know swiped 'em."
"Perfect! What should we make it about?"
"Hmm, not sure. Let's come back to it."
"Okay. Target audience?"
"Well, you have some cred in Young Adult, and the field is on fire. If we make it about a 17 year-old and her friends, we can draw in the pre-teens and...more

27 likes · like · see review

Oct 25, 2012 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, romance, paranormal, mystery, fantasy, historical, 2012-favourites

While The Diviners isn’t my first book by Libba Bray, it certainly is the one that impressed me the most. Bray has a distinct talent for vivid storytelling and that much is true in her wonderful portrayal of the bustling, fast-progressing nature of life in New York during the roaring twenties. The flappers, the radio mania, the clubs, the alcohol – it was all beautifully and subtly integrated into the book, creating an easily felt atmosphere. I’m not a linguistic expert, but the twenties-esque w...more While The Diviners isn’t my first book by Libba Bray, it certainly is the one that impressed me the most. Bray has a distinct talent for vivid storytelling and that much is true in her wonderful portrayal of the bustling, fast-progressing nature of life in New York during the roaring twenties. The flappers, the radio mania, the clubs, the alcohol – it was all beautifully and subtly integrated into the book, creating an easily felt atmosphere. I’m not a linguistic expert, but the twenties-esque words and phrases felt very authentic too, even if a little dramatic. I couldn’t resist having a conversation about the cat’s pyjamas and the latest chin music with my boss – I threw in the occasional ‘and how’ and ‘pos-i-tute-ly’ for effect too. Trust me, it’s quite addictive.

As fun as it was to enter flapper mode, this book was also surprisingly creepy. Naughty John, whose catchy tune is still floating around in my head, isn’t a character you might particularly want to read about at night. What first started off as giddy, isn’t-this-fun sort of thrill turned quickly into goose-bump inciting fear. At one point, I had to take refuge under the covers. My overactive imagine had no trouble picturing a body hanging from the back of my door or materialising a Naughty John in the dark corners of my house. And my unkempt basement? Let’s just say I am never venturing down there alone again.

What surprised me most about this book was the plot. I’m not sure why entirely, but I wasn’t expecting it to be quite as in-depth as it was. Bray used all 600 pages or so to her advantage, creating a story both complex and compelling. Admittedly, it was a page too long here and there, some passages, although beautifully written, quite unnecessary, but I was never bored. The gruesome ritual killings and the mystery surrounding the role of the Diviners was thoroughly engrossing. It all drew to a perfect crescendo during the climax, but I am now bubbling to the rim with several questions left unanswered. The elusive foreshadowing near the end of the book has me incredibly curious about several things. I need book two.

Is it time to mention Evie now? While the third person narrative is split between several characters in this book, it is Evie who is given the most attention. I think I liked her. I’m reluctant to declare her my favourite character of all time – she is occasionally overly theatrical and quite childish too – but I did find her very entertaining. It is impossible not to smile at her quick comments, her witty humour and ability to speak her mind. And as Jericho pointed out, she has a surprising streak of kindness. I appreciated the glimpses into her more vulnerable side – a side home to her grief for her brother James – and this is something I hope we will see further exploration of in the next book.

Despite a few slow areas, The Diviners thoroughly entertained me and filled my craving for something a little different. So will I be reading the sequel? As Evie would say: you bet-ski.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Sep 29, 2012 Blythe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: highly-anticipating-2012, hurry-up, i-need-this-book, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, i-want-it-right-now, 2012-favorites, 2012-reads, deserves-the-hype, didn-t-see-that-coming, exceeded-my-expectations, favorites, gimme-the-next-book, hand-me-some-tissues, i-e-i-will-always-love-you, i-totally-saw-that-coming, read-reviewed

"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."

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

My initial rating given to The Diviners was a full, glowing five stars, five stars being the knee-jerk rating I give to books I love. However, sometimes, when writing a review for the books I give five stars (or really any other rating), I realize that there were some certain things in the book I'm reviewing that would result in me takin...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Maja rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-favorites, amazing-writing, cover-lust, favorites, hachette, historical-fiction, multiple-povs, own-a-dtb, review-copy, ya, reviewed-in-2012

The Diviners is my first book by Libba Bray, but I can tell you right now that it won’t be my last. I’m thrilled to have discovered another YA author of such talent and prominence. I would have given her a chance even before now, especially considering all the raving reviews written by my most trusted friends, but I simply never got around to it. Fortunately, she left me no choice with The Diviners. New York in the 1920s was impossible to resist.

I’ll start with my favorite part – the setting. L...more The Diviners is my first book by Libba Bray, but I can tell you right now that it won’t be my last. I’m thrilled to have discovered another YA author of such talent and prominence. I would have given her a chance even before now, especially considering all the raving reviews written by my most trusted friends, but I simply never got around to it. Fortunately, she left me no choice with The Diviners. New York in the 1920s was impossible to resist.

I’ll start with my favorite part – the setting. Libba Bray did an extraordinary job in taking her readers to New York during the Prohibition era. I could hear the music and the laughter, smell the forbidden alcohol, and it made me want to put on a flapper hat and dance my feet right off. I could spend an eternity reading about the Roaring Twenties, and the ghost of a serial killer only made it that much more interesting.

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…

Yup, you read that right: there’s a ghost of a vicious serial killer on the loose, and the only ones with any chance of stopping him are an 18-year-old psychic girl and a group of people that share the same dream. Even Evie’s uncle Will, who runs The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition and the Occult, also known as The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies, is powerless against this murderous ghost. And if that isn’t enough to freak you out, there are religious fanatics involved as well, and seriously, nothing is creepier than that.

To be quite honest, there were parts of this book that were a bit hard to get through. I’m not a fan of 3rd person, multiple points of view narrative to begin with, and The Diviners offered far too many perspectives for my taste. It’s so hard to connect with the characters that way, and Evie was the only one I really felt close too.

To top that off, Evie was a hard character to like. She was occasionally self-centered and a little too care-free. (I’m very organized and responsible and people who just breeze through life tend to annoy me.) But there were times when I felt I truly understood why she behaved in such a way, and I could connect with her regardless of her frustrating actions. The loss of a family hero, Evie’s older brother, damaged her family irreparably, and acting out was her way to cope.

But don’t let my ranting or those 600 pages scare you off. The Diviners is a book worth reading, although it will force you to read slowly and carefully – something I’m not quite used to. Bray’s talent for creating an eerie atmosphere is matched only by her intelligent humor. At times, I had to fight the urge to hide under my bed, only to burst out laughing five minutes later at something witty Evie said.

Uncle Will frowned. “Didn’t they teach you how to go about research in that school of yours?”
“No. But I can recite ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’ while making martinis.”
“I weep for the future.”
“That’s where the martinis come in.”

Make no mistake, The Diviners is a demanding book. It requires your full attention, but whatever it takes, it gives back tenfold. If I were you I wouldn’t hesitate to pick it up. As for me, I’ll just sit right here, very patiently and without making a sound, and wait for Libba Bray to finish the sequel. Some things were left unsaid and I need to know, need to know, needtoknoneedtoknowneedtoknow… Oh, shut up, brain!

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Oct 13, 2012 Keertana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kick-ass-heroines, rainy-day-re-reads

The Diviners is, without a doubt, my favorite Libba Bray novel - and I've read all of them except for The Beauty Queens which I didn't get time to finish but which I fully intend to as I loved the few chapters I read of it. I am, truly, a self-proclaimed Libba Bray fan. I know her Gemma Doyle Trilogy had its flaws, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I remember it changed my perspective of literature at that time quite drastically. The Diviners on the other hand, contains no flaws. Well, to be hones...more

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Jul 31, 2012 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

I really didn’t know what to expect with this story going in, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it.

There are many storylines interwoven in this book, but the main character and heroine is seventeen-year old Evie O’Neill. Evie lives life to the full, something her parents do not appreciate. She stays out late drinking and partying with her friends which is highly frowned upon. Especially because this is during prohibition! She has a carefree attitude, always laughing and sayin...more I really didn’t know what to expect with this story going in, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked it.

There are many storylines interwoven in this book, but the main character and heroine is seventeen-year old Evie O’Neill. Evie lives life to the full, something her parents do not appreciate. She stays out late drinking and partying with her friends which is highly frowned upon. Especially because this is during prohibition! She has a carefree attitude, always laughing and saying whatever comes to mind. Her peers tell her: “Oh Evie, you’re too much” and this is not meant as a compliment. She finally breaks the last straw by spilling a compromising secret of the town’s golden boy (not so golden, by the way). To avoid a possible slander suit, her parents send her off to Uncle Will in New York. Uncle Will is curator to The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult, also known as: The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies. This is fine by Evie, she feels New York will be a much better place for her than the small minded Zenith, Ohio. But Evie is holding onto a secret, a special ability. When a serial killer strikes and the police ask for Uncle Will’s assistance, Evie finds that her ability may be the way to stop a killer.

Memphis Campbell is a runner for the “king of Harlem,” Papa Charles. He collects bets and payments from local businesses but this is not his passion. His dream is to write and perform poetry. This isn’t what Memphis is known for though. Years ago, before his mother died, he had a special ability of healing. It seems his little brother Isaiah also has an ability; one that brings unwanted attention.

There are a few more secondary characters that factor heavily into this story: Jericho, Uncle Wills assistant, Theta, the beautiful chorus girl, her piano playing brother, Henry, and Sam, the devilishly handsome pickpocket, all with something to hide.

Like I said, there is a lot going on, but all the sub-plots weave together and make a fascinating story. This story is equal parts hilarious and creepy and I had fun time sorting it all out. While I’m not an expert on this time period the story seems well researched and felt like it could’ve really taken place in 1926. There was an authentic feel to the language. Phrases like: “Oh, applesauce!” “pos-i-tute-ly” or “doll” being interlaced throughout. I had to laugh at this quote: “Barnabas Damson hasn’t got the sense God gave to an animal cracker, if you ask me.” References to music, movies, and surroundings made the setting feel complete and authentic. I felt like I was watching a ‘30s/’40s film like Arsenic and Old Lace. The phrase “hi-jinks ensue” or “madcap” sprang to mind many times. There is romance in here as well, it’s not a huge part of the story but it is sweet. I’m sure there’s more to come in the next installment and I’m eager to see how things play out.

I could go on and on about the characters, but Evie really stole the show here. She was fun loving and breezy and yet she had a sadness in her that would peek through, from time to time. She had snarky and humorous one-liners throughout the story that always had me giggling!

I really had a hard time writing this review, so I hope I’m conveying this story properly because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have to say I was intimidated by the page count, it’s just over 600 pages, but it doesn’t feel that way when you’re reading. It’s easy to keep flipping page after page wanting to know what happens next. There isn’t a cliffhanger but this story does not completely wrap up. I just found out there’s a sequel. I will definitely be picking that up.

You can find this review and more at The Readers Den.
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Sep 10, 2012 Kara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, demons, favorites, for-review, glbt, heroine-i-loved, new-york, own, paranormal, religion, so-creepy-my-skin-crawls, young-adult

Reading that blurb up above doesn't make this book sound as serious and involved as it really is. It makes it sound like a fun read filled with glitz, glamour, and a little bit of mystery. And it is ALL of those things. But it is also so much more. There's a serial killer, a very bizarre cult-like religion, and a very in-depth plot. There is much more meat to this book than you would think.

Clearly it's a big book. There's a lot of heft to this one when you hold it in your hands. There are a lot...more

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Feb 08, 2013 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya, fantasy, historical-fiction

This book irritated the crap out of me.

I gave it 3 stars, but it hovers around the 2.5 mark for me. While I enjoyed the story and it held my interest throughout, the cutesy vernacular made me insane and ruined it for me.

This book is set in the 1920’s when prohibition was in full swing and you couldn’t swing a cat without hitting a bobbed haired flapper girl. Evie (said flapper) was sent away from her fake Ohio town of Zenith to New York City, after a party game showing off her divining power a...more

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Mar 15, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 7-rated-book

Originally Reviewed on The Book Smugglers

REVIEW

Ana's Take:

New York City in the roaring twenties is the setting for The Diviners. In it, an extremely diverse cast of characters experience life in NY with its modernity, its speakeasies, its movies palaces and the theatre. They also grapple with the mysterious and the uncanny: quite a few of them have unnatural senses or gifts that stretch the imagination.

Evie O’Neill is the book’s main character, if you will. She’s been exiled from her hometown...more

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Sep 29, 2012 Tom Bombadil rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, books-i-own, 2012, paranormal, favourites, reviewed

Libba Bray, I adore you (in a completely platonic way, of course). I remember seeing the description for this book about six months back and thinking, "Libba Bray? The 1920s?! Supernatural elements?!?! Oh my God, I'm buying it." Flash forward to September and my expectations were met and exceeded. I mean, this book was FANTASTIC. Like, instantly-adding-it-to-my-favourites fantastic. I-can't-really-make-coherent-sentences-right-now fantastic. Just. FANTASTIC!

First off, let me say that I really ap...more Libba Bray, I adore you (in a completely platonic way, of course). I remember seeing the description for this book about six months back and thinking, "Libba Bray? The 1920s?! Supernatural elements?!?! Oh my God, I'm buying it." Flash forward to September and my expectations were met and exceeded. I mean, this book was FANTASTIC. Like, instantly-adding-it-to-my-favourites fantastic. I-can't-really-make-coherent-sentences-right-now fantastic. Just. FANTASTIC!

First off, let me say that I really appreciated how Libba Bray didn't over-romanticize the time period. I mean, sure, I bet the Roaring Twenties must have been awesome - flappers and pretty dresses and jazz music and F. Scott Fitzgerald and speakeasies and all - but just like any era, there were things wrong with it. Like rampant racism, sexism and cults, for example. Not so awesome. So, the relatively neutral view on the era was nice. Thank you, Libba!

On that note, the supernatural elements in this book were actually really creepy. I mean, holy crap, I was definitely not expecting such a flat-out frightening villain with such a disturbing background. They had me madly flipping the pages for sure. (and maybe whimpering under my covers too. maybe.)

Aside from that, the characters in this book were wonderful too. Evie was just so much fun - so fresh and so different from most YA heroines. It's like a lot of young-adult authors are scared to make their heroines too interesting for some reason, so they just make them one-note and bland instead. Like, they exist merely to be narrators for the story. FICTIONAL CHARACTERS CAN BE LARGER THAN LIFE, DAMMIT. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE FICTIONAL. The supporting characters were great fun as well. I especially liked Memphis, a Harlem numbers runner; Theta, a chorus girl with a dark past; Will, Evie's uncle (who I kind of had a weird crush on) and Mabel, Evie's best friend. Also, I think this is the first love triangle in the history of literature that I a) actually liked and b) enjoyed both of the hypotenuses (lame math joke, sorry, but it had to be done) and genuinely wondered which one of them would end up with who. Again: Thank you, Libba!

I've already recommended this to my entire circle of friends and other schoolmates, so now I'll do the same to all those on Goodreads. This is a fantastic, amazing book - do not miss it!(less)

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Feb 17, 2013 Patti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Number one pet peeve on Goodreads: People rating it before they've read it. I love Libba Bray and just to offset the threes it's been given I'm giving it a five! When it comes out I'll change it.

After reading: not so good. I understand the 3s now!

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Sep 21, 2012 Giselle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, own, historical-fiction, gothic

Phew. Finishing this book feels like an achievement. At a whooping 600 pages, The Diviners is a an exercise in arm strength to simply read it, but it's absolutely worth it. Work those arms people! Historical novels not being my thing, I was a bit concerned that I was getting into a monster of a book that would bore me to death. I had nothing to worry about, however, when only with a few mere pages, Libba had created an intensely creepy and atmospheric setting that promised to disturb, to captiva...more Phew. Finishing this book feels like an achievement. At a whooping 600 pages, The Diviners is a an exercise in arm strength to simply read it, but it's absolutely worth it. Work those arms people! Historical novels not being my thing, I was a bit concerned that I was getting into a monster of a book that would bore me to death. I had nothing to worry about, however, when only with a few mere pages, Libba had created an intensely creepy and atmospheric setting that promised to disturb, to captivate, and to enchant me for pages and pages and pages ~~and pages~~ to come.

This book is creepy to the nth degree. It sent chills up my spine and kept them there from start to finish. The setting being the main reason for the perpetual eerie feeling. The fact that it's a historical is actually what I ended up enjoying the most about the setting, which really surprises me. Dealing with an age old serial killer and an ancient sinister mansion that becomes a character in and of itself, the fact that the book is set in an age where religion is rampant, and technology is, well… not, makes it all the more poignant. Cults, rituals, demonic presences, it's simply not something we hear much about in modern times, yet it's so much more eerie; so much more disturbing than any horror movie with flashy effects we have nowadays. I guess haunted houses were scarier when you couldn't Facebook about it.

Libba's immaculate writing style also plays a big hand in the exquisite atmosphere this novel dishes out. Everything is tremendously vivid; I could feel the wind passing through to settle in this creaky house, I could picture New York City in all its 1920s glory - the theatre, the speakeasies, everything -, I was taken by the fabulously old school language to a time before I was even put on this earth, yet it was as if I had been there. Then, we weave in a cast of characters that is so full of life with spunk and energy. Really, it's a work of art!

Witty, snarky, and pos-i-tute-ly charming, Evie is a wonderful protagonist; a perfection for this type of novel. The book is clearly very long. It's filled with literary and cultural references, and can be slow paced at first while it begins to carefully weave in infinite substance until it's exploding with facts, details, and fascinating story lines. It can be hard to take all of this in, especially if you're not big on historicals like myself - I did have to take a break for a couple of days to read something a little bit more easier on the intellect - but when you mix in Evie's large personality, you won't be able to get enough of her! She lightens up the air perfectly. We get a dash of humor, some amusing banter, and a personality that makes her thoroughly loveable. She softens this sometimes weighty novel quite marvelously.

After not being a fan of her Gemma Doyle series when I tried to read it years ago, I am happy that I was not disappointed with this one. In fact, it quite exceeded my personal expectations of it. I think those with a passion for historical mysteries and paranormal horrors will definitely be thrilled to find everything they're looking for, and more, inside The Diviners.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

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Dec 09, 2012 Annalisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, historical-fiction, mystery-thriller, fantasy

I started this book all sorts of giddy at the roaring '20s setting. The landscape, the clothing, the language, Bray obviously did a ton of research for this and I was sure I would love it. But then a comment would pop up here, an idea, a character, an argument, so that by the end the characters didn't feel authentic to the time period anymore. For as much as Bray hounded in the setting in the beginning, she hounded in modern characters and ideals that didn't fit the setting that it eventually ov...more I started this book all sorts of giddy at the roaring '20s setting. The landscape, the clothing, the language, Bray obviously did a ton of research for this and I was sure I would love it. But then a comment would pop up here, an idea, a character, an argument, so that by the end the characters didn't feel authentic to the time period anymore. For as much as Bray hounded in the setting in the beginning, she hounded in modern characters and ideals that didn't fit the setting that it eventually overpowered the book.

The story was all over the place (seems at times more about Bray getting in all her political points and characters), often repetitive, and could have been cut by a good 200 pages, but I adore Bray's writing. She's witty, poetic, and talented. Against my better judgment, I adored Evie. She was shallow, self-centered, and made reckless choices, but she was so strong and vivid and she often made me laugh.

I can't say that I fell for any of the other characters who were too one-dimensional for me to get invested in them. I didn't even realize Memphis was black until halfway through the novel. After Bray mentioned so, it seemed so obvious, but I didn't care enough to think about it. (view spoiler)

The only other character properly fleshed out was Naughty John. He thoroughly creeped me out, maybe a little too much, to point of being evil. "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." Bray holds no punches on what she thinks of organized religion, but still, a very well-crafted villain to rival the best horror movie villains. I don't often get scared from books, but Naughty John did his job well.

I enjoyed the supernatural element (although I think the Diviners could have been better developed) and the mystery. I often worried for Evie's well being (even if I was annoyed at her for putting herself into dangerous situations), but I wasn't engrossed by the climax. It all felt a little cliched and crafted for the most danger and the safe in the knick of time, and as long as it all was, the climax felt clipped and abrupt. I think the idea is very clever, but I wasn't enamored with it enough to continue the series.(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 Sarah (saz101) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases, paranormal, historicals

The Story:
The year is 1926. It’s the height of prohibition, the Roaring Twenties are in full swing, and the streets of New York shine with the electric light of promise.

It’s here, sent from her home in Ohio, in a dusty, largely ignored museum we find Evie O’Neill. And she couldn’t be happier. Evie’s a gal with a rather singular talent. One touch of an object and she can see its owner’s past, their secrets. Turns out Evie fits right into New York, and her Uncle Will's ‘Museum of Creepy Crawlies,’...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: didn-t-see-that-coming, audiobooks

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
The very fat and heavy book strikes with a whomping 600 pages of awesomeness. The Diviners was definitely something I don't usually read. Dark, deep and pos-i-tute-ly twisted historical fiction that kept me shivering and content.

I found it extremely hard to review The Diviners, you'd probably expect a long review for a long book but after a reading/reviewing slump, I just guess that is not the case. Short review ahead!

I admit, this book was horribly hard to...more See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
The very fat and heavy book strikes with a whomping 600 pages of awesomeness. The Diviners was definitely something I don't usually read. Dark, deep and pos-i-tute-ly twisted historical fiction that kept me shivering and content.

I found it extremely hard to review The Diviners, you'd probably expect a long review for a long book but after a reading/reviewing slump, I just guess that is not the case. Short review ahead!

I admit, this book was horribly hard to get into, with the writing so cryptic, old and slow, I felt like I was going to DNF this. Thankfully though, after about 75-100 pages, The Diviners redeems itself back with a intriguing story line. Historical fiction is not what I'd call 'down my alley' I have read quite a handful but probably only liked one or two of them, however, Libba Bray's immaculate writing and descriptions, really caught me.

Evie is one of the main points that kept me going in this book, most people would label her as a shallow girl but I felt like Evie was rather open and respectable in that aspect. Yes, for some readers, they just cannot hear Evie but as this lengthy story develops, Evie's character personality refines too. What I most enjoyed out of Evie's connection with her fellow residing characters was how each and everyone of them were uniquely definable. Evie and Sam's dialogue was uber-amusing, and entertaining, similarly to Evie and her friend Mabel's. But the one that shattered all the others was Evie's development with her uncle. They were thrown together to solve a mystery, and because Evie got kicked out of her home town but the way they developed as a dynamic-duo was so realistic and admirable. At the start, they were more like enemies but as stories go, The Diviners place characters in a vital position and connect them in an unthinkably smart way.

Like I had said before, many people abandon this book because of the olden language. Yet still as I went through reading, it began to familiarise with me and eventually, I loved it! It seemed so posh and formal--even though Evie was rather a scandalous character. Libba Bray succeeds in balancing each of these themes to create a beautiful book that made me feel like a Manhattanite/New York lady that stopped along the impeccable descriptions of the eerie scenes.

The Diviners is a unique read that kept me thinking of how the hell the next book is going to be better than this. For a first timer of reading Libba Bray's book, I'll be looking out for her others. Recommended for historical fiction lovers and (for some odd reason), reminds me of The Book Thief.(less)

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Dec 22, 2012 Kereesa rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Libba Bray's Gemma Doyle Trilogy (durr)

Recommended to Kereesa by: Myself. Cuz I'm awesome like that.

Shelves: historical, fantasy-all-others, young-adult, fangirling, own, 2012, cuddle-plus, friendship, grrl-power, paranormal, romance, witches-wizards-powers, own-hardcovers

No offense Libba, but that is one ugly cover so far :P

ALSO HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN THE TRAILER? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBenU9... Freaking FANTASTIC.

Update: Read the first 11 chapters of this through a preview on my kobo.

....

Fangirling.

My god Libba you write the creepiest shit. I love you.

Update:

I GOT A COPY OMGWOO!

Review

It took me a long time to figure out how I felt about Libba's newest and reemergence into the foray of supernatural-creepy-crawlie-funtimes. Aka The Diviniers. It's been five...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Lottie Eve rated it 4 of 5 stars

You can find this review and others on my blog: http://lalovelystories.wordpress.com/

I loved this book so much!

After reading The Diviners I had only one thought: I need the next book. Now. The Diviners is a story full of creepiness, awesome characters, and beautiful writing. This book enraptured me immediately. I am certain that The Diviners is a book that will keep you reading until the last word.

Evie O'Neill is a very unique character. She craves attention and will do almost anything to be in...more You can find this review and others on my blog: http://lalovelystories.wordpress.com/

I loved this book so much!

After reading The Diviners I had only one thought: I need the next book. Now. The Diviners is a story full of creepiness, awesome characters, and beautiful writing. This book enraptured me immediately. I am certain that The Diviners is a book that will keep you reading until the last word.

Evie O'Neill is a very unique character. She craves attention and will do almost anything to be in the spotlight. She can be selfish at times but she does care greatly for the people she loves. Evie was a very...loud character. Not only is she a flapper that craves attention and the spotlight but she is also a very strong character. She is not a character you will forget anytime soon with the loudness of her personality. Mabel's quiet and obedient personality contrasts greatly to Evie's personality. Mabel does not play a terribly big part of the story but I loved her all the same. She was a very real character to me. Jericho and Sam are Evie's love interest. Yes, this book has a love triangle but it was done so well that I did not mind it at all. It never got in the way of the story and I did find myself enjoying the love triangle to an extent. Jericho and Sam are both likeable male characters. Sam was especially entertaining as he flirted with Evie in very silly ways. Sam also has his own little story: he is trying to find his mother. I hope his story plays a bigger part in the next books. Jericho I do not love as much as Sam but he was a very good character nevertheless. I sympathized with him a lot and he was a gentleman. Memphis and Theta who are also Diviners did not play a big part in this book but I have a feeling we will be spending more time with them in the later installments. Naughty John is probably the most scary character I have ever read in a YA book. At first I thought he was funny because of his name but after learning about him I started to fear him. A lot. Whenever Naughty John's name was mentioned in the book my heart started pounding.

Diviners are people with a special gift such as reading someone's past by touching an object they own, being able to get people to not notice you, and healing people with the touch of you hands. The idea of a special group of people is not the most original idea but the mystery Bray was able to put behind the Diviners and their powers kept me reading all way to the end. I was totally engrossed in the mystery of the murders, Naughty John, and the Diviners. One very minor flaw this book has is that I thought that the ending dragged on a little too much. The resolution just went on and on and one. I started to get a little bit bored.

The writing was magnificent! Libba Bray wrote about old-time New York with such detail! I imagined myself walking about the streets with Evie and Mabel having a grand old-time. You could tell Bray spent a lot of time on research. The descriptions on the surroundings were beautiful and clear. The way the author was able to write about a character's emotions made them seem even more real. Bray's writing is certainly something to admire!

The Diviners is a awesome and beautiful book. The characters, writing, and story are exquisite and endearing. Reading this book is not something to pass up
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Jan 12, 2013 Wan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reads, historical-fiction, diverse-characters, interracial-relationships, paranormal, love-triangle-fml

Goodness. That was one long book. One long, sparkly (yes, sparkly) and frightening book.

I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into when I decided to buy this book. Historical fiction and I just don't get along. Often times it's glaringly biased and it tends to forget that people of color existed. I was pos-i-toot-ly shocked when the Chinese Exclusion Act was mentioned and that there was a black main character.

I thought this book was just going to be about flappers discovering magic and having...more

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Mar 13, 2013 K. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-dys, goosebumps, historical, major-head-fck, ok-fine-its-ya, own, society-culture-and-politics

Let's begin because there's a lot to cover here, folks. The Diviners is another supernatural period piece by Libba Bray. This time her story is set in the Roaring Twenties; smack dab in the middle of a social, cultural and economic transformation for the city that never sleeps. The narrative follows multiple plots that weave together a tapestry of mystery, magic, murder, and religion. This book is beastly in its size, but it is unabashedly readable. Bottom line: this is another Bray success.

Let'...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark, delicious-writing, disturbing-moments, little-romance, love-geometry, horibble-protag, multiple-narrators, mystery, paranormal, reading-challenge

Two stars is a shockingly low rating, I know. Sorry bout it.

Here is a list I've composed, honestly expressing why I didn't enjoy this book. I'm guessing not all of my complaints will seem significant to you, so bear that in mind.

1. Right off the bat I have to admit that the biggest negative factor for me is the character of Naughty John. He was effectively creepy, scary, and haunting to read about, so I'm sure many of you will find him to be a positive factor-- but for me Ms. Bray crossed some...more

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Feb 21, 2013 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, ya

I'm sorry to say how disappointed I am in this book. I've read Libba Bray before and her books are filled with snappy dialogue, interesting characters and bits that make you laugh out loud and others that will bring on tears. None of that is true here. I would think this was not even the same author.
All of the twenties slang was too heavy. Yes, I get it. It's the twenties and boop-boop-de-boop or whatver, but enough with it already. And as I was nearing the end of the book, I had the realization...more I'm sorry to say how disappointed I am in this book. I've read Libba Bray before and her books are filled with snappy dialogue, interesting characters and bits that make you laugh out loud and others that will bring on tears. None of that is true here. I would think this was not even the same author.
All of the twenties slang was too heavy. Yes, I get it. It's the twenties and boop-boop-de-boop or whatver, but enough with it already. And as I was nearing the end of the book, I had the realization that none of this needed to be in the twenties. I get that she wanted to place it before cell phones and modern technology, but there needs to be a reason to place a story in a certain time frame.
Additionally, I didn't actually feel the flavor of the twenties. I know by the language that it was attempted, but I simply didn't feel it. The book cover makes you think this will be experiencing the speakeasies, but the focus is only on how selfish and out of control Evie is, so this was something of a failure there.
The cast of characters is unwieldy, with most of them having no actual connection to this story. Yes, I understand there is an overall arc of the series, but I do feel if an author is going to put in extraneous people including their various backstories and adventures and feelings, then they should have some purpose in this volume. Otherise you are wasting my time. Tell their stories if, and only if, and when they become actively important to this story. The following characters were completely unneccessary to this story: Memphis, Isaiah, Sister Walker, Aunt Octavia, Henry, Theta, Mabel, Addie, Lillian, Blind Bill. None of these characters either moved the story along or brought in new information so they had no purpose. In other words, they were filler, possibly important in future stories but worthless here.
The leaping from this POV to that POV to another POV and then yet another POV was jarring. I'd have to stop and remember what exactly is this peron's purpose, what is their plan, what is their story? Too much of that and it didn't actually ever hook into the plot, more bounces off and then continues in some other direction.
Of the characters actually involoved in this story, I didn't care for Evie and since she seems to be the main focus, that makes the book a tough read. I think most people who love this book will love Evie and those who don't like it, probably don't find her so appealing. She is pos-i-tute-ly too full of herself-ski and selfish while never thinking of the consequences or anyone but herself. She thinks she is too cute for her own good and her shallowness is grating. Does she grow up during the story? Well, yes and no. The final page would make me say more no than yes.
Jericho is probably the most interesting character, or could be, but he was one of the least fully developed. Sad, that.
The story here, while compelling toward the end, could have been tightened and made much more enjoyable if the author had merely stuck to this story, leaving out all the distractions along the way.
There was one statement, though, that I thought was profound. "When the world moves forward too fast for some people, they try to pull us back with their fear." Just thought I'd mention that.
I don't know whether or not I'll bother with any more of this series. Disliked more than liked it.
One last thing: Is pie face a compliment? Every time Evie would call her friend that I would cringe and think no one would call a friend "pie face." It certainly doesn't sound like something to make a friend feel good about herself.
*note* I did, after a bit of searching, find a reference to "pie face" as used in this time frame and it means a very pretty girl. This would have been nice to know since in our time, it is definitely a derogatory term, not something endearing. And since I knew no other definition, I wanted Mabel to slap Evie for continually calling her by a not-so-nice name. And since Evie treated Mabel so poorly, I wouldn't have been surprised had it been a bad name in the twenties. Poorly done.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 Melissa rated it 5 of 5 stars

“Oh, Evie, you’re too much,” people said, and it wasn’t complimentary. Yes, she was too much. She felt like too much inside all the time. So why wasn’t she ever enough?

E' da tantissimo tempo che non leggevo un libro ben scritto come The Diviners. La prosa è infatti senz'ombra di dubbio il punto di forza di questo romanzo: incredibilmente evocativa, si ha davvero la sensazione di camminare per le strade di quella New York degli anni venti. Si tratta di una lettura lenta e anche abbastanza impegna...more “Oh, Evie, you’re too much,” people said, and it wasn’t complimentary. Yes, she was too much. She felt like too much inside all the time. So why wasn’t she ever enough?

E' da tantissimo tempo che non leggevo un libro ben scritto come The Diviners. La prosa è infatti senz'ombra di dubbio il punto di forza di questo romanzo: incredibilmente evocativa, si ha davvero la sensazione di camminare per le strade di quella New York degli anni venti. Si tratta di una lettura lenta e anche abbastanza impegnativa a causa della grande attenzione di Libba Bray per ogni particolare; eppure tutto ciò non rende affatto la storia noiosa o meno scorrevole, ma anzi la fa diventare ancora più emozionante.

La narrazione in terza persona segue i punti di vista di un gran numero di personaggi, tutti caratterizzati benissimo fra l'altro, il che non è una cosa tanto scontata; spesso, quando si ha a che fare con così tanti personaggi, si rischia o di renderli troppo simili fra loro, o al contrario di estremizzarne le personalità. Qui invece tutti sono descritti meravigliosamente: ognuno ha le sue particolarità, ma queste non fanno di loro delle semplici macchiette. Persino i personaggi minori (le vittime di John il Malvagio) a cui è dedicato un unico capitolo ciascuno appaiono ben rappresentati, rendendo facile provare empatia per loro.

Evie poi è il tipo di protagonista che io adoro: simpatica, un po' fuori controllo e a volte anche egoista, ma capace di provare sinceri slanci di generosità nei confronti delle persone a lei care. Non si tratta della ragazza perfetta che va in giro a dispensare lezioni di moralità o della finta-umile messa lì tanto per ricevere elogi da parte di tutti. Spesso commette degli errori, ma è questo che la rende ancora più apprezzabile.

Anche tutti gli altri, chi più, chi meno, sono molto interessanti e soprattutto pieni di scheletri nell'armadio che non vedo l'ora di veder venire fuori! E' stato bello vedere come le varie vicende che scorrevano in parallelo siano arrivate ad intrecciarsi fra loro. (view spoiler)

La storia in sè poi l'ho trovata molto avvincente, anche perchè io amo questo genere di gialli paranormali. John il Malvagio è davvero un cattivo molto inquietante e tutta la vicenda è stata molto macabra e raccapricciante.
Ci sono ancora tantissimi misteri lasciati irrisolti e sono curiosissima di vedere come si evolveranno le cose per i nostri protagonisti... il seguito è decisamente ancora troppo lontano!

Non fatevi demoralizzare dalla lunghezza del romanzo; non vi consiglierei di leggerlo se state cercando qualcosa di leggero o se siete particolarmente impegnati, ma se avete un po' di tempo date a The Diviners una possibilità perchè la merita davvero. Soprattutto perchè si tratta di qualcosa di piuttosto originale nel panorama degli Young Adult, a partire dalla bellissima ambientazione. Non penso che ne rimarrete delusi!(less)

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Oct 29, 2012 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3 stelle 1/2 in realtà
La stella nera di New York è stata una lettura che mi ha subito incuriosita,
la bellissima cover,la trama accattivante e gli sfavillanti anni 20 periodo storico controverso e intrinso di proibizionismo!
Un mix perfetto e molto promettente....ed inoltre avevo sentito parlare un gran bene della Bray per il suo unico e affascinante modo di scrivere.
Sin dai primi capitoli la Bray,con la sua descrizione vivida e accurata immerge completamente negli anni venti,
Manhattan la città c...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Jasprit rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-galley, love-the-cover, out-2012, read-in-2012, ya, mystery

Eerie and cryptic are the first words that come to my mind, if someone asked me to describe The Diviners. It’s peculiar how The Diviners left me with fragmented feelings; on the one hand it was the enigmatic, dark and you were left with the sense of foreboding, with a killer on the loose in New York no-one is really safe, but despite this dangerous and haunting vibe throughout The Diviners was a book brought to life by its vivid, energetic and bright characters.

Evie just doesn’t know when to sto...more Eerie and cryptic are the first words that come to my mind, if someone asked me to describe The Diviners. It’s peculiar how The Diviners left me with fragmented feelings; on the one hand it was the enigmatic, dark and you were left with the sense of foreboding, with a killer on the loose in New York no-one is really safe, but despite this dangerous and haunting vibe throughout The Diviners was a book brought to life by its vivid, energetic and bright characters.

Evie just doesn’t know when to stop, at 17 she’s young carefree, frivolous, and consequently doesn’t realise when she’s gone too far. After landing in trouble again, her parents decide to send her to New York to stay with her uncle Will as punishment. New York is where it’s at, Ohio had become a little dull and boring for Evie, so she’s glad to leave everything behind and make a great impression on New York. What she didn’t expect was to fall smack bang in the middle of a murder investigation. Buy maybe this is her big calling, can Evie unravel the mystery behind the peculiar death or is she just sticking her nose in where it isn’t needed?

Evie was such a vibrant character, she would brighten up a room as soon as she entered with her positive gusto and cheery moody, never one to back down despite not knowing was around the corner, I admired her courage and her charm, she was a swell character.

The Diviners was full of mystery surrounding the murdered lady, mystery in the streets of New York and the characters also had their closets full with skeletons. There was Sam who had a swagger about him, but despite the bravado had his own reasons for taking his current path. Jericho; this hunk of a man became a firm favourite as he immediately reminded me of Jericho Barrons from Moning’s Fever series! He also was a mystery, how had he come to become Uncle Will’s assistant? What was his back story? It certainly wasn’t something I was expecting! And uncle Will too, he wasn’t very inviting when Evie tried to ask questions about his past, he immediately shut down and barked out orders. This mystery certainly kept me on my toes; on the one hand I was trying to keep up with Evie, Jericho uncle Will and Sam uncovering the killer behind the murders, but each character had their own shady back story which as they began to unfold, I didn’t know which path I wanted to follow. I immediately wanted to know everything all at once. But I’m glad that Bray held back, she gave us bits and pieces but left us hanging on for more of this glitzy yet ominous world.

The characters definitely packed a punch in this book; I found myself instantly drawn to some and rooted for them till the end. The characters are not definitely your typical type, they remind me of those matryoshka dolls where you open one then you get another and another. They were characters who had so much to offer, and after a part of them had been unravelled, still had so much they could bring. I am pleased that Libba Bray has planned to make this a four week book series; as I don’t think we have even touched the tip with these characters. Evie, Sam and Jericho have quite easily become characters I couldn’t bear to part with after one book!

The Diviners was another book which took me by surprise this year; it has definitely encouraged me to step outside of my comfort reading zone more often. It was a sinister read which had you constantly worrying about what could be lurking around the corner, and a set of characters which really shone through. Bray has managed to create an enthralling novel; I can’t wait to see how the story will unravel next.

This review can be found on: The Readers Den (less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Manda rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi-and-fantasy, fiction, favorites

This sounds like the Libba Bray I know and love.

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May 06, 2013 Saretta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Saretta by: Francesca

Shelves: sfida-extralarge, sfida-eroine, sfida-babele, other-ya, other-paranormal, language-eng, sfida-esimiosconosciuto

4.5/5

Veramente un bel romanzo; l'ambientazione nell'America degli anni '20 è decisamente ben resa, le descrizioni sono vivide e ben dettagliate.
Buona anche la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, tutti con vari segreti più o meno manifesti nel romanzo; la protagonista, Evie, è un'eroina spesso capricciosa ma allo stesso tempo spigliata e ironica che non ha bisogno di alcun principe che la porti in salvo.
La trama è basata sul tema dell'occulto e del paranormale e i capitoli dedicati a queste tematic...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Romana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Romana by: marion

“There is no greater power on this earth than story. People think boundaries and borders build nations. Nonsense—words do. Beliefs, declarations, constitutions—words. Stories. Myths. Lies. Promises. History.”

To be honest, finishing this book feels truly like an achievement. Not in a bad way - despite the book's thickness, you won't find yourself shamefully skipping paragraphs. In a few words, this book will capture your mind and you won't be able to let go.

The book is set in 1920's New York. Evi...more “There is no greater power on this earth than story. People think boundaries and borders build nations. Nonsense—words do. Beliefs, declarations, constitutions—words. Stories. Myths. Lies. Promises. History.”

To be honest, finishing this book feels truly like an achievement. Not in a bad way - despite the book's thickness, you won't find yourself shamefully skipping paragraphs. In a few words, this book will capture your mind and you won't be able to let go.

The book is set in 1920's New York. Evie O'Neill is shipped off from home to her uncle, a professor who runs 'the museum of the creepy crawlies', as most people call it. Evie is reunited with her best friend Mabel and hopes to make her stay a glamorous ride filled with parties and finally become somebody. When a mysterious Pentacle Killer starts threatening the citizens of New York, she deploys her unique power of object reading (discovering she's a Diviner, not knowing what it really means) to help her uncle solve the case, setting off on a dangerous journey.

What I really like about this unique story is the atmosphere. The 1920's New York in full swing. It must've taken many hours of research, to build the story as masterfully as it is. For that I bow down to Libba Bray, who proves to be a really outstanding author and I really look forward to reading some of her earlier stuff.

The fifth star in the rating goes to character development. I absolutely LOVED every character in the book and there isn't one that I would hate or find even remotely annoying. The villains, the misfits, the good hearted people .. every single person is interesting, has his own story, ideals, secrets, and sometimes a haunting past.

Evie O' Neill, (nicknamed Evil, how awesome is that) is classy, a bit spoiled, yet brave and good-hearted badass. No other description suits her, really. Her wit, charm and fearlessness make her a strong leading character and it's hard not to love her.

As for Naughty John aka The Pentacle Killer aka John Hobbes .. he's scary enough as he is, but the religous touch really adds to the overall creepiness. Add the fact that he's a real man yet a ghost and a beast of old .. voila, you've cooked yourself a perfect villain. Also, I love the fact that a creepy tune accompanies his every step. The concept of murders based on offerings is very well executed and at least for me, really original. and again, a backstory worth listening to.

To cut it short, the outcome is simple - go and read this book. You won't regret it. Now I'm off to the depths of anxious waiting for the sequel which, hopefully, will be as good at this one.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Juliette rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

«John il Malvagio, John il Malvagio, fa il suo lavoro adagio adagio. Ti taglia la gola e ti strappa gli ossetti, poi se li vende per due spiccioletti.»

Esistono certi libri che ti conquistano dal primo sguardo. Libri che ami ancor prima di iniziarli. Libri che, quando finalmente cominci, ti prendono ad un punto tale che non puoi far altro che pensare continuamente alla loro storia e ai personaggi e al mistero che si nasconde in quelle pagine, e che sai ti rimarranno nel cuore per molto, molto tem...more «John il Malvagio, John il Malvagio, fa il suo lavoro adagio adagio. Ti taglia la gola e ti strappa gli ossetti, poi se li vende per due spiccioletti.»

Esistono certi libri che ti conquistano dal primo sguardo. Libri che ami ancor prima di iniziarli. Libri che, quando finalmente cominci, ti prendono ad un punto tale che non puoi far altro che pensare continuamente alla loro storia e ai personaggi e al mistero che si nasconde in quelle pagine, e che sai ti rimarranno nel cuore per molto, molto tempo.

Sono davvero pochi i romanzi che mi hanno fatto quest’effetto fino ad ora, per adesso mi vengono in mente solo Il Circo della Notte, Fateful e Il Sostituto (qui, qui e qui le rispettive recensioni), ma oggi La Stella Nera di New York è andata ufficialmente a far parte di quella lista.
Non avevo mai letto niente della Bray, sebbene desideri iniziare la trilogia di Gemma Doyle da mesi, ma ho trovato cosi tante recensioni positive su Goodreads che non appena ho scoperto la nuova serie The Diviners l’ho aggiunta immediatamente in wishlist.
Quando ho saputo che la Fazi avrebbe pubblicato questo libro, qualche settimana dopo la sua uscita americana, ero al settimo cielo, e quando il corriere me l’ha finalmente consegnato, ho fatto praticamente i salti di gioia.
Per certi versi questo libro mi ha ricordato Il Circo della notte, non per la storia o i personaggi (non potrebbero davvero essere più diversi), ma per le emozioni che mi ha fatto provare. In entrambi i romanzi la narrazione è in terza persona e abbraccia tutti i personaggi principali, tessendo un’intricata storia piena di mistero e magia i cui fili si uniscono solo alla fine.
Nonostante la grande lunghezza del libro (più di 500 pagine), l’ho terminato in pochi giorni, grazie allo stile scorrevole dell’autrice. Nel complesso è decisamente una lettura intensa e impegnativa , ma se si alterna con un altro libro più leggero (io per esempio ho iniziato Dark Heaven), non dovrebbe pesare più di tanto.
Non parlerò per niente della trama, la sinossi per me dice anche troppo. Questo è uno di quei libri che si devono scoprire pagina dopo pagina, capitolo dopo capitolo, senza nessuna anticipazione.

L’ambientazione negli anni 20 è uno dei tanti punti forti del libro. Mi sembrava di essere proprio lì, in quella New York cosi mondana e sfavillante, ma allo stesso tempo cupa e misteriosa. Grazie al meraviglioso stile dell’autrice, riuscivo a percepire benissimo le emozioni dei personaggi, la loro paura e preoccupazione per un male più grande di loro, sentivo perfino l’inquietante canzoncina fischiettata di John il Malvagio, che non smette di turbinarmi in testa da una settimana.
Ma la Bray non si è limitata a descrivere in modo fantastico quell’epoca, nel bene e nel male, ma è anche riuscita a mescolare l’atmosfera di quegli anni con la misteriosa storia narrata, amalgamando i due elementi perfettamente.
La protagonista, Evie, è sicuramente una delle migliori eroine che abbia mai incontrato. Ultimamente trovo sempre più YA in cui le protagoniste sono tutte sciatte e noiose, o semplicemente troppo normali. Sembra quasi che gli autori abbiano paura di creare un personaggio diverso e speciale.
Con la Bray questo problema non si è presentato. Evie è intelligente, frizzante, spiritosa, testarda e coraggiosa, in una parola, unica.

E gli altri personaggi sono altrettanto fantastici. Troviamo Will, lo strambo ma intelligente zio di Evie. Mabel, migliore amica della protagonista e ragazza che vive nell’ombra dei suoi genitori, in cerca di una propria voce e personalità. Jericho, lo strano e dolcissimo aiutante di Zio Will. Sam, l’affascinante e misterioso ladro. Theta e Henry, una ballerina e un musicista alla ricerca del successo. Memphis, ragazzo con un passato problematico dal quale vuole proteggere a tutti i costi il suo fratellino Isaiah. Ed infine John Il Malvagio, uno dei cattivi più malvagi e raccapricianti che abbia mai incontrato.
Mi sento di consigliare La Stella Nera di New York a tutti gli appassionati del paranormale, sono sicura che non deluderà. Tuttavia questo non è di certo un libro che si può iniziare in qualunque momento. Si dice che ogni romanzo ha il suo momento, e se in questi giorni siete alla ricerca di una lettura leggera e/o veloce, La Stella Nera di New York non fa proprio per voi. Consiglio comunque a tutti di acquistarlo, perché è davvero un libro che merita di essere letto, prima o poi ;)(less)

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About Libba Bray

What is it about writing an author bio that gives me that deer-in-headlights feeling? It's not exactly like I'm going to say "I was born in Alabama…" and somebody's going to jump up and snarl, "Oh yeah? Prove it!" At least I hope not.

I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor....more

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A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1)

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Quotes from The Diviners

“How do you invent a religion?” Evie asked.

Will looked over the top of his spectacles. “You say, ‘God told me the following,’ and then wait for people to sign up.” — 71 people liked it

“Some mornings, she’d wake and vow, Today, I will get it right. I won’t be such an awful mess of a girl. I won’t lose my temper or make unkind remarks. I won’t go too far with a joke and feel the room go quiet with disapproval. I’ll be good and kind and sensible and patient. The sort everyone loves. But by evening, her good intentions would have unraveled. She’d say the wrong thing or talk a little too loudly. She’d take a dare she shouldn’t, just to be noticed. Perhaps Mabel was right, and she was selfish. But what was the point of living so quietly you made no noise at all? “Oh, Evie, you’re too much,” people said, and it wasn’t complimentary. Yes, she was too much. She felt like too much inside all the time. So why wasn’t she ever enough?” — 67 people liked it

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