Sunday 9 December 2012

The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)The Diviners by Libba Bray

Add to: Goodreads
Source: eARC provided by Hachette Book Group Canada (thank you! <3)
Publisher: Little, Brown BFYR
Format: Hardcover, 592 pages
Release Date: September 18, 2012

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.
Grab yourself a comfortable seat and prepare to read, read, read. Clocking in at just under 600 pages, Libba Bray's ambitious The Diviners is filled to the top with excitement, intrigue and wonderful 1920s atmosphere.

Wow. This book. Where do I even start? It reaches into so many ideas and ideals that are fascinating to read about. There is certainly a lot going on in these 600 pages so don't start off expecting fluff but it is definitely a rewarding read if you stick with it. The scope of it is dazzlingly impressive and although I probably should have felt a little brain-dead after reading it straight through, I was actually just bouncing up and down for the sequel.

I can remember when I first learned a bunch of 1920s slang words and couldn't stop using them... The Diviners took me right back to that. The atmosphere of the book feels so authentic. Is it possible that Libba Bray actually transported me to the Roaring Twenties? It would certainly explain the very REAL fear that I couldn't help but feel as I was reading. Gah! Now I don't claim to be normally good with horrors or anything but it's been a while since I've felt this legitimately frightened. Libba Bray is quite the storyteller!

And it's no surprise that I usually like multiple perspectives. However, I don't think I've ever read another with quite this many! It actually wasn't as difficult to keep track of as I thought it would be and while it was agonizing at points to see how close some storylines ran but never met... it was a good agonizing? It was an accepted pain!

With vivid characters and stellar storytelling, The Diviners is not one to miss.

Cover Comments: Maybe this is one I would prefer IRL but... it's just kind of weird for me.

5 Golden Crowns!

20 comments:

  1. I was still a bit iffy on whether or not to pick this one up, but I think you've persuaded me! I haven't exactly tried a 1920's book yet, but I think I would enjoy it. Libba Bray's writing and description of the setting sounds so vivid in The Diviners! And I'm so glad to hear that the multiple POVs were easy to follow. Awesome review, Sonia!

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    1. Yay! I really loved it - if you couldn't tell ;) I think this might be my first 1920s book as well... I read a few pages of Vixen but put it down (not because it wasn't good!) so I don't think that really counts. Thanks, Jen! <3

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  2. You read it! Someone's in love (;
    I'm not a real fan of reading books set in the 1920s. I state this yet I have not read a book set in the 1920s. Clearly I'm crazy and don't now what I'm talking about. Though I do want to read her Going Bovine first.

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    1. Hahaha, give it a try, Adriana! This is my first Libba Bray book but it will certainly not be my last :)

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  3. I'm not always a fan of books set in the past, but I loved the 20s atmosphere that Bray created here. I'm so pleased to see it worked for you too! Let's hope book 2 is just as brilliant.

    Awesome review. :)

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    1. *hears mention of book 2*
      *crashes back down to Earth upon realization that it's still a year away*

      Thanks, Sam!

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  4. I like historical books, I like multiple POV's, so this book can't go wrong at those aspects :) I've heard good things about this book and I can't wait to try it out. Lovely review!

    Mel@thedailyprophecy.

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  5. I'm really glad you didn't find the tons of POV's hard to follow. Honestly, that was the part of the book that turned me off because I was afraid it'd be impossible to understand. I think I'm going to check this one out now after reading your review, it just sounds way to good to pass up! Thank you!!

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    1. Yeah, that's usually a hit or miss with me (even if I usually still like them... I CANNOT HELP THIS LOVE). It worked out for me though!

      Thank YOU! :)

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  6. Oooh so glad you liked this! I loooved Beauty Queens and I've been excited to read this.

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    1. I have a copy of Beauty Queens that I still need to get to! So glad you loved it! :)

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  7. I'm not going to lie. I'm afraid of this book because its so huge! Good to hear you loved.

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    1. SO. UNDERSTANDABLE. This thing is a monster. I ended up passing on it to read until I realized that I only had 2 days left on the galley before it expired and then I kind of HAD to read it. But obviously I'm glad I did ;)

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  8. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

    Hi!

    Please tell me why I haven't finished reading this yet?! I started it as soon as I got it, but it was a really CRAPPY time to start reading and I got super distracted by other stuff and read something smaller instead and then just... never got around to going back to this. Ugh. SUCH a mistake, because I really loved what I read. And now one of my all time favourite people in the entire galaxy proclaims her love for it alongside it's fifty million other readers? I FEEL LIKE THE WORST KIND OF BOOK FOOL.

    But you given me a good ass-kicking to get back into this. I'm HOPING I can soon. I want to travel to the roaring twenties! <3 Also: I LOVE the dark Aussie cover. Even more gorgeous in person.

    Also x2: I LOVE YOU AND YOUR FANTASMATICAL REVIEWS.

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    1. BRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

      HEY GIRL <3

      Um, because you were saving up the awesome for your older age so you could better appreciate it? BUT YOU ARE THE BEST KIND OF BOOK FOOL! <3 (Not sure if this is a compliment....)

      I hope you can toooo! I think you'd love it, especially the creepy bits ;) Yeah, your covers are always pretty *SIGH*

      Also x2000: I LOVE YOUUUUU! *chases to Canada*

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  9. I definitely enjoyed this book! Gotta love the 1920's era! Great review!

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    1. I knew I liked you for a reason ;) You just have such good taste!

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  10. I completely agree, though this book is hefty it was such an awesome story!! I loved that it took place in the 1920`s and Bray did such a great job with the historical aspect of it.

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  11. I don't believe I've read anything by Libba Bray yet. But from the sounds of it, she's probably an author I'd really enjoy.

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