Book Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray

Have you ever read a book that felt like it had dragged on but, somehow, you still were surprised with it and wished you had read faster? That was this book. Don't let the size fool you- this isn't a book to be missed.

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.

My first point: this setting was great. In need a Gatsby refresher- 2012 YA style? This was certainly a great fit if you miss that world. From the flashing lights, to even their dialect, it was easy to slip into this world.

Somehow, I feel like the setting makes up for some of the characters. I rather liked Evie, the protagonist, but others, I simply couldn't connect with. I enjoyed Will and how he seemed to be rather calm but still had the right amount of 'zing'.

I feel like the ancient killer thing is getting done quite a bit nowadays. The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson might be the only reason, but who could tell? Not me.

Like I said in the opening paragraph, this book took me longer than a day to get through (crazy, I know). However, Bray didn't let me down in the end. I just as easily could have stopped reading (I read Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce in the middle), but I didn't and I'm glad for that.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Over and out,
Nerdalicious