Review Detail
Young Adult Fiction
119
An interesting marriage of Hollywood Glam, Horror, and Romance
Overall rating
3.3
Plot
N/A
Characters
N/A
Writing Style
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
N/A
What I Loved:
DIVAH by Susanna Appelbaum is an interesting mix of New York City glam, horror, romance, and magic. DIVAH follows the story of Itzy, a young girl blossoming in the art of photography, who moves to New York City to live with her aunt for the summer. But all is not what it seems at the Carlyle hotel as Itzy’s eyes are opened to world of angels and demons and her family’s role right in the middle of it.
Itzy is a bright, somewhat naïve girl whose story is easy to be entrenched in. She’s likeable and carries the narrative of the story well- giving the reader the necessary insight and explanation of things that are foreign to us. She’s mature but still defiantly a teenager struggling with first crushes and the weight of responsibility.
The specific world building is fantastic. The glam of New York City drips off the page. Interspersed within the narrative is an assortment of letters, pamphlets, flashbacks, and multiple points of view that all create a really immersive experience within a world that is truly unique.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The action scenes are incredible confusing to me and I had to re-read large sections at a time to get a handle on what was going on which is unfortunate because there is a lot of action in this story! Even when the action is relatively toned down- for example, there’s a scene where Itzy and another character take down several demons in an elevator- I still wasn’t able to visualize and track the movement of the scene.
The main romantic storyline follows Itzy and one of the fallen angels, Luc, while they’re story is sweet, I felt a little uncomfortable with the obvious age difference between these two characters and whether or not Luc was actually interested in her or just manipulating her to get what he wanted.
The Final Verdict:
DIVAH by Susannah Appelbaum is an immersive story that successfully marries Old Hollywood and New York City glam with a touch of horror, romance, and magic. It’s perfect for fans of the supernatural and the glamorous.
DIVAH by Susanna Appelbaum is an interesting mix of New York City glam, horror, romance, and magic. DIVAH follows the story of Itzy, a young girl blossoming in the art of photography, who moves to New York City to live with her aunt for the summer. But all is not what it seems at the Carlyle hotel as Itzy’s eyes are opened to world of angels and demons and her family’s role right in the middle of it.
Itzy is a bright, somewhat naïve girl whose story is easy to be entrenched in. She’s likeable and carries the narrative of the story well- giving the reader the necessary insight and explanation of things that are foreign to us. She’s mature but still defiantly a teenager struggling with first crushes and the weight of responsibility.
The specific world building is fantastic. The glam of New York City drips off the page. Interspersed within the narrative is an assortment of letters, pamphlets, flashbacks, and multiple points of view that all create a really immersive experience within a world that is truly unique.
What Left Me Wanting More:
The action scenes are incredible confusing to me and I had to re-read large sections at a time to get a handle on what was going on which is unfortunate because there is a lot of action in this story! Even when the action is relatively toned down- for example, there’s a scene where Itzy and another character take down several demons in an elevator- I still wasn’t able to visualize and track the movement of the scene.
The main romantic storyline follows Itzy and one of the fallen angels, Luc, while they’re story is sweet, I felt a little uncomfortable with the obvious age difference between these two characters and whether or not Luc was actually interested in her or just manipulating her to get what he wanted.
The Final Verdict:
DIVAH by Susannah Appelbaum is an immersive story that successfully marries Old Hollywood and New York City glam with a touch of horror, romance, and magic. It’s perfect for fans of the supernatural and the glamorous.
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