Review Detail

I was really excited to not only meet YA author Libba Bray at ALA this last June but get a copy of THE DIVINERS. Let me tell you waiting in line(I was number 96) to get an advanced copy was so worth the wait.

There's a lot of hype out there on this book. In this case, it's very true!

It’s 1926 and life for seventeen-year-old Evie O’Neill is one party after another. Problem is she lives in Ohio which she finds is dull. Then one fateful night she uses her ‘little’ gift of seeing secrets with the wrong guy and finds herself sent off to New York City to live with an uncle. Evie is excited to finally leave boring Ohio behind. Then a string of murders hits the town and she finds her gift might help them caught this killer. But all isn’t what it seems.

Libba Bray totally did her homework on this novel. This enthralling tale sweeps readers off into the 1920s with all the glamour of that time period. We see not only the colorful flappers in Speakeasys but also the darkness and discrimination. Plus there's a huge paranormal element that I loved! Bray creates a villain that is mysterious as well as dark.

There’s many different POVs in this novel. I’m usually not one that likes lots of head hopping within a chapter. Bray is able to weave this ability in effortlessly and in such a way that it’s believable.

The history isn’t backstory dump either. Each part is integrated into the story, making it richer. The revival movement of the early 1800s is woven into the story and gives the reader a glimpse into an evil that transcends time.

This is one of those historical stories you want to find a place to just read and escape into this world. Captivating with lush descriptive writing that makes you want more. Add a strong heroine who doesn’t fit within the confines of her time. Plus revelations that will make the reader impatient for the next novel.

A total win!