09/08/19: Reread for the #divinersreadalong, in the paperback version this time. Some quick reread thoughts:
- This is even better the second time
- The foreshadowing is amazing, from unexpected character introductions to hints at lore
- I love Evie O'Neill with my entire heart and soul
- Naughty John is a dramatic bitch and one of the best villains in YA, don't @ me


30/09/18: First read.


content warnings: loss of a loved one, gore, violence, murder, violence against animals, white supremacy, racism, anti-semitism, xenophobia, ableism, sexism, slut shaming, sexual assault, domestic violence
representation: black main and side characters, jewish main and side characters, gay main character, biracial (white-native american) main character, interracial f/m main relationship, black blind side character

“The Chinese Exclusion Act was a law designed to keep more Chinese from coming here when they’d finished building our railroads. They couldn’t bring their families over. They weren’t protected by our laws they were on their own.”

“Doesn’t sound terribly American.”

“On the contrary, it’s very American.”

I can't believe it's taken me so long to read this because, guys, this book is fantastic. The Diviners is set in 1926, New York, and revolves around a mystery concerning ritual sacrifices and a group of people with special abilities known as diviners.

I've seen a lot of reviews complain about the pacing and while I understand, I didn't have the same issues. I'm fairly sure that's because I listened to this on audiobook. Literally everyone who listens to the audiobooks from this series recommends them, and I'm going to add to that: January LaVoy is absolutely incredible. She's the only narrator, but she's so fantastic at giving each character a unique voice that you would swear there's a full cast.

The atmosphere of this book is incredible. Both January LaVoy's narration and Libba Bray's writing are perfect at creating a creepy, somewhat unsettling feeling throughout the entire novel, as well as making you feel as though you're in New York in 1926.

The story centres around a mystery, but it's real focus is on the characters. If you love books with great ensemble casts a la Six of Crows, then this is the book for you. There's Evie, the protagonist, a flapper who's self-absorbed and brash and wonderful; Memphis, a black boy who's into both illegal activity and poetry; Jericho, a character who I thought was going to be another Matthias Helvar but ended up being the 1920s version of a soft jock; Sam, the cocky, dickish thief who ended up making me fall in love with him, the asshole; Will, Evie's uncle who is lowkey an exposition machine and who I will likely become in ten years; Mabel, the daughter of wannabe revolutionaries who is the sweetest; Theta, aka my wife, a dancer who has big dreams and refuses to apologise for who she is; and Henry, a gay pianist who is Theta's brother, just not through blood.

I loved each and every one of these characters in their own ways, which is probably why I didn't love the ending as much as I loved the rest of the book. Towards the end, some characters (in particular Memphis, Mabel, Theta and Henry) get shoved aside so the plot can get wrapped up neatly.

The romance, as of this book, is a bit iffy with me. Memphis and Theta are making my black, dead heart very happy and I hope the next books are just them chilling and enjoying life together (that's what it's going to be and you can't convince me otherwise). I'm also excited at the prospect for whatever the future holds for Henry in terms of romance. Evie's romantic life is spoilers, so I'm just going to say that I'm not jazzed with where the book ends.

Spoiler

I get why Evie/Jericho's happening but that doesn't mean to like it. One of my favourite romance tropes is when two characters are adamant that they're not going to fall in love, so of course I'm shipping Evie and Sam like I'm getting paid for it.

All in all, apart from a shaky ending, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read Lair of Dreams.