Book Thoughts - The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners by Libba Bray
published 9/31/12
narrated by January LaVoy
running time 18 hours 14 minutes

Synopsis from publisher -

Something dark and evil has awakened....

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-tute-ly ecstatic. It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries her uncle will discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho is hiding a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened....

My thoughts -

Libba Bray has become one of my must-read authors, even though her novels don't always live up to my expectations. I always appreciate, however, the creativity and unique approach she brings to each novel, so I was excited to pick up a copy of her latest. And hoo boy, this one was a winner!

It took me a little while to warm up to the story - the light, devil-may-care attitude of the main characters made me roll my eyes a few times in the beginning. But Evie gradually developed depth, and soon I was rooting for her to make her mark in the world. Bray's secondary characters were interesting and full of life, and I was even able to forgive a near-miss on the life of Theta, who quickly became my favorite.

The Diviners is full of twists and turns, and some genuinely scary situations, and I couldn't wait to listen to what was going to happen next. The roaring 20's really comes to life in Bray's words, and I found myself even using some of the slang of Evie and her crowd as I went about my day. (Posi-tute-ly!)

January LaVoy was a fantastic narrator - she completely captured the energy and spark of the time and characters, and did an amazing job of giving each character their own distinct voice. I loved listening to her read, and would love to find more of her work.

I was completely enthralled by this wonderful novel. I can't wait to read Bray's next installment in this fun new series - I have to find out what happens next to Evie, Theta, Will, Jericho, and the whole gang. Highly recommended.

Finished - 6/17/13
Source - audiobook from the library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for violence, adult situations, and scary stuff
My rating - 9/10