The Diviners

by Libba Bray

Reviewed by

Lucy McGrew

Many stories overlap and intertwine during this novel. The book uses elements of suspense, horror, action, and romance, as the characters try to fight an elusive evil that strikes again and again in a series of strange, occult murders. The story takes place in the roaring 20s, with a modern flapper girl- Evie- as one of the protagonists. Because of a strange gift she possesses, Evie is sent to live in New York with her uncle. 

            But Evie isn't the only one in New York surrounded by strange mysteries; other characters reveal past gifts and hidden secrets throughout the story. Her uncle Will proves to be more interesting than she thought, after he is called to the scene of a murder, and Jericho, Uncle Will's assistant, may be hiding something more beneath his stoic surface. Memphis Campbell is a numbers runner with crazy dreams- could there be a more sinister meaning behind them? And Evie's new friend Theta seems as exciting as they get, being a famous Ziegfield girl and all, but she might have a secret that she doesn't want to be discovered. 

            The characters' lives intertwine and overlap as the plot unfolds. As murders shake the city and it seems no one is safe, Evie, Theta, Memphis, Jericho and others must come together to protect the ones they love. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a thrilling mystery, with plenty of plot twists and a killer on the loose. The reader has to stick with it- but once the pace picks up one is hopelessly sucked into New York, 1920 and taken for a winding adventure into its darkest secrets.