Sunday 23 December 2012

Kiwie & Katastrofekat review the Diviners

Two short reviews (the same or similar to those we both have up on goodreads) about the Diviners, for more thoughts check out our book chat!

Katastrofekat's thoughts: I loved this book. I didn't know what to expect going into the book, as I have never read anything by Libba Bray before or read much set in the 1920's. I have always found the 1920's fascinating, but haven't actively seemed it out in the books I read. So I went into this book without much background. That wasn't a problem at all. Libba Bray has written a wonderful book which was so captivating from the first chapter, that I just didn't want to put it down. I read the whole book in three days, I was so eager to find out how it ended.
I liked the main character and I found her well written. She was a rounded person with bout flaws and strengths. The way the main plot unfurled itself felt natural and the story was believable.

I want the next book in the series to come out now please! I need to know how the story will continue.


Kiwie's thoughts: More please. Now. I read this book in big chunks and loved it. It is fun and entertaining, but not without substance. Fun, thrilling and it accessed/manipulated my feelings in a way that I liked. I clutched my reader and read as fast as I could to get to the next part or the answer sometimes. While other times I just enjoyed hanging out with the people filling the pages.

Evie O'Neill was a great character, yearning for attention and fame, but not cruel and careless in a way that would make you think she would walk over dead bodies to get there. She did stupid things, she wasn't super-smart, but she wanted to do right, and she put in the effort when she had to. I liked her a lot.

I liked the minor characters as well, especially Memphis, and I would have loved to learn more about Theta. I love it when I can understand a character's reasoning, even when it is flawed/I disagree with it, and for the most part I could with every important character in the Diviners. Yay!

Naughty John was scary, a great bad guy and monster. I like how your own belief is what matter, and how they had to deal with John according to his etc. I loved the whole cult of Brethren aspect, I've always been fascinated by cults, and religious fanatics in general. I don't understand how someone can believe so strongly in anything, nor how someone can be swooned into these beliefs/ways of living etc.

Also: The setting of the 1920s in New York city made me super happy. I love the decadent part of the 20s, the reckless spending and parties. The fashion. Everything like that, the "glitz and glamour". I romanticize a bit I guess, but I just like it, and find it a powerful proof of how in denial people can be, as while things were great for some, it was terrible for others, and not in another country, but within a city or area.

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