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September 24, 2012

Review: The Diviners by Libba Bray - Juhina

The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)
Title: The Diviners (The Diviners, #1)
Author: Libba Bray
Publication date: September 18th, 2012
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Genre(s): Young Adult (Paranormal, Ghost)
Source: Publisher
Format: eARC
Pages: 608
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-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."
When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.
Historical fiction and I are known to be best friends. Fantasy and I are really close friends. But why didn’t I get along with The Diviners by Libba Bray? I wasn’t even able to play nice and to at least be on friendly terms with it. The Diviners and I are not only NOT close, but we have become mortal enemies as my journey with it continued. At one point I thought we might be able to mend the failed friendship, to maybe even have a frenemies relationship, but unfortunately, I couldn’t, or maybe I wouldn’t; I’ll never know who is at fault. However I am sure when I say that The Diviners was an experience I never want to repeat again. 
The Diviners is 608 pages. I’ve read long books that I wished were even LONGER (think Harry Potter, The Host, and Divergent). I’ve also read books that are short that I wished were shorter, but they were a fairly quick and harmless failed attempt at getting to know a book during a coffee date so in the end I left feeling slightly disappointed, but moved on quickly. However what I had with The Diviners? It was a three-day supposed vacation where I got stuck with the new acquaintance that not only messed up my vacation but also my judgment towards who ever was able to get along with it. I was restless, whiny, and a pain in the butt to everyone who was around me while reading this book. I could not stop complaining about how boring, how long, how over the top descriptive it is and how there was over 10 POVs in this book. I almost quit several times but told myself I had to at least finish 50% of it, then on 49% of the book, I catch a glimpse of maybe something more. Maybe the book and I started off on the wrong foot and we just needed some warming up. So I read a little more, another 100 pages of disappointed, then that darn glimpse of something more. This was how the book was for me until the end.  
The ending of The Diviners, oh how clichéd it was. With a book that centered so much about naughty john and the murders and sacrifices and powers, to end it with a kiss between the girl and the love interest that popped up only in the last 50 pages? No, I.. no. No. I am so disappointed in The Diviners. The story behind this book could have been creepy, scary, and just so entertaining. But none of that happened. The main protagonist was so frivolous, so childish, and just so selfish I just couldn’t like her. Some of the POVs include Thea, Sam, Memphis, Mable, Will, Gabe, and others. This doesn’t include the characters that do appear but don’t have a chapter for their POV. In all honesty, I was drowning in this book and what kept me going was the hope of finally reaching the surface and ending the struggle I was in for the past six days.

21 comments:

  1. Oh no! Sorry this was just a painful read for you. Seriously though, 608 pages?! You're absolutely right when you say that some books are good enough to keep you wanting even more, but that's a difficult feat when your book is over 600 pages and boring! Hmm, I'm not convinced I will get around to reading this one... especially after reading what you're had to say!

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  2. I am so sorry to hear you had such troubles and problems with this! I was kind of on the fence whether to read The Diviners or not and after your reivew, I think I'll give it a miss, at least for now. What ashame, I kind of love the Australian cover verion. Even though I love a pretty cover, the blurb has to sell me. Maybe I'll just appreciate the cover from far away? Amazing, honest review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

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  3. Wow this was just not an enjoyable reading experience at all. I read the first page of this one and put it down. Historical fiction and I are not friends, so I saw that the guy wanted to go to a "speakeasy" and ran! I knew it wouldn't be for me. Sorry you wasted so much time on this one!

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  4. Oh no! So sorry this was such a bad reading experience for you. I just got this last week from Little Brown and I have been so looking forward to it. I hope I like it better than you did. I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction, but I enjoy them once in a while and I love the 1920's so I am hoping it holds my interest.

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  5. Oh, I'm so sorry this didn't work out for you, Juhina. I've seen so many people enjoyed this but well, I guess this isn't just for you. But it's good to hear a different thought about this book. Thanks for the honest review, Juhina. :)

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  6. Interesting points, Juhina. I can't wait to see what I make of when I finally pick it up. Thanks for the honest review :)

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  7. Aw, I'm sorry this was such a disappointment. I have entered a giveaway of this, so if I win I'll have to see what I make for myself. Nevertheless, amazing review! Thanks for being honest :)

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  8. I have seen a few books with childish characters and it really annoys me too. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this book, especially since I was really looking forward to it.

    Thank you for the really well written review and for sharing your thoughts :)

    Michelle @ Book Briefs

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  9. I remember you didn't like this one when you read it. I think you are one of the few though, right? But I see all your points and I also agree that small bad books are almost harmless but huge bad books are plain torture. Now this has drop to my probably-will-never-read pile. :P

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  10. I can understand the frustration when it feels like a struggle to read. Thanks for sharing your sincere thoughts with us.

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  11. Awwwww sorry this one didn't really work for you Juhina! I really enjoyed it, but you make some good points. The large number of POVs was tedious for me at times as well, and I would have liked the romance to develop a little earlier on, but I thought it was creepy and weird and entertaining. I hope the next book on your list blows you away!

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  12. Uh-oh! I'm so sorry to hear this one didn't work out for you, Juhina! Like you, I'm a HUGE fan of both Historical Fiction and Fantasy, so I've been having some hiiiigh hopes for this one, especially since I love Libba Bray. I hope it somehow works out for me although I can understand your qualms perfectly. I'll be altering my expectations now as I start this one, so thanks for the honest review! :)

    ~Keertana
    Ivy Book Bindings

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  13. Darn... I was really looking forward to Diviners. Just hearing about 10+ POVs gets my head spinning and a clichéd plot as well is so disappointing. I really doubt that I'm going to try this one out now, but I'm glad you managed to succeed going through the 608 pages. That's such an accomplishment if it was that bad.

    Angie @YA Novelties

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  14. Aw, I'm sorry you didn't love it.
    A Great and Terrible Beauty is one of my favorite paranormal series! I have this, but I'm waiting until I have a break in my reviewing calendar so I can read it!

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  15. Oh no! That STINKS! Sometimes that's just the way it is though. :( I haven't read this but because of the time period and setting I'm really wanting to. I haven't got my hands on the book yet but when I do my expectations should be reasonable. I've seen rave reviews, mediocre reviews and bad reviews. So there's no way to know exactly how I'll feel but my expectations aren't ridiculous. Thanks for your honesty!

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  16. I'm so sorry to read that you didn't love it. I expect Bray's books to have a limited amount of love interest time since that is a lot like A Great and Terrible Beauty but I guess if you don't know that about her going in then it does come as a shock.

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  17. Great honest review Juhina. I've seen this book around a lot recently but it never quite appealed to me. And needless to say, your review hasn't made me warm up to it. I think I'll be glad to give this one a miss.

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  18. Bummer Juhina! :( I haven't read this, but am intrigued...I'm definitely going to be wary now that I've read your review. I'm not a big fan of cliche...let's just say that. ;)

    Great review! :D

    Sierra @ Yearning to Read

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  19. Aw, I'm sorry this was such a disappointment to you, Juhina! I also struggled with the length--I think I could have done without at least 200 pages, esp since I had the physical ARC--but it seems I definitely enjoyed it more than you did. All the points you made are valid, though, and I do hope your next read is better.

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  20. Aw, I'm sorry this was such a disappointment to you, Juhina! I also struggled with the length--I think I could have done without at least 200 pages, esp since I had the physical ARC--but it seems I definitely enjoyed it more than you did. All the points you made are valid, though, and I do hope your next read is better.

    Wendy @ The Midnight Garden

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  21. Oh, goodness, so sorry you didn't enjoy this one, Juhina! I don't blame you, though. 608 pages of a book that you're barely even interested in? Sounds so awful. Though kudos to you for getting through it! Love the honest review, Juhina. I think I'll pass on this one.

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