The Diviners

By Libba Bray

Rating: 4/5 Stairs

The Diviners is an interesting story following five young adults in 1920’s New York City: Evie, Memphis, Theta, Sam,and Jericho. Evie has recently come to stay with her bachelor uncle, her parents having sent her away for a few months after she stirs up trouble in her Ohio hometown. Evie is eager to explore and soak up all the New York City has to offer.

Evie’s uncle Will runs the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult (known around town as the Museum of the Creepy Crawlies). When a young woman is found murdered with strange markings on her body, Will is called as a consultant. Of course Evie manages to tag along and thus begin her involvement in the case.

Ms. Bray draws the reader into 1920’s New York City, while weaving a paranormal tale that is dark and creepy at times. It begins at a birthday party of a bored socialite, who pulls out a Ouija board and unknowingly releases the spirit of Naughty John onto unsuspecting New Yorkers. The narrative moves from there to alternate between our characters, and while some of them interact regularly, our main Diviners never really all come together. That was one piece that I kept waiting for. Maybe in book two.

Overall, the characters are interesting and the setting is perfect. While you do know whodunit, you don’t know why. The Diviners was fun (and at times, a little unsettling) and full of suspense. I’m looking forward to the next installment.