The Diviners (Bray novel)

The Diviners
Author Libba Bray
Country United States
Language English
Series The Diviners
Subject Roaring Twenties
Genre paranormal historical fiction
Publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date
 September 18, 2012
Media type Print, e-book, audiobook
Pages 578 pages
ISBN 031612611X

The Diviners is a 2012 young adult novel by Libba Bray.[1] The book was published on September 18, 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and is set in New York City during the 1920s.[2] The plot follows seventeen-year-old Evie O'Neill as she helps her uncle Will - curator of the fictional "Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult" - uncover the killer behind a mysterious series of murders.[3]

The book has been nominated for an Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy as well as a Bram Stoker Award,[4] and was one of the YALSA's picks for "best audiobook of 2012".[5][6]

Plot

Evie O'Neill, a young girl in the 1920s, is sent to live with her uncle after another in a series of disastrous events in her hometown. At the same time, an ouija board has awakened a spirit by the name of Naughty John. After hearing of numerous mysterious murders she uses her powers of object reading with the help of her uncle to defeat the spirit serial killer. Along the way, she discovers more people of her kind with supernatural abilities and they unearth mysteries that deepen their suspicions towards a bigger plan behind the murders. The sequel 'Lair of Dreams' picks up the pace, reveals more about characters central to the plot, and opens doors to new horrors. The third book 'Before the Devil Breaks You' follows the Diviners as they try to uncover who is bringing an army of killer ghosts from the beyond and who exactly is The King of Crows.[7]

Characters

Evie O'Neill

She is thoroughly a flapper, and she has the ability to read objects. In book two, she becomes America's Sweetheart Seer. Sam and Jericho are her two love interests. She often says "pos-i-tute-ly."

Mabel

Evie's reliable friend who Evie gets into trouble every once in a while. She has poor fashion sense. She has a crush on Jericho.

William Fitzgerald

He runs the museum of the Creepy Crawlies, the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. He is also Evie’s uncle.

Sam Lloyd

(real name: Sergei Lubovitch) He is a talented thief and liar. He has the ability to say "Don't see me!" and not be seen. He has an interest in Evie.

Jericho Jones

After being hit by a bullet, he is revealed to be part machine. He also has an interest in Evie.

Memphis Campbell

He has a healing power and is a poet. He also has feelings for Theta Knight.

Theta Knight

She is a Ziegfeld girl with a hidden power of burning things down. She loves Memphis. Previously known as Betty Sue Bowers; is running from her past.

Henry DuBois IV

He can walk in dreams and change people's dreams. When Theta arrives in New York, he takes her in.

Naughty John

His name is John Hobbes. He is a dead serial killer who is killing to become an anti-Christ for religious reasons. He was hanged in the 1870s but he resurrected to become the Beast. When he was alive, he had romantic relations with Mary White Blodgett, who he later killed for the tenth offering.

Isaiah Campbell

Memphis's little brother. He can predict the future and read cards.

Blind Bill Johnson

He has the Diviner power to kill.

The Proctor sisters

They are two old ladies who kill cats and perform small 'magic' of sorts and occasionally giving warnings to Evie and Jericho.

The homeless veteran

He delivers a warning to Evie and tries to kill her in book two.

Arthur

He helps Mabel escape from a raid on a speakeasy. He is too revolutionary for Mabel's parents' likes. Likes Mabel.

The King of Crows

He is arranging some master plan and appears in dreams.

The crow

The crow follows Memphis around and occasionally scares him. It is believed to be Memphis's mother.

The girl with the green eyes (Ling)

She is only mentioned once in book one as the girl with the green eyes, but she is a key part of book two. She is the other dream walker and can talk to the dead in dreams. Her legs are paralyzed.

Development

Book two of The Diviners was published in 2015 with book three released on October 3rd 2017.

Bray has stated that she wrote the first novel because she was a "horror fan" and because she "wanted to write another series, something historical, but also supernatural".[8]

Reception

Critical reception for The Diviners was positive,[9][10][11] with the book garnering positive reviews from Entertainment Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist.[12][13][14] The Star wrote a mostly positive review, stating an overall positive opinion while expressing frustration that the ending didn't "feel more solid".[15] School Library Journal lauded The Diviners, marking it as one of their best books of 2012.[16]

Film adaptation

Film rights to The Diviners were purchased by Paramount Pictures, with an intent to have Bray adapt the screenplay.[17] Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage have been named as the film's producers.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Check out the trailer and an excerpt from Libba Bray's 'The Diviners' -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Five questions for Libba Bray". Horn Book Guide. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Audio Review: The Diviners". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "The 2012 Bram Stoker Awards® Final Ballot". Bram Stoker Award. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "SFWA's Norton Award Nominees Include Bray, Hartman, Levithan, McCall". School Library Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "2013 ALSC & YALSA Audio Picks: The year's best notable recordings and amazing audiobooks for children and teens". School Library Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  7. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2207576/plotsummary
  8. ↑ "Libba Bray: Eco-Friendly Fembot Who Survives on the Tears of Teen Girls". Locus Magazine. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "Pick of the Day: The Diviners". School Library Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  10. ↑ "Book review: "The Diviners" by Libba Bray". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  11. ↑ HEPPERMANN, CHRISTINE M. (Nov–Dec 2012). "Review: The Diviners". Horn Book Magazine. Vol. 88 no. 6. p. 83.
  12. ↑ "Review: Diviners". Booklist. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Review: The Diviners". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  14. ↑ "12 New YA Novels: We Grade 'em". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  15. ↑ "Flappers, killers and all that jazz". The Star. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  16. ↑ "Best Books 2012: Staff Favorites". School Library Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  17. 1 2 "Paramount Nabs Rights to Libba Bray Novel 'The Diviners'". The Wrap. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
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