The Diviners by Libba Bray

I really enjoyed this one. Libba Bray can build suspense and maintain it! If you happen to be in the mood for a well-written piece of light reading with a scary atmosphere, then this is the book for you.

Something evil has been released in a post World War 1 New York. Mysterious murders are happening. Evie O' Neill, a girl with a strange gift and a penchant for getting into trouble, has been sent to stay with her Uncle in New York, who also happens to be the curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. Noticing a connection yet? Interested? You should be.

I think that what I enjoyed the most about this was how it was written. Unlike many books these days where things are spelt out for the reader in such tiny little details that, as the reader, one feels a bit insulted, Libba Bray left much of that up to the reader. It was a pleasant change. I also felt that although this book is classified as YA, it was written in a maturer style. 

I also appreciated her characters. First, I have to talk about the individual voices. Memphis was a young black man. I could hear it in his diction and accent. I did not have to be told it (and if memory serves me right, I wasn't told it - well, not bluntly at least). Second, the characters were different. While Evie and I would probably never agree over much (I am more of a Mabel), I could still appreciate her and enjoy her. And Sam! I really liked Sam. I can't wait to see what happens with him in the next book. The mysteries surrounding these characters were awesome, and kept me busy trying to guess what had happened in their pasts. If there is one thing I could fault, it would be that Evie was not a very realistic 17 year old. She would have been better off being in her early 20s, which would have matched her behavior a lot better. But is that necessarily a fault? I think it is what made me enjoy this more. I am tired of YA reads where the heroine's main concern is finding true love. Evie was not that girl and I loved her even more for it.

And now I am going to be left guessing what is going to happen until the next book comes out! In the mean time, I think I am going to see if I can get my hands on Beauty Queens  by her. It sounds like fun (and she seems hilarious too).