*4.5 stars

The Diviners is one of my favourite ever series, but even though I really really loved this third book, I have to say I don’t think it’s quite as good as the first two. That said, I still can’t recommend this series more highly. The story is great. The spooks are great. I don’t think Libba Bray is capable of dishing out anything short of fantastic.

“We are a country built by immigrants, dreams, daring, and opportunity. We are a country built by the horrors of slavery and genocide, the injustice of racism and exclusion. These realities exist side by side. It is our past and our present. The future is unwritten. This is a book about ghosts. For we live in a haunted house.”

It’s in this book that the series’ thematic concerns really take full form, and it’s the ghost story genre at its absolute best. The writing is absolutely gorgeous, the diverse cast is always a win, and I love how, for all the glamour of the 20′s aesthetic, Libba Bray doesn’t shy away from the really horrible aspects of American history, and the racism that was still extremely prevalent during the 1920′s. I truly think Libba Bray is part of the reason I love historical fiction so much, the book is so well researched and I’ve never encountered an author that does such a good job of transporting me to another time period.

AND THE CHARACTERS!!!!!! I love them all so much. Their dynamics are everything, with great focus on both platonic relationships and romantic ones. Ling and Henry’s friendship? EVIE AND SAM?????? Just SAM LLOYD AS HIS OWN ENTITY????? This is the book where the squad really comes together, and the Diviners are simply one of my favourite found families in media, and they take up so much room in my heart.

“There was such fear in the world. But love was everywhere if you looked. It was the best thing about humans. That they could stare into the abyss and still open up their hearts. A spit in the eye to fear.”

Because running through a book, a horror book, that should by all means be incredibly depressing, is an incredible message of love and hope for the future that is expressed in no small part through these characters, their hope to create a better future in spite of everything, and the love they have for each other.

Just a couple little things that bothered me about this book and kept me from enjoying it as much as the first two. First, I didn’t love how much Libba Bray jumped around between the different characters’ POVs. Both The Diviners and Lair of Dreams had very clear main characters, with the rest of the cast filling in strong supporting roles, and for a series with, like, eight or nine main characters, it gave the books a much more grounded feel. But I felt like here, Libba Bray tried to put a little too much focus on everyone, and we didn’t really get to spend enough with any of them as a result. Some characters do really develop nicely in BTDBY, especially Mabel and Theta, but I felt like we barely spent any time with Memphis or Ling or Henry compared to a lot of the cast.

Spoiler

I also felt like we just needed more time with Henry and David, and Ling and Alma, rather than just having information about their relationships given to us. I wanna ship Henry and David but I need David to show up in more than two scenes in the entire book Libba Bray!! As for Ling and Alma, it’s not that Ling’s attraction comes out of nowhere, but their romance just kind of happens without the slow development that I wish we got.

I do just want to take a moment to acknowledge that the stuff with Jericho in this book, and it... isn’t great. I still like Jericho and I still love this series but I was disappointed with Bray since it just didn’t feel necessary. Although I appreciate Evie's trauma is addressed briefly (and not forgotten about in Book 4), I wish it had been explored more in depth, and by making an attempted assault all the result of Jericho's reaction to the serum, it absolves him of any responsibility and makes us feel sorry for him. I just really think this particular plot thread could have been handled better and I can think of so many possible alternatives that could have had the exact same impact plot-wise, such as Jericho accidentally hurting or killing a guard or butler, and that just raises more attention to how unnecessary the attempted assault plotline was, ESPECIALLY since it felt so heavily used as an excuse to push Evie toward Sam in the love triangle. It's just a letdown in a series that is otherwise excellent at discussing serious issues.

Despite my issues, though, this is an excellent continuation of a top-tier YA series, and the way Libba Bray uses the genre of a ghost story to create a commentary on racism and other forms of bigotry in America, and making it clear that America is a nation founded on bigotry and colonisation, is absolutely genius. It's the horror genre put to its best possible use and rounded off with a strong atmosphere, genuinely terrifying sequences, a balance of humour and emotion, and a cast of characters that will always take up a lot of room in my heart.

Also? Reading on audiobook and FUCK that "pack up your troubles" song so hard, I got a horrible visceral reaction every time it began to play.