I just finished racing the book "The Diviners" by Libba Bray. Bray is
one of my favorite authors as she conquers the world of historical fiction with
a surprisingly current and relevant to readers today. This is what makes
historical fiction great, the idea of an almost fantastical time where things
weren't quite as they are today but still relatable. From reading last books
from Bray and other Historical Fiction authors such as the wonderful authors of
the American Girl books that I thoroughly perused as ages 7-10, I know that
problems of today often correlate closely with the problems of those in years
past. For example, although Samantha wanted a china doll in the year 1907 and I
wanted a Tamagachi in the year 2009, we still had to beg our respective elders
for the toys and be "good" in order to earn them from our parents.
The same goes for books as I grew older. Although Grace was trying to earn
money for new shoes in victorian london and I was trying to earn money for
eating lunch out in 21st century new york, we both felt the unfairness of job
options available to a 12 year old and the little monetary gain that could be
earned.
This brings us to my current book, "The Diviners." The
Diviners takes place in the "roaring '20s" in New YOrk. A girl named
Evie arrivers from small town Alabama ready to take in the wonders and
pleasures of New York. A boy named Memphis works for the Boss of Harlem,
collecting illegal lottery tickets while taking care of his younger brother
Isiah. A chorus girl named Theta is hoping to forget her past with the help of
closeted Henry, her "younger brother." And a giant of a man named
Jericho is used to hiding his secrets, until he meets a girl who could untie
them all. And all across the city murders are occurring. Murdeurs that
correlate with a secret extremest religion, founded long ago who sought to
bring hell and the anti-christ, the "beast" onto Earth. The murders
are gruesome, arranged like texts in the book of Revelations to the tune sung
creepily by the murderer.
"Naughty John, Naughty John, Does his work
with an apron on, Cuts your throat and takes
your bones, sells 'em off for a coupla stones."
And it
is only the aforementioned people, with their extraordinary powers such as
seeing into the future or becoming invisible can help.
Funnily enough I likened this experience to High School, or what is going
to be the high school experience for me. New York City is huge, scary and
inviting all rolled up into one irresistible package. Like the characters in
the book, I am drawn to the opportunities and sights the city affords, things I
will see in my journeys to schools in Manhattan and the like. The book starts
off not telling us how these characters are related to each other, just that
they are all special and hoping to make it in New York. I think that this
relates to the many students across New York City, all different and all hoping
to go to the school they want, to become someone special and more than they
already are. No matter what time we find characters in, they all want to
succeed and hope NYC will help them get there. The gifts that each character
has in the books also relate to the students of my year. We are all talented in
some way, be it artistically or academically or even something that can not be
measured. We all have something about us that makes us unique.
Its true, times have changed. We now ride in subway cars
as opposed to trolleys on the street. But one thing is for certain, people, at
least not on the surface, have changed very little
