If you've been waiting for years for the release of the next book in Libba Bray's Diviners series, then rejoice, because book 2, Lair of Dreams, has finally arrived! The consensus throughout the blogosphere seems to be that the book is a great continuation of the first, and I would definitely agree. We left off in Roaring 20s era New York City, and that's where Lair of Dreams picks back up. The Diviners, a group of people from different backgrounds with supernatural abilities that we met in book 1, are more important than ever as a mysterious sleeping sickness begins plaguing residents of the city.
There are so many diviners featured in the book, all with different powers and backstories, and since I'm not as talented as Libba Bray at juggling their stories in narrative form, I'm going to turn to list-making:
Evie O'Neill - A Diviner who can see the past by holding objects, Evie has a new radio show, so she's dealing with her rising stardom, the personal effects of book 1's events, and a love triangle with Sam and Jericho.
Sam Lloyd - Sam, a Diviner with the ability to make himself evade detection for short bursts of time, spends much of book 2 trying to uncover the mystery of what happened to his mother, who was taken by a secret government organization called Project Buffalo when he was a child.
Jericho Jones - Jericho's still reeling from the events of book 1, including his feelings for Evie, and issues from his past.
Memphis and Isaiah Campbell - The Campbell brothers are grappling with their Diviners powers, and have the added threat of the mysterious Blind Bill, who keeps moving closer to the Campbell family. Memphis also has a budding relationship with Theta.
Theta Knight - Theta has to deal with her fears about her powers, while pretending to be a Russian orphan for her job with the Ziegfeld Follies and trying to help her friend, Henry.
Henry DuBois - Henry's story is central to this book. As a dream walker, Henry spends much of his time in book 2 in the Lair of Dreams, searching for a loved one.
Ling Chan - A fellow dream walker, Ling helps Henry on his search. A daughter of immigrants, Ling lives in Chinatown, where the sleeping sickness begins. Ling and her neighbors have to deal with the ensuing fear mongering and xenophobia that comes with the sleeping sickness.
That list is just a taste of the large cast of characters, and the wonderful world that Bray has built in this series. Bray's writing is wonderful, the novel is meaty (clocking in at over 600 pages), but the story moves quickly, and by the last chapter you will be anxiously awaiting the next installment. Let's all hope it comes soon!
