Before the Devil Breaks You

The Diviners, Book 3

By: Libba Bray

Narrated by: January LaVoy

Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

The Diviners are back in this thrilling and eerie third installment by number one New York Times best-selling author Libba Bray.

After battling a sleeping sickness, The Diviners are up against a group of new and malevolent foes - ghosts! Out in Ward's Island sits a mental hospital full of lost souls from people long forgotten. Ghosts who have unusual and dangerous ties to the Man in the Stovepipe Hat, also known as the King of Crows.

With terrible accounts of murder and possession flooding in from all over New York City, the Diviners must band together and brave the ghosts haunting the asylum to bring down the King of Crows.

Heart-pounding action and terrifying moments will leave you breathless in the third book of the four-book Diviners series by number one New York Times best-selling author Libba Bray.

©2017 Libba Bray (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"This story broke my heart and made me laugh and gave me hope - and really, what more can you ask of a book than that? I loved it, and I have a feeling you will too." (Jennifer E. Smith, author of Windfall and The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight)

"Narrator January LaVoy shines in the third installment of The Diviners series.... Despite the considerable number of characters and their intersecting storylines, LaVoy never misses a beat, demonstrating a wide range of vocal dexterity and skill that creates the impression of an ensemble. Listeners are encouraged to begin at the beginning of this planned four-audiobook series and enjoy LaVoy's mastery." (AudioFile)

Deliciously Creepy

Everything about this series is perfection. The narration and performance only enhance am already terrific plot line.

Wonderful Book

This was a great book. The first book was incredible but I would say this book bridges fantasy and historical fiction more. It dives into the rich history of America in the 30s that was sometimes charming but, more often then not, horrifying. I would say this book took a darker turn but was still enjoyable and entertaining. The diviners have a lot to fight for and against. I can't say enough about the narrator. She brings every unique character to life in the most perfect way! I cannot wait to listen to the final book in this series.

great story

enjoyed the historic perspective, author's note at the end was interesting to. enjoyed this book

The best audiobook experience you can have

Listening to the audiobooks for this series is like hopping on a rickety old train car and getting pulled along for the most spooky, thrilling, chilling, dazzling, suspenseful and immersive ride of your life. I think January LaVoy must be possessed to deliver narration like she does, it's not humanly possibly to be so good at so many voices. The story is great, the world building and characters are the best in the business, and I laughed, I cried, and I was scared out of my mind. Utter perfection.

A twisting tale

The narration was great, though I couldnt get behind Evie's voice.

The story, like all in the Diviners series is more of a stroll through a gallery of events, than a strict plot driven by the events. I do enjoy the style quite a bit, and it makes me feel closer to the characters. Ut did lag toward the end and I almost stopped listening, but I'm glad I finished the book. It was overall a well written and enjoyable novel. I can't wait for the next installment.

Can't wait til book 4 comes out!

I loved this book! January LaVoy's personification of the characters made this book come alive. It made me laugh, cry, get angry, and cry some more. The history and the acknowledgement of the pains and struggles of immigrant and African Americans was beautifully written. It is sad to know that there were and still exist some Americans with such strong anti-immigrant beliefs. In addition she also wrote about hope and love in a way that I've not seen blended in a novel before. I can't wait until book 4 comes out even though I was expecting this to be a trilogy.

Impressed

The narrator is outstanding and brings each character uniquely to life.

Also, wow. Bray managed to embody many important elements and challenges of the American history and that still plague us today. The chapter “Ghosts” gave me the chills- both the good and bad kind. It was a beautifully written segment on the horrors and truths that this country was build on which I have never seen incorporated into a novel.
Historical fiction meets paranormal in this series, and I am not sure anyone else has captured such confounding issues in this genre quite like Bray. I look forward to the final installment.

I want the next book NOW!!!

I am having a hard time lately writing reviews but I wanted to tell you all to READ THIS SERIES!

I love this series so much, I honestly went into this book thinking it was going to be the last book in the series so was pleasantly surprised to get to the end and find out no it is not the end there will be more of these fabulous characters, which made me very happy!!

January LaVoy's narration of this series couldn't be more perfect every character has their own voice and inflection and you are never left wondering who is speaking. I will always listen to these on audio.

Can I have the next book NOW Please!!

Top 5 audiobooks of 2017

Excellent, chilling listen

Loved this mix of history, humor and supernatural storytelling. I highly recommend! Best of the books, so far, in this series.

Favorite Series, FAVORITE NARRATOR

This book is near perfection. It blows my mind what Libba has done with this story—from a writing perspective and a topical one. She somehow manages to balance a beautifully diverse, uniquely voiced ensemble cast of characters with a chilling storyline full of thrills, socio-political commentary on America in the 1920s, our treatment of mental health, political leanings, and how a person can be coaxed into extremism or passivity. She's not afraid to point out the gaping wounds of America's history and the subsequent ghosts we must not forget. It is a book—a series—SO necessary under today's leadership, and one I truly hope makes waves when it comes to an end.

On a story level, Libba is a master weaver. She highlights the colors of each character, creating their unique struggles, hopes, dreams, ambitions and then spins a whole tapestry in which they are worked seamlessly together without losing that which makes them unique. She shows their personalities vividly through their dialogue and responses to a situation, the way they cope with tragedy and victory, the way they interact with the world around them. She makes me die laughing in places (usually at Sam and Evie's tomfoolery), swoon and blush (again usually at Sam and Evie), weep profusely, and grit our teeth in anger. Her world is incredibly immersive, the 1920s grit of New York painted in a few simple words.

This narrator is by FAR my favorite of the entire pantheon. Her ability to spin unique voices for a myriad of characters—major and minor—and to hit the emotional beats every time is completely unmatched. Her renditions of Evie's voice in particular during this audiobook made me weep in places—from her brightest teases to a scene full of vulnerability after trauma. I look froward to listening to this again!