AP?

After reading the majority of The Diviner's Tale, I understand why it is of literary merit.

First of all, the vocabulary in the novel is very rich compared to many of the others that I have read. I remember coming to the realization of this by page 82 where Morrow uses the word "equanimity" to describe a state of mind that Cassandra could not find a Greek word to match. I had to look up that word to discover that it meant "steadiness of mind under stress." This is among many of the other words that I've learned while reading this novel.

Secondly, the complexity of ideas that Morrow writes about in Cassandra's mind is intense and complicated. I must say that this novel is constantly sparking me to think of deep and complex ideas that I've not considered so heavily before. For instance, as a reader, I am constantly reminded of the magic of perception throughout Cassandra's endeavors. Cassandra appears to have a much different reality than the people around her and it makes me question the raness of my own life compared to other people around me.

Thirdly, Morrow intertwines many complex relationships among the characters. For example, Cassandra has Niles who respects her, despite the fact that he doesn't believe her altered perception of the world. She has two twin boys who act very mature for their age and do a great job of emotionally supporting Cassandra. Cassandra's father has always been a huge inspiration to her career as a diviner. She also has a strange relationship with her dead brother Christopher. She claims that she doesn't believe in ghosts, but has a connection with the spiritual world so she can be in touch with her brother. Strangely enough, her perception of reality allows her to hold his memories closer.

Overall, I would say that the complexity of vocab, themes, and relationships make this novel a good choice for AP English students.