Divergent: review
3/5 stars!
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.
For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
My thoughts:
I don't want to write a bad review, since I know many will hate me. Maybe because everyone seems to love this book. Aha.
Well, I was getting comfortable with the story...and then nothing happened. Well, yes, the story developed. Great! I liked where it was going. So then nothing happened. Great. I didn't know where it was going.
Oh, wait, Tris was allowed to know all this information just because...well, for some reason. She just found out.
Four, oh dear, Four. When the hello did you fall in love with Tris? I didn't see it coming, nor did I believe it. Hah! No wonder she feared you only "loved" her to have sex with her.
Okay, credit for Tris for thinking that of him, because I thought he was kidding when he constantly kissed her between the brows like a father would kiss a daughter. And then normally kissed her. And well, of course, loved her--?
There...were...these...moments...when...I...just...wanted...to...move...on.... And...nothing...would...happen...because...there...were...awkward...pauses. And then I was into a scene like, YES--YES! And then I would get a narration. Gah! Gah! Stop! Stop! Take me back...to...the...scene!
Well, I was waiting for the big conflict in the story, because I felt like I already knew too much about the characters. What was next? Oh, so the climax is at the end...end? And the resolution? No, it can't be at the tail. I need to gasp for air and allow my brain to cool down after the climax.
Wait, that was Divergent. Suddenly Tris is sleeping, next thing I know this major thing is happening and I keep reading and reading and reading and trying to--OMG, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? No, not in a good way. How did that happen? Why? Um, do we even know? Where does this come from?
Since when does everyone want to die?
How is it that everything plays out so easy?
*Sighs*
When I finished reading, I kept looking for more. Not because I wanted to read more, but because the ending happened so quickly that I felt like I had wasted all my time reading about how Tris learned about her faction and then suddenly none of what she had learned mattered. Or did it? I didn't care. I didn't. Everything was left behind. Like, what is going on? Is there even--? No? Wait, I'm lost. So THAT easy? So easy. No, I love endings and I did not like this one a bit.
*Shrugs*
It's just a book. Move on. Will I read the next book? Maybe. I haven't decided yet. And hey, 3 stars is not a bad rating. Just saying.
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives.
For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
My thoughts:
I don't want to write a bad review, since I know many will hate me. Maybe because everyone seems to love this book. Aha.
Well, I was getting comfortable with the story...and then nothing happened. Well, yes, the story developed. Great! I liked where it was going. So then nothing happened. Great. I didn't know where it was going.
Oh, wait, Tris was allowed to know all this information just because...well, for some reason. She just found out.
Four, oh dear, Four. When the hello did you fall in love with Tris? I didn't see it coming, nor did I believe it. Hah! No wonder she feared you only "loved" her to have sex with her.
Okay, credit for Tris for thinking that of him, because I thought he was kidding when he constantly kissed her between the brows like a father would kiss a daughter. And then normally kissed her. And well, of course, loved her--?
There...were...these...moments...when...I...just...wanted...to...move...on.... And...nothing...would...happen...because...there...were...awkward...pauses. And then I was into a scene like, YES--YES! And then I would get a narration. Gah! Gah! Stop! Stop! Take me back...to...the...scene!
Well, I was waiting for the big conflict in the story, because I felt like I already knew too much about the characters. What was next? Oh, so the climax is at the end...end? And the resolution? No, it can't be at the tail. I need to gasp for air and allow my brain to cool down after the climax.
Wait, that was Divergent. Suddenly Tris is sleeping, next thing I know this major thing is happening and I keep reading and reading and reading and trying to--OMG, WHAT JUST HAPPENED? No, not in a good way. How did that happen? Why? Um, do we even know? Where does this come from?
Since when does everyone want to die?
How is it that everything plays out so easy?
*Sighs*
When I finished reading, I kept looking for more. Not because I wanted to read more, but because the ending happened so quickly that I felt like I had wasted all my time reading about how Tris learned about her faction and then suddenly none of what she had learned mattered. Or did it? I didn't care. I didn't. Everything was left behind. Like, what is going on? Is there even--? No? Wait, I'm lost. So THAT easy? So easy. No, I love endings and I did not like this one a bit.
*Shrugs*
It's just a book. Move on. Will I read the next book? Maybe. I haven't decided yet. And hey, 3 stars is not a bad rating. Just saying.
P.S. Many agree that book two (Insurgent) is way better. We shall see.
[The synopsis was taken from www.Goodreads.com , including my thoughts, which were first published there]
Your review is dead on perfect.
ReplyDeleteI think Divergent was so over-hyped. I think that's partly why I was less than thrilled by it. I've read several independently published books that were just as good if not better than it. It feels like she found a much better editor for book two. And there is actual conflict and action.
I probably would not even have attempted Book 2 but someone lent me both books at the same time.
Okay, I already read your review and no, I don't believe in ANY of what you wrote. The book is not overly hyped, in my opinion The Hunger Games is! How you gave it a higher rating I have no idea, I didn't like it as much as I liked Divergent! You can DEFINITELY see Four falling in love throughout the entire book. It didn't go slowly, there was no point that I felt like there was a lull with nothing going on!
ReplyDeleteI AM planning to write a review on it hopefully soon.
But please please don't read Cinder? I love that book and don't want you to ruin it for me!