Yes, Yes. I know, I know. I am super slow since this book came out eons ago. Let's jump in.
Divergent, first novel by Veronica Roth, has taken the U.S. by storm. (It seems like right now we are reaching the end of Super Hero Movies, and entering into the world of post apocalyptic teen novels. If you've ever written an apocalyptic book, 12 months ago would have been the perfect time to reach out to a literary agent.) Divergent is a truly unique story and point of view, unless you read Hunger Games first.
From page one I did not enjoy Roth's name choices. Beatrice? Four? But the unnecessarily weird names don't stop there. It feels as though Roth read the Hunger Games and thought: "I can do better... or just different enough that HG fans will want to read it". Here are my points to that:
1, The world is set up in the post apocalyptic world of the United States (I know it's vague).
2. The population is divided into subgroups that don't fraternize with different groups.
3. Beatrice (a teen girl) must bridge the gap between all the groups except Erudite in order to overthrow them.
4. She has a really hot/attractive/adventurous co star that really shouldn't express any interest in her less than thrilling thoughts. ( I LOVE Katniss- but you got to admit she goes back and forth, back and forth a lot. It's amazing anything gets done for her outside of the arena.)
Anyway, you get my drift. continuing on with the overwhelming name choices, Beatrice has to choose between the different groups: Erudite (knowledge), Abnegation (selfless), Amity (peaceful), Candor (honest), and Dauntless (brave/hellians). My first true annoyance that I had a hard time getting over (because it puzzled me to the end of the book) was these clique names. (Ab-negate, Ab-ga-tion, Abned- how the heck are you supposed to pronounce that? Is there a pronunciation guide in the back?) It felt like the author decided which 5 ideals she wanted the groups to idolize and then did a synonym check for the most SAT appropriate words she could find. Remember your audience is teens? They don't like to feel stupid. And as a side note, the adults who are reading the teen book for an 'easy read' don't like feeling stupid either. Adults don't appreciate having to flip back from your book to a dictionary to make sure they understand what group 'Tris' is talking about.
So, the population is divided into these 5 groups. When you come of a certain age (by the way, is Caleb her twin? All it ever states is that he's her brother. But if he is taking the test at the same time, wouldn't he have to be the same age?), you must take a test that will tell you which group you are most compatible with. But don't worry, if you don't like which group it tells you to go to, you can choose for yourself. Wait... wait... wait. You take a test to determine your group. But the next day you can just decide to choose whichever group you want? What's the point of the "test" then? Oh, it's to tell you if you're divergent or not. Hm.
Okay, so you take the test, then go home and can't talk to anyone about the results. Why? Since the rules are Faction over Family, shouldn't you be able to explain your choice to your parent? Or talk it over? Say goodbye? At the next day's ceremony you get to choose which group to go with. (Wouldn't everyone pick Dauntless?) If you choose a different faction you immediately go sit with them.
So, Beatrice chooses Dauntless and the adventures start right away with climbing to the train... and jumping off the train... jumping off the roof... living underground... going through combat training... attempted murder... What's that? Go back to the combat training? Right.
So from the first depictions of Dauntless, they are rowdy, energetic, adventurous, BRAVE, reckless, athletic, and have no respect for authority. But then you find out that one of this faction's tasks is to be in the military and police. Are the adjectives above who you would want on your police force? That didn't make sense to me.
Anyway, Tris manages to turn from a mousy girl into a rough-in-tumble warrior in no time thanks to her love interest, Four. He takes special interest in her from the beginning. She has some good ideas for the king of the hill game, and some bravery stepping in for Al during the knife throwing scene. About half way through the book I started to like her character. The ending proved to be exciting and thrilling.
The last criticism I have is at the very end. She barely escaped death, her parents are gone, Four/Tobias has just been un-hypnotized, just hoped on a train with Four's abusive dad and her brother Caleb shaking in the corner... and they do the logical thing... make out.
All in all, Divergent was an okay read by the ending. I felt better once I researched Roth and read that she wrote this during college. I have no intention of reading this series further. I heard the second book has POV problems, and third book ruins everything. So, read with caution :) I warned you...
P.S. Just as an additional note, I thought the movie was great and even purchased it! I might see Insurgent once someone I know buys it.
Divergent, first novel by Veronica Roth, has taken the U.S. by storm. (It seems like right now we are reaching the end of Super Hero Movies, and entering into the world of post apocalyptic teen novels. If you've ever written an apocalyptic book, 12 months ago would have been the perfect time to reach out to a literary agent.) Divergent is a truly unique story and point of view, unless you read Hunger Games first.
From page one I did not enjoy Roth's name choices. Beatrice? Four? But the unnecessarily weird names don't stop there. It feels as though Roth read the Hunger Games and thought: "I can do better... or just different enough that HG fans will want to read it". Here are my points to that:
1, The world is set up in the post apocalyptic world of the United States (I know it's vague).
2. The population is divided into subgroups that don't fraternize with different groups.
3. Beatrice (a teen girl) must bridge the gap between all the groups except Erudite in order to overthrow them.
4. She has a really hot/attractive/adventurous co star that really shouldn't express any interest in her less than thrilling thoughts. ( I LOVE Katniss- but you got to admit she goes back and forth, back and forth a lot. It's amazing anything gets done for her outside of the arena.)
Anyway, you get my drift. continuing on with the overwhelming name choices, Beatrice has to choose between the different groups: Erudite (knowledge), Abnegation (selfless), Amity (peaceful), Candor (honest), and Dauntless (brave/hellians). My first true annoyance that I had a hard time getting over (because it puzzled me to the end of the book) was these clique names. (Ab-negate, Ab-ga-tion, Abned- how the heck are you supposed to pronounce that? Is there a pronunciation guide in the back?) It felt like the author decided which 5 ideals she wanted the groups to idolize and then did a synonym check for the most SAT appropriate words she could find. Remember your audience is teens? They don't like to feel stupid. And as a side note, the adults who are reading the teen book for an 'easy read' don't like feeling stupid either. Adults don't appreciate having to flip back from your book to a dictionary to make sure they understand what group 'Tris' is talking about.
So, the population is divided into these 5 groups. When you come of a certain age (by the way, is Caleb her twin? All it ever states is that he's her brother. But if he is taking the test at the same time, wouldn't he have to be the same age?), you must take a test that will tell you which group you are most compatible with. But don't worry, if you don't like which group it tells you to go to, you can choose for yourself. Wait... wait... wait. You take a test to determine your group. But the next day you can just decide to choose whichever group you want? What's the point of the "test" then? Oh, it's to tell you if you're divergent or not. Hm.
Okay, so you take the test, then go home and can't talk to anyone about the results. Why? Since the rules are Faction over Family, shouldn't you be able to explain your choice to your parent? Or talk it over? Say goodbye? At the next day's ceremony you get to choose which group to go with. (Wouldn't everyone pick Dauntless?) If you choose a different faction you immediately go sit with them.
So, Beatrice chooses Dauntless and the adventures start right away with climbing to the train... and jumping off the train... jumping off the roof... living underground... going through combat training... attempted murder... What's that? Go back to the combat training? Right.
So from the first depictions of Dauntless, they are rowdy, energetic, adventurous, BRAVE, reckless, athletic, and have no respect for authority. But then you find out that one of this faction's tasks is to be in the military and police. Are the adjectives above who you would want on your police force? That didn't make sense to me.
Anyway, Tris manages to turn from a mousy girl into a rough-in-tumble warrior in no time thanks to her love interest, Four. He takes special interest in her from the beginning. She has some good ideas for the king of the hill game, and some bravery stepping in for Al during the knife throwing scene. About half way through the book I started to like her character. The ending proved to be exciting and thrilling.
The last criticism I have is at the very end. She barely escaped death, her parents are gone, Four/Tobias has just been un-hypnotized, just hoped on a train with Four's abusive dad and her brother Caleb shaking in the corner... and they do the logical thing... make out.
All in all, Divergent was an okay read by the ending. I felt better once I researched Roth and read that she wrote this during college. I have no intention of reading this series further. I heard the second book has POV problems, and third book ruins everything. So, read with caution :) I warned you...
P.S. Just as an additional note, I thought the movie was great and even purchased it! I might see Insurgent once someone I know buys it.