Friday, March 28, 2014

Friday Feature: Divergent



Divergent (Divergent, #1)In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.


My thoughts:
I won this book a long time ago on Medeia Sharif's blog but it's been sitting on my bookshelf. Why? As much as I wanted to read it, I was worried about all the hype. I thought it wouldn't live up to it. But I finally decided to give it a try, and I'm so glad I did. Tris is a character I could identify with from the start because she felt so real. She doesn't fit in with her family or her faction. And when her simulation says she's Divergent and confirms that she doesn't fit in anywhere, she has to make a big decision. Being Divergent is dangerous. If people found out, she would be killed. So Tris makes a big decision and leaves her faction for one she thinks will save her.

I was really glad that Tris struggled a lot in her new faction. Things were tough, yet she'd have small victories along the way. I thought it was the perfect balance. She also develops some great relationships, though not all end well for her. While it's obvious that there's going to be something between Tris and Four, there were plenty of surprises there too, and I loved seeing what was going to happen next.

I wish I didn't put this serious off for so long, and I'm looking forward to the movie adaptation and book two.

29 comments:

  1. Divergent was fun, I liked it that Tris wasn't perfect and capable of everything, that she had to struggle. The author really loved writing this book, and it shows.

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    1. Yes, and she's not very pretty either. She's sort of an average person until she learns to beat the system.

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    1. It's really good. I just downloaded the second book to my Kindle. I'll be starting it later today. :)

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  3. Every movie I ever watched where I read the book first was disappointing to me. So I probably won't read the book first this time.

    Misery was the last one (long time ago). **SPOILER!!** In the book, the victim's foot was amputated rather than broken with a sledge hammer. Remember, the villain is a nurse by trade, so makes more sense she would use her skills rather than stoop to neanderthal ways.

    That's what I've found in many movie adaptations. They don't consider the details enough.

    This sounds like a great story and I'll probably read the book one day.

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    1. I've heard the movie doesn't have a lot of things the book did, and some people even said you won't totally get the movie if you haven't read the book. Not that I'm trying to sway you. ;)

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  4. Interesting to hear your thoughts! I tried to read this, but I know I'd have ended up in either Amity or Erudite, but you know for the sake of a good novel she's got to end up in Dauntless. I just couldn't relate. Physical risk could never be me. I would SO get killed the first day.

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    1. Yeah, some parts of Dauntless were a bit much for me too, but I loved that (SPOILER ALERT!!) it's mentioned Dauntless had changed from what it was meant to be. Certain individuals corrupted their values and the way they operate.

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    2. Oh, and another SPOILER! One of the ones you mentioned also winds up being corrupt.

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  5. Kelly, wait until you see Theo James as Four in the movie ... H-O-T! :-)

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    1. I think I have to wait until it's out on DVD because I don't want my daughter to see if and she won't forgive me if I go to the movies without her. Lol

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  6. I'm curious to see what the hype is about too. I have to say the movie trailers were the first I'd heard of it, but PBs are more in my circle these days so that's no wonder.

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  7. Like you Kelly, I was pleased to see that Tris had to struggle to become a member of her new faction. It made her real. I read this a long time ago, then finished the trilogy. My book pal, my 14 year old grand daughter read it with me. We just saw the movie together yesterday--and while some things were changed (for theatrical reasons I assume), we both enjoyed it, and even my hubby who didn't read the book stayed awake for the whole moving (big accomplishment on his part--hehee).

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    1. I'm looking forward to seeing it but will probably wait for the DVD since my daughter wants to see the movie but I think she's too young. She's 7 going on 30. ;) I definitely need to see how they handle to fight scenes and certain other brutal parts before I even think about letting her watch it.

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  8. Now you can read the whole series without waiting for more books! I need to see the movie. +

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  9. I really need to read this book but I have so many others on my TBR list, including a couple of yours=) So it will have to wait. My niece begged me to take her to see the movie last weekend and it was sold out for all times; go figure! Maybe I will just wait until it's out on Netflex so I can read the book first. Thanks for sharing, Kelly!

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    1. I always read the book first because the movie never includes everything in the book and I want to know it all before I watch. ;)

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  10. You know, I probably would have done the same thing. I felt the same way about Hunger Games, and while I wasn't a huge fan, I thought it was a worthy effort. I read horrible reviews of the movie. Good to hear a positive review about the book.

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    1. You read bad reviews of the Divergent movie? All the ones I've read we're good, but they were all by readers not movie critics.

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  11. I really want to see the movie! All the crazy stuff Dauntless does looks like it'd be a good thrill on the big screen. Debating trying to find a baby-sitter and going w/a girlfriend. Me and my husband do have a movie date night coming up, but I don't know if I'll be able to convince him or not. I could lie and say it's a spy thriller/shoot 'em up movie, lol!

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    1. lol Well if it follows the book, the movie should have plenty of action, so your husband might be up for it.

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  12. I can't remember if I gave you the hardcover or ebook.

    I read the first two books and loved them. I'm hesitant about the third because of the reviews.

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    1. Hardcover, Medeia and thank you again. :) I'm reading Insurgent as an ebook right now.

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  13. It's nice you got the book for free - and even nicer that you weren't disappointed with it! I hope you have a lovely weekend! :)

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    1. Yes! I love winning giveaways. It's like my birthday but without the aging part. ;)

      Have a great weekend.

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