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neff__'s review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
Hmmm.... I read this book because I made reference to the premise of the Divergent film (which was based of this book) to a co-worker, and indicated it was just plain daft. I added it was good that teen girls were being given a positive/strong role model, but that the film was still daft. My co-worker, an English teacher barely out of the target demographic herself, suggested I read the book before I make such sweeping generalisations.
Well I've read the book, which is set in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian Chicago, where the population are seemingly walled in (from some unseen baddie)m and divided into 5 factions, based on the single character trait, they're supposed to have (because of course people only ever have one character trait). The result is that some join Candour (because they're honest, implying that that the remainder in a semi-permanent panic, because their pants are on fire), others join Amity (implying that the others are asses), Abnegation (well these might not be as much of an asses as the others, but they're going to be holier-than-thou), Dauntless (which does seem to involve being an ass), and Erudite.
Into this world steps Beatrice (Tris), who, at the age of 16 is asked to chose a group (or faction). If she choses to change factions (from the one into which she was born), her family will pretty much disown her, and it'll be really hard to speak them ever again. Well, she moves to Dauntless, goes through training (which proves she's joined a bunch of bullies), only to find she's going to have to save her new Faction from becoming mindless drones who go about murdering people. The reason she can do this is because she's not affected by the "drone inducing medication", which happens because she's Divergent (ta-da-dah).
So all, in all, my original grumble stands. It's a stupid premise based on the fact that publishers probably wanted something like the successful Mockingjay franchise. Don't get me wrong, the book's good if you want to empower teen girls, but I can't see the attraction for anyone else. On and the films better, by the way, because at least we didn't get Tris's whiney internal monologue about how she was put upon all the time.
Well I've read the book, which is set in a post-apocalyptic/dystopian Chicago, where the population are seemingly walled in (from some unseen baddie)m and divided into 5 factions, based on the single character trait, they're supposed to have (because of course people only ever have one character trait). The result is that some join Candour (because they're honest, implying that that the remainder in a semi-permanent panic, because their pants are on fire), others join Amity (implying that the others are asses), Abnegation (well these might not be as much of an asses as the others, but they're going to be holier-than-thou), Dauntless (which does seem to involve being an ass), and Erudite.
Into this world steps Beatrice (Tris), who, at the age of 16 is asked to chose a group (or faction). If she choses to change factions (from the one into which she was born), her family will pretty much disown her, and it'll be really hard to speak them ever again. Well, she moves to Dauntless, goes through training (which proves she's joined a bunch of bullies), only to find she's going to have to save her new Faction from becoming mindless drones who go about murdering people. The reason she can do this is because she's not affected by the "drone inducing medication", which happens because she's Divergent (ta-da-dah).
So all, in all, my original grumble stands. It's a stupid premise based on the fact that publishers probably wanted something like the successful Mockingjay franchise. Don't get me wrong, the book's good if you want to empower teen girls, but I can't see the attraction for anyone else. On and the films better, by the way, because at least we didn't get Tris's whiney internal monologue about how she was put upon all the time.
nihilisticpoptart's review against another edition
5.0
I haven't read a book this fast in a long time. It made me think.
jenmangler's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading this book quite a lot. It's been a long time since I read a YA dystopian novel as I'd really gone off the genre, but reading this again (for book club) after so long made me remember what I liked about the genre in the first place.
shaybear's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
breezy610's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I Have been reading this non-stop since i started reading it and i can say is wow and that I CANNOT wait until the next book comes out.
sande's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
violet_ivory's review against another edition
2.0
Didn't find it very captivating. The main character ironically felt rather bland. Not bad but not good.