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Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth

Start date: January 1, 2012

Finish date: January 31, 2012

Discussion: Former Group Reads

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Former Group Reads

* Reckless by Amanda Quick (September 2013 Group Read)
By Rea , Ghost · 9 posts · 20 views

last updated Oct 26, 2013 12:24PM

* Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin (September 2013 Group Read)
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last updated Sep 01, 2013 07:24AM

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What Members Thought

Aug 23, 2013 Annie Brewer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, book-boyfriend, ya, books-on-my-shelf, bad-ass-heroine, dystopian

Damn, that was some crazy shit!!! The last bunch of chapters had my head spinning. I had no idea what was going on, but I know it wasn't good. Lordy, my heart was racing. But it was good!

I'm very eager, yet keeping my expectations low, for the movie. It looks awesome, so I hope they stick to the book.

I'll post full review tomorrow. But I gotta say, Four is pretty amazeballs!! I can see the hype around him and find it accurate. He's so sweet and protective and flawed and just all around awesome Damn, that was some crazy shit!!! The last bunch of chapters had my head spinning. I had no idea what was going on, but I know it wasn't good. Lordy, my heart was racing. But it was good!

I'm very eager, yet keeping my expectations low, for the movie. It looks awesome, so I hope they stick to the book.

I'll post full review tomorrow. But I gotta say, Four is pretty amazeballs!! I can see the hype around him and find it accurate. He's so sweet and protective and flawed and just all around awesome!

I'd hate to admit it, but it took me awhile to get into this book. God, I wanted to love it. After being recommended by several people, I just feel bad that I didn't love it the way they did. But, you can't love 'em all right? That doesn't mean I didn't like it. I just have a hard time getting into Dystopian. It's not my first genre to read. I've always been more of a Paranormal romance genre reader. It's where I started, and it's where I'll end.

However, after getting to the middle, it started to pick up for me. I always enjoyed Four. When he came into the scene, I was connected to him. I enjoyed Tris. Her character was engaging, bringing me into her world, and the life of the Factions.

So why didn't I enjoy this more then? Because the whole world building was very confusing for me. In the beginning that is. Maybe I just had too much on my mind at once to pay attention to how everything worked. But I found myself lost on several occasions. I re-read a bunch to try to get a grasp on what was happening. Things finally clicked though. And then shit was going down and I again, was lost. Too much happening at once. First of all, what the fuck are they doing jumping off moving trains? I. Don't. Get. That. I'd be dead in a frickin' heartbeat...like KER SPLAT! Dead. I don't know, that was just weird to me. I guess it's because I had a near-death accident with a train and I don't like the sight of them. I hate them in fact, they scare me. So, no fucking thanks. I'll pass on committing suicide. Ha!

I did like the Factions and what they represented. I found the whole simulations kinda crazy too. Holy hell, seeing your fears right in front of you. I got about a handful of those, and they're pretty crazy. To have to go head-on with them would seriously drive me to a mental hospital. Maybe that's a bit extreme, but it's the truth. I did like Tris' bravery. How she handled the initiations and her choice of what Faction she chose. Even if it stirred the pot between her parents.

We learned a lot about sacrifice, loyalty, bravery, facing your fears, trust, self-discovery, what to do in a dire situation and what lengths you'd go to protect those you love. It was really fascinating.

There's so much that I enjoyed, and some I was confused and lost on. But overall, it was better than I expected it to be when I first heard of this series a year ago. I never planned on reading it. Ever. It just didn't interest me. But then I watched the trailer, yes I watched the trailer before I read the book. I watched it over and over. And started to become more curious about the hype, so I did go out and buy it. I just let it sit on my shelf for a while before I finally opened the book.

I enjoyed the characters. Christina, Will, Al, Caleb, Tori (my daughter's name, not that that matters, just tossing that tidbit out there), Tris, and of course Four. I even liked, hated, the bad guys...the ones that made me want to hurl them off the edge of the roof of the building eighteen stories up. Yeah, those too. Gotta have villains to keep it interesting. But I still hated them and what they did. Not cool.

The ending had a lot of action, probably the most, and I was sad and jumping in suspense and cringing, and hoping against odds that certain things didn't happen. I was able to breathe eventually, but it was still intense. But it kept me turning the pages to see what was going on and how it would transpire.

I loved the bit of romance that was happening. Four was such a sweet, protective guy. Really. The conversations he and Tris had, the way he was gentle yet firm and attentive, yet he let his emotions slip a little, the subtle gestures he made like holding her hand, the look in his eyes when he saw into her. It was all endearing. I swooned quite a bit with that guy. I kept forgetting he was not too much older than Tris but he acted a lot older. He was mature for his 18 years, I think. And the fact that he wasn't any more experienced than she was. HELLO HOT STUFF! The end was so swoony, and I could feel my face flush a bunch. Especially their last interaction. Loved it!

I'm interested to see how they're going to bring this book to the screen. I won't get my hopes up or expectations high, not doing that EVER again. But I'm still very curious and will be anticipating the movie next year. I do need to read Insurgent at some point too, just not sure when yet. ...more

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May 24, 2015 Angie ~aka Reading Machine~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Beatrice Prior comes from The Abnegation (the selfless), the other four nations are Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). She doesn't feel like the rest of Abnegation and can only become who she's meant to be by changing where she comes from through testing. When it comes time to choose Beatrice surprises everyone including herself by choosing Dauntless. She finds the change is freeing in a way she's never known. Among other things Beatr ...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Francielle De Oliveira rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorites, guys-i-fell-in-love

"- Ninguém é perfeito (...) Quando nos livramos de uma coisa ruim, outra a substitui."
Beatrice sente que não pertence à Abnegação. E quando o resultado do teste de aptidão, que acontece um dia antes da cerimonia em que ela tem que escolher uma das cinco facções para pertencer, mostra que ela é uma Divergente, alguém com aptidão para mais de uma facção. Isso era algo desconhecido para Beatrice, algo muito perigoso pois pode colocar sua vida em risco, por isso ela deve guardar segredo absoluto: se "- Ninguém é perfeito (...) Quando nos livramos de uma coisa ruim, outra a substitui."
Beatrice sente que não pertence à Abnegação. E quando o resultado do teste de aptidão, que acontece um dia antes da cerimonia em que ela tem que escolher uma das cinco facções para pertencer, mostra que ela é uma Divergente, alguém com aptidão para mais de uma facção. Isso era algo desconhecido para Beatrice, algo muito perigoso pois pode colocar sua vida em risco, por isso ela deve guardar segredo absoluto: seus amigos nem familiares podem saber disso. E na cerimônia de escolha, Beatrice se vê dividida entre sua família, e o que ela realmente quer.

"- Ninguém é perfeito - sussurro. - As coisas não funcionam assim. Quando nos livramos de uma coisa ruim, outra a substitui."

Veronica Roth criou uma distopia fantástica: uma sociedade segregada, intolerâncias entre crenças diferentes, há padrões de comportamento esperados dentro de um grupo, e quando esses padrões não são seguidos, aqueles que são diferentes sofrem preconceito, são isolados do grupo. Muitas semelhanças com a sociedade atual, uma crítica bem construída e tapas na cara de muitas pessoas. Os personagens principais foram muito bem explorados, mas os secundários nem tanto. Os costumes das facções também merecem destaque, principalmente da Abnegação, descritos com detalhes.

"Os que culpavam a agressividade formaram a Amizade. (...) Os que culpavam a ignorância se tornaram a Erudição. (...) Os que culpavam a duplicidade fundaram a Franqueza. (...) Os que culpavam o egoísmo geraram a Abnegação. (...) E os que culpavam a covardia se juntaram à Audácia."

Amei esse livro! Além da distopia bem construída, o enredo e as divisões das facções foram muito criativas. Uma das coisas que mais gostei do livro, foi a iniciação nas facções (Ao escolherem uma facção - tanto os nascidos naquela facção, quanto os transferidos de outras facções - passam por uma iniciação: provas em que tem que provar que pertencem realmente àquela facção. Nem todos, ao final da iniciação, se tornam membros efetivos). Beatrice, agora Tris, demonstra uma força muito grande, a personagem me conquistou nesse ponto. Quatro me surpreendeu por ser um personagem sem "frescuras", que não demonstra aquilo que não sente e me pareceu bem autêntico, sem atos e discursos exagerados e utópicos.

Divergente foi, com certeza, uma das melhores leituras de 2012, e recomendo à todos. Uma distopia cheia de ação, crítica social digna de aplausos, personagens bem construídos, um romance não enjoativo e um ritmo rápido que faz com que largar o livro seja impossível.

"De repente, percebo o que está me deixando tonta. É ele. Algo nele faz com que me sinta prestes a despencar. Ou derreter. Ou arder em chamas."

"Percebo a enorme proximidade entre nós, de no máximo quinze centímetros. O espaço parece carregado de eletricidade, e sinto que deveríamos estar ainda mais perto um do outro."

5/5 ♥

http://theserialreader.blogspot.com.b... ...more

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May 16, 2012 Lani rated it it was amazing

Omg. Its been a long while since ive loved a book as much as i LOVE this one! The Hunger Games was the last one that sucked me in the way Divergent did, and i read that at least 18months ago!

Speaking of Hunger Games, i may as well say now, that Divergent did seem to follow the same "formula". Maybe it was just the young, full of guts, strong female lead. Maybe it was just that it was obvious from the beginning that the whole story was leading to a war. Maybe it was just that they're both dystop Omg. Its been a long while since ive loved a book as much as i LOVE this one! The Hunger Games was the last one that sucked me in the way Divergent did, and i read that at least 18months ago!

Speaking of Hunger Games, i may as well say now, that Divergent did seem to follow the same "formula". Maybe it was just the young, full of guts, strong female lead. Maybe it was just that it was obvious from the beginning that the whole story was leading to a war. Maybe it was just that they're both dystopian. I dont know, and i dont care. The fact that i occasionally felt a bit of deja vu was my only, very minor dislike. But if you hated Hunger Games, then i doubt this is the book for you.

So, now on to everyhing that was great about the book.

Beatrice/Tris. The lead character. She is fantastic. Strong, gutsy, brave, selfless, flawed, determined. Everything i wish i had been as a 16 year old girl (or as a 30 year old woman!). Fighting the way she was brought up, and the expectations of both herself and her family, to become the person she really is. I love her.

Four. The male lead/love interest. Tough and badass on the outside. Soft and sweet on the inside. Demons of his own to face. Oh how i love Four. Actually i think i could easily confess to being in love with him. Edward Cullen, you've been replaced. At first it really bugged me that he didnt have a proper name. I always find it irritating when authors name their characters something odd. But i got over it quickly and now, the name Four actually sounds like something id consider naming my child. Maybe Victoria Beckham was onto something when they named that baby Harper Seven...

In my opinion, this book is full of very strong, well developed and written characters. I feel like i know each of them personally. I was constantly cheering for them. Or laughing with them. Crying with them, or for them. Apart from the fact im a total wuss and would never cut it in their society, i totally wanted to be there with them.

oh the suspense!I sat on the edge of my seat the entire time i was reading Divergent. Every chapter had some sort of action to keep me hanging on and wanting to read more. Veronica Roth has jam packed a ton of info and built this world so well. But it was never confusing, which was a nice change from other first books in a series.

The action was great, never a boring minute. But what i also really loved was the sweet,tender, innocent little romance that developed between Tris and Four. I had just finished 50 shades of Grey when i started this book, and frankly, Tris and Four were a complete breath of fresh air for me after reading 300 pages of the carry on between Ana and Christian in 50 shades!

Without giving anything away, i like that the book didnt end on a huge cliffhanger. I hate when a book feels like it stops practically mid senetence! Obviously it left it open for the sequel, but i wouldnt be having heart failure if i didnt have a copy of the second book, Insurgent (which i do!).

Anyway, this is a great YA, dystopian novel and considering its the authors first, im well impressed and cant wait to start the next one! ...more

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May 12, 2020 Henri Moreaux rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: americas, dystopian, young-adult

Whilst this typically isn't a genre I would usually read, all the hype around the series has me wanting to check it out simply to expand my reading horizons.

I note that whilst it's 487 pages those pages are double spaced with a large lower margin, so in reality it would be more like 320-350 pages if formatted in a more standard fashion. I guess the publisher thinks the feeling of accomplishment allowing one to plow through a seemingly large number of pages will help its appeal to the younger dem ...more

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Mar 10, 2013 Erin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I loved this book. It was a fun fast read that I nearly read all of in one sitting. It has all the elements that I loved in the Hunger Games but also some extras. The characters were extremely well written and the dialogue is great and believable. I'll be looking to get my hands on the next book soon! ...more

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Jul 03, 2014 Violeta Nedkova rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved the world of Divergent. It's a compelling story and the protagonist is slightly more likable than Katniss Everdeen of The Hunger Games. Loved the movie, too. ...more

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