From the Bookshelf of Erudite Readers…

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth

Start date: December 7, 2011

Finish date: December 31, 2011

Discussion: Monthly Reads!

Discussion leader: Jon

Why we're reading this: Chosen by you in our Monthly Poll :)
Overall winner of The Goodreads Choice Awards.
[close] Chosen by you in our Monthly Poll :)
Overall winner of The Goodreads Choice Awards.

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Monthly Reads!

March 2013 Nomination Thread
By Jon , The Paperback Prince · 14 posts · 50 views

last updated Feb 18, 2014 11:32AM

World War Z by Max Brooks
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last updated May 08, 2013 03:55PM

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What Members Thought

Feb 26, 2012 Cassie rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

So little ol’ me arrived late to the Divergent bandwagon. It wasn’t until two months ago that I cracked open the cover of my brand new Divergent paperback copy. I didn’t know much about it, really. Only that it had a VERY high goodreads score and raving reviews.

I was intrigued.

First off, let me say that the world Veronica Roth created is interesting but not believable. It’s highly unlikely that a society divided into five factions could survive the way they did--isolated from each other. What So little ol’ me arrived late to the Divergent bandwagon. It wasn’t until two months ago that I cracked open the cover of my brand new Divergent paperback copy. I didn’t know much about it, really. Only that it had a VERY high goodreads score and raving reviews.

I was intrigued.

First off, let me say that the world Veronica Roth created is interesting but not believable. It’s highly unlikely that a society divided into five factions could survive the way they did--isolated from each other. What are these factions? Each represents a “virtue”, so to speak. A virtue that is held in highest regard to it’s faction members. There are five: Abnegation (the selfless), Erudite, (the Intelligent), Dauntless (the brave), Candor (the honest), and Amity (the peaceful).

When people in this dystopian society “come of age” they take a competency test that reveals that individual’s singular value. The results of the test don’t dictate the person’s choice of faction, but there's no denying it's influence during the choosing ceremony.

But at the heart of the Story is Beatrice (aka Tris). She was born into Abnegation, and when tested, discovers that she is of a rare species: she is Divergent. This means she has an affinity for more than one faction. And honestly, I think every person today is divergent. No one virtue really defines us all, but I suppose what matters in the end is what virtue we valued the most. So yeah, like I said, I had issues. However, I was able to get past the believability. And when I did it was QUITE an enjoyable ride.

So what faction does Tris choose? She aligns herself with Dauntless, the brave.

And then the story kicks off with the Tris' initiation into the Dauntless faction.

Tris is a very interesting character. She goes from rigid and conforming to brave and kick-butt and now she's one of my favorite heroines (up there with Katniss Everdeen). I enjoyed her growth and strength as she's forced to fight other initiates, as she learns out to wield a gun and a knife, and as she learns about love and friendship. The initiation is pretty brutal though (so much so that one initiate gets stabbed in the eye!) Yeah.

And it’s a far cry from the manifesto that states: we believe in every day acts of bravery.

Violence is not bravery, but somehow over time, this has become the norm of the Dauntless.

Tris learns all this during her initiation and it all leads to a pretty epic ending. It was brutal, heart-pounding, and edge-of-your seat action. I don’t know WHY I enjoyed this book so much, but it had me turning pages. Even in the quieter moments of the book, I devoured each and every page. Tris intrigued me, and her relationship with Four (which was NOT love at first sight, thank God) was very sweet. To say much more would spoil the book, but their relationship is sweet and born out of interest and compassion. Not lust.

Whatever gripes I may have about Divergent's world building, I want people who haven’t read the book to understand that Divergent is more of commentary on human morale than a commentary on society as a whole. Many grey areas exist, and even the best of traits can be molded into something bad. Also, I find it interesting that Veronica Roth decided to write this book in response to her own moral struggle. I understand this and this is why I chose to give this book 4 stars instead of 3.

Oh, and that ending also had me salivating for MORE. Veronica Roth is a very talented writer, whose prose is flowing, readable, and engrossing. I have already suggested this book to a few of my friends, and they all loved it. So check it out and see for yourself. See what the hype is all about. ...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Margo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I realize I feel a bit foolish for giving this book five stars as I am part of the minority here. I picked up this book with the intent of getting my dystopian fix after I had just read Mockingjay. This book delivered. I had pretty high hopes for this book because I had already read the first five chapters on the internet ( Shh...) and there were so many rave reviews about this being likened to The Hunger Games. To me, though the only similarities THG and Divergent share is that they both belong ...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Lily rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-fav-list, dystopian, to-be-is-movie

I don't know what to say.
This book was a rollercoaster. Every page was filled with thrilling tension. This was soo Exiting to read.
Best book EVER!!!
I would recommend this book to everyone... EVERYONE:)
I read this book in one day - and two days later I still can't stop thinking about it.
I know, that I haven't written much. But there isn't much to say...
Only:

READ THIS BOOK _ OR YOU WILL REGRET IT.

(not a threat - more a prediction)
...more

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