The Divergent Series By Veronica Roth - Reading from 'Divergent (Divergent #1)' from July 2nd 2019

[Maddie]

I agree with all of those points!

[✨ A ✨]

Finish (view spoiler)[idk why but Fernando's death really crushed me. And so did Lynn's. I forgot that she dies. She was such a great character damn.

I enjoyed this book more than I did the first time. I think it's because I now recognize that Tris's decisions weren't ‘dumb’,, she was clearly suffering from ptsd and survivors guilt and it made her unstable and reckless. But despite that she accomplished so much. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Wow this is dual POV!

3% (view spoiler)[Confused why is Evelyn the bad guy and what happened with her and Tris? I got lost at the end of Insurgent so I'm struggling now XD (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Is anyone reading/read Allegiant yet?

[Ryn]

I'm reading Allegiant. Started it yesterday. I missed my own buddy read on it cause life >.<

[Maddie]

Yeah that's fair haha. I haven't read any more, will re-start I think. Not sure when.

[Ryn]

To Ch 13
One of the things I always really enjoy about dystopias is the point where the characters come in contact with things from our world that are no longer relevant or familiar in their post-apocalyptic society. Magazines seem to often be a big one. (view spoiler)[ Insurgent was a little slow for me, but I'm excited to see where this one goes now that they're finally going outside the walls to see what's out there and find out where they came from. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

That's of Allegiant right Ryn? I honestly don't know when I'll get to this :/

[Ryn]

Yeap :) Got to get it off my read shelf one way or another.

[Maddie]

Yeah I'm the same XD I need to just get to it, even though I can't remember Insurgent at all, may have to watch a summary video if there is one.

[Ryn]

to Ch 22

Wow. Was not actually expecting all the (view spoiler)[ stuff with Tris's mom. And I know when I read Divergent, everyone complained that the factions were the stupidest way to set up a society ever because people didn't have just ONE of those traits. It's really nice to have that explained. Not positive the whole damaged genes concept works entirely, but I'll give it a pass; at least she was trying to make the worlds have a logical foundation. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I'll be reading this one sometime this month I hope.

[Maddie]

I probably won't like it. I've been average about the other two XD

[Sarah Elizabeth]

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Date changed. Restarting July 2nd 2019. Happy Reading ☺

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[Dannii]

First quarter of Divergent - (view spoiler)[I first read this series in 2014 and absolutely adored it. I've also rewatched the movies multiple times. I was hesitant to reread the books however, as I didn't know if my adoration would have waned now I am less enamoured with the dystopian genre. This begun strongly though. I know the storyline so well that there was no new shocks or anything I had forgotten but I enjoyed Tris' initiation into Dauntless just as much.

Much of this first portion was concerned with Tris' inner-monologue and her confusion on how to act. She has been brought up to think in one way but this does not come naturally to her on times. She also struggles with what the dauntless definition of bravery is and how far it goes. When does bravery become stupidity? And when does too little bravery become cowardice? (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Second quarter of Divergent - (view spoiler)[Peter, Molly, and Drew are such cartoon villains it is hard to take them too seriously. Their bullying of Tris, as immature as it is, must hurt though.

Robert switched factions too, it makes me sad for Abnegation to have so few initiates. They are so selfless and the majority do what is best for the city as a whole but not to be able to run and laugh and hug others just for the joy of it is no way to live.

Capture the Flag is my favourite part of this book. The reader gets to see lots of scheming, more of Tris and Four's growing bond, it introduces us to more of the world, and is also just plain fun! Christina acted a little selfishly though.

Poor Edward! That was pretty horrific. The dauntless initiation is making everyone crazy... or crazier than they already were. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Third quarter of Divergent - (view spoiler)[I love the zipline scenes although I wished Roth used this scene to give the reader an in-depth overview of the world. It certainly was another fun chapter though.

I love the chaos of The Pit in the Dauntless compound. It seems so chaotic but so free, where everyone is allowed to be themselves and so as they please with no judgement.

It's so sad how the other initiates react to Tris' rise through the ranks. I can understand that their frustrations with her stem from fear but I still feel they are acting unfairly. I have no understanding for the few of them who would resort to murder, though! Poor Al makes me feel so horrifically sad for how he feels but also so angry at him! (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Fourth quarter of Divergent - (view spoiler)[The high stakes ending was a little less thrilling than I remembered. I hate comparing the book to the movie but I really felt the alterations the movie made did a better job at heightening both emotions and the tension. Tris is more central to many of the key moments in the movie and her mother's death is more prolonged. Her father's death is also drawn out a little more and the part where Tris turns the gun on herself and forces Four to look at her before he pulls the trigger kills me everytime, in the film. In the book these moments were a little lost amongst the action and I wanted a longer focus on them. Still a solid ending to a solid book. This isn't the five star read it was for me when I first read it in 2014 but I still enjoyed my reread :) (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

I'm going to start Insurgent hopefully, tomorrow :)

[Maddie]

I'm not sure when I'll start Allegiant XD I can't even remember Insurgent, so will read your updates thoroughly

[Dannii]

No worries, Maddison :) I'm going to start Insurgent later today and hopefully finish it up over this weekend.

[Dannii]

First quarter of Insurgent - (view spoiler)[I loved how this started straight from where the story in Divergent left off. I didn't quite like, however, how Tris felt like quite a different person. The reader got to see her grow during the first book and become less of the mousy individual her faction had forced her to become. The traumatic events at the end of the book also worked to changing who she was. Here, however, the alterations in her character seem a little too instantaneous. She is very angry and impetuous, which I understand, but there is a conversation that refers to her as never being able to stay out of trouble. This was true in the Divergent film, but not quite true in the book.

I'm still enjoying this though, the events were very high tension and action-packed straight away. The small group of survivors arrived at Amnity but their safety was never long-term and couldn't be guaranteed at all when the Dauntless, who still act for Candor, inspect the faction. Four can't hide his Dauntless nature and they are uncovered pretty quickly, leading them back on the run and seeking shelter.

They find a train and are once again caught, this time by the factionless. Their infiltration into the ranks prove the misconceptions that have arisen about these homeless individuals. Evelyn is one of the factionless and also Four's mother. He knew she was alive and I can remember being super shocked at these reveals, during my first reading. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Thanks for the good update! I need them XD

[Dannii]

Maddison wrote: "Thanks for the good update! I need them XD"

No worries. I'll try and make them as details as poss :) I've added some more info to the first one.

[Maddie]

Haha thanks :D

[Dannii]

Second quarter of Insurgent - (view spoiler)[Tris and Four are forced to take the truth serum as Candor believe they weren't the ones who were controlling the Dauntless brainwashing at the end of book one. Tris justifiably terrified of this but is reunited with Christina just before, which tempers the fear somewhat. I was screaming for Tris to tell Christina that she was the one to kill Will and explain it was only in self-defence. WHY DID SHE LIE?? It was clearly only going to make the eventual reveal worse!!

Four reveals his father's abuse. I wish a longer focus was spent on helping him deal with his horrific past as, even in book one, this felt too quickly brushed over and not dealt with in any proper depth. I can't remember if this is focused on later in this book but I hope so. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Third quarter of Insurgent - (view spoiler)[I'm not agreeing with the opinions on Tris' supposedly reckless actions. Four berates her for having no regard for her own life after she eavesdrops on the conversation between Jack and Max, and she is starting to agree with him. Not sure I do though, or maybe I'm just too used to reckless heroines in my fiction, who constantly thrust themselves into danger, haha!

I really appreciate how this book is introducing us to so many more characters. I liked the bond and discrepancies between the initiates in book one but really like the relationships growing between Tris and Zeke, Marlene, Uriah, Lynn etc. I just hope the fractured friendship between Tris and Christina and Lynn's jelousy over Uriah and Marlene doesn't ruin it for too long! It's odd to see Tris so central to the group without Four.

I had forgotten about the brainwashing murder scenes!! How horrific!

The absolute best part of this book is when Tris, the wanted fugitive, just strolls in to confront Janine and no one even notices for a good few minutes! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Yeah WHY DID SHE HAVE TO LIE! Every time that happens in a book or show it obviously comes back to bite them and it's such a facepalm moment!

[Dannii]

Maddison wrote: "Yeah WHY DID SHE HAVE TO LIE! Every time that happens in a book or show it obviously comes back to bite them and it's such a facepalm moment!"

It really is. SO many entire books could have been eradicated if the protagonist had just said, 'hey guys, I did blah blah blah'.

[Dannii]

Fourth quarter of Insurgent - (view spoiler)[After Tris allowed herself to be captured she is forced to perform under simulations for Janine. It isn't until her and Four are in the same room that either breaks though. After this moment, Tris is a shadow of her former self and forced to confront that every person in her life isn't who she thought they were. I'm so glad that weird box thing from the movies didn't originate in the books!

Peter proves himself to be more than the stereotypical antagonist of book one by enabling their freedom and actually speaking up against all of Janine's injustice. He faked her death and allowed them to return to the non-traitorous Dauntless and the Factionless.

The Factionless seem to have got living right. They combine the best aspects of all four factions and it makes for a happy and productive community.

Marcus hints that the Factions weren't created to save humanity but placed there for some unknown reason. He also tells her that Tris' mother didn't rush to save her daughter in book one but was already there to save something from Janine. She abandoned this task to save her daughter at the last minute. To find out these truths, Tris must put her trust in Marcus and betray Four in the process.

It turns out he was actually truthful here, as it was finally revealed that the people of the factions were places here as some sort of social experiment and that they could finally leave the walls of their city home once the Divergent members of their society became prominent. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

First quarter of Allegiant - (view spoiler)[I like how Four has his own perspective in this but am waiting for his new input to really give the reader some new understanding about the events occurring. So far, this has been interesting but I am waiting to venture outside of the city confines and learn more about the larger world.

60 pages in and the group eventually venture outside of the walls. From here my intrigue and enjoyment of the series returned. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Second quarter of Allegiant - (view spoiler)[I assumed the adventures outside of the wall would be super high action, but they have been far quieter scenes than I had anticipated and far more focused on political schemes and Tris' internal monologue. Her concerns are over her identity, when she realizes that the factions were created by isolating segments of people's personalities. She struggles to define who she is when lacking concrete terms. Even divergent gave her something to hold on to when she lost everything else that made her who she was - her faction, home, and family. Only Four remains. Well, and her brother but she is struggling to forgive him.

Tris has received letters from her mother to members outside of the city and understands that her mother was a spy for them, but also that she betrayed her mission for love for her father.

Four's perspectives are now allowing the reader to understand his thoughts about Marcus. He is coming to terms, or attempting to, about his early abuse and I really appreciate his perspective on it. (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I'm not even sure I'll get around to this XD I just don't care. Might have to re-read Insurgent physical in a year or so and then get to Allegiant. The audio just really lost me.

[Dannii]

No worries, Maddison :) I remembered quite a bit from books one and two but feel like I'm reading book three for the first time. I literaly remembered nothing about the story-line. It's also my least favourite in the series, so far, so maybe that's why I can recall so little of it.

[Dannii]

Third quarter of Allegiant - (view spoiler)[I'm not NOT enjoying this but neither am I loving it. There is a lot of internal monologue, arguments, and underhanded negotiations. I do like the political focus this has but am also waiting for the action to rev up a gear, given that so little of the book is actually left.

I hate to see Tris and Four constantly argue. She also mentioned wanting to break off their relationship, at one point. I want to knock their heads together! They are both so quick to anger and I don't understand it. Their environment is stressful, which I get, but they seem to take it out on each other a bit. I guess that's unfortunately kinda authentic, though. (hide spoiler)]

[Dannii]

Fourth quarter of Allegiant - (view spoiler)[The Allegiant are beginning their rebellion and I'm glad. Still maintain that the premise for this book was interesting enough but I'm longing for some action. The first actually action-packed scene in a long time was when a few of the soldiers visited the outer world's version of the factionless. This scene, however, was over far too quickly to assuage my need for adventure.

Ultimately, this whole book let the series down, for me. I did like learning the backstory for the creation of the faction system but the focus on genetics became draining when nothing new was consistently delivered. The same with Tris' obsession over categorising who she was.

The last 150 pages mostly saved it. It provided both the reader and Tris with a redeeming character arc for Caleb, resolution for Tris and Four's relationship, as well as upping the ante with their preparations for the revolution and saving the Chicago experiments.

I know a lot of people have issues with Tris' death but that wasn't an issue for me. I guess I understood its inclusion and thought the emotions after were dealt with well. (hide spoiler)]