Thursday, May 24, 2012

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth


Come on. What are you afraid of?

It’s incredible, the moment when you’re halfway through a book and realize that you’re going to fall in love with it. It is the kind of book that makes you breathless when you’re reading it and in the end, all you want to do is just to hug the book and congratulate the author. I have the pleasure to tell you that Divergent is one of these books.

I came to Divergent with super high expectation and I’m really glad that I was not even slightly disappointed. The pacing! The worldbuilding! The characters! The well-written plots! Divergent is practically dripping with awesomeness.

Tris is a character I absolutely adore. She’s strong, smart, and brave beyond words. She’s amazing. I was so protective over Tris, and it enraged me that people around her underestimates her just because she couldn’t kick or throw punches well. You can’t judge a person simply by their brute strength.

The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy.

Oh, I want a bracelet with these words engraved! Never had I read a quote that speaks my mind most cleverly. There is such fragile, thin line that separates courage and simply suicide act. Divergent makes me think about the description of bravery and strength. In the end, I conclude that a strong person is someone who can control their strength, and uses it to protect innocent people around them. Someone who knows border between fearlessness and arrogance.

Divergent is harsh. There are so many moments when Tris and Four have to show the ruthless side of them. I like it that both characters are not perfect and their flaws make them even more real. If Divergent is ever turned into a movie, I’m wondering what the rating would be. There are too many contents that won’t be suitable for younger teenager. For example, the whole Dauntless initiation. I can see that Dauntless initiation has good aim but the implementation is horrible. There is great possibility of death in the initiation and in one way, it’s like the forest law when the weak one is eliminated from the picture because they can’t survive the fight and the killing.

I think what Veronica Ross did in this book is very brave. She makes me questioned many things after reading this book. Virtue, selflessness, bravery… everything seems blurry and gray suddenly. I keep feeling that there is such a thin line between brutality and what you have to do. Everyone has their own reasons for their doing. Each person protects on what they believe most, and I just wish that some people in this book can see things from different perspectives.

Divergent is an amazing read and I’m completely in love with the world in this book. This book is highly recommended, especially to fans of Dystopian genre. I think I might get myself three copies of this book: one to reread over and over, one for display in my bookshelf, and the last to lend to my friends so I can spread the wonderfulness of Divergent.

As we walk toward the Pit, I repeat the line Will quoted to myself so I don’t forget it.

I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. 


I rate this book:
Five cups of tea. Genius. Beautiful, haunting, and lively characters. Reading this is an overwhelming experience. Must read at least once in a lifetime!

23 comments:

  1. I love Divergent too! One of my favourite books. Glad you enjoyed it.

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  2. I haven't read Divergent yet, but your glowing review defintely makes me want to read it. Great review!

    Old follower

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  3. Why haven't I read this book yet? Everyone is crazy about it and now the second book is out and I still haven't read it. I love it when I fall in love this a book though, such a great feeling. Glad to hear you felt that way about Divergent. Great review!

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  4. I am so glad you had fun with this, Hilda! I agree with you both about the characters and the pacing. I think my biggest issue was lack of background. I wanted to know about how this society came to be, but I've been told there are some answers in Insurgent, so I'm defintiely looking forward to that. I even own a copy.
    On a side note, I see that you're planning to read Elemental soon. I am too, and I'm very excited. Can't wait to compare notes!
    Lovely review, my darling. I hope you're feeling better.

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  5. Wohoo ! :D
    I'm so glad you loved it, Hilda !
    I agree Divergent was harsh. I think it's the harshness is that makes it awesome ! :)
    Great review, Hilda !
    Now, go read Insurgent right away :)
    <3

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  6. *HUGS THIS REVIEW* This is one of those times when I'm tempted to take a picture of my face so you can see how ecstatic I am about your reviews -- I'm so happy you loved it like I (and the rest of the blogosphere) did! x) One of my favourite things was how Veronica Roth made us question everything and wonder which faction we would fall under if we were forced to choose too. (I wish I could be Dauntless like Tris!) It was a VERY gray book, but in a beautiful and completely brilliant way :)

    Absolutely and totally AMAZING review, Hilda! <3 If you get that line engraved onto a bracelet, I would love to have one too! :')

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  7. I want to hug your review, too! <333 You make me want to pick this one ASAP, Hilda! T__T (I'm only crying because my finals are looming over and my time to read is thinning... LOL). I'm really excited to read it, and see for myself. And gosh, I know that sensation you first described. I hope I feel that way, too! And I know that it'll be harsh, but I want to give it a try (and a lot of people are recommending it to me, so...).

    Lovely review, Hilda! I hope you like Insurgent as well :D

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  8. Lovely review, Hilda! I really LOVED Divergent too, from the first page due to the writing and the main idea. I hope you enjoy Insugent now!

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  9. In the bookstore I judge a book's worthiness by reading the first few pages (or prologue, if there is one). If I want to continue reading, I buy the book. If not, it goes back on the shelf. I bought this book a few days ago. Haven't taken it out of the bag yet, 'cause I've got a queue of books for review, etc. But I know this will be a fabulous read. Thanx for the review!

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  10. Hi Hilda!! Love your review. This divergent book is still in my "to read" list in my bookshelf. Hopefully I'll get the chance to read it soon :)

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  11. Great review Hilda! You made me excited about this story all over again! Now I want to go read Insurgent =)

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  12. Hilda, I LOVED your review it totally reminded me of why I LOVED this book and why I need to read Insurgent asap. I loved how all the factions had once stood for something greater but their meaning and purpose had eroded with time. And I loved everything I learned about the Dauntless! The quote at the end is so beautiful, I loved it while reading Divergent as well! I like that Tris is strong in the truest sense, even when she's seen as the underdog and underestimated all the time. Brilliant review, Hilda <333

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  13. Oh, and I want to buy multiple copies of Divergent too! Totally something I'd want to lend out to everyone I know!

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  14. I'm glad you enjoyed Divergent. I still don't know how I feel about it. I think I liked it because Four was so great. Had he not been in it, I would probably not have kept reading!

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  15. I have to say I hadn't read an awesome review in a long time and this one made up for it! :D I've ordered Divergent recently and it's 'on its way'. I'm excited to read it, especially after this review! :D

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  16. I adore you for adoring this book. ;) AMAZING review, Hilda. You have said it all perfectly! I fell in love with this too when I first read it last year and think it may even be my favourite YA dystopian (after The Hunger Games, of course). All those quotes in your review make me want to re-read both this and Insurgent soon! :)

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  17. What a great review. I've been wanting to read this one for awhile now. I guess I must get on it. I actually think it is becoming a movie, but don't quote me on that. LOL

    -lauren

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  18. Awesome review Hilda. I loved Divergent too, I only read it a couple of weeks ago. I'm reading Insurgent now and it is just as good, maybe better.

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  19. Divergent, one ofthe best book out there. It's great that you love it.

    Great review! =D

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  20. Amazing review Hilda!! I feel the same way about Divergent!! Can't wait to see what you think of Insurgent!! <3

    xx
    Riya

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  21. Oh, I love that quote too that you put in the end. Good to know that the book had a good impact on you. Very well written review but Hilda, how could you not write about Four? He was my absolute favorite. So, onto Insurgent now?

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Pragya! <3 Hehe, I didn't know how to write about Four without getting into omg-I-love-you-marry-me mode. It's IMPOSSIBLE to write about him without fangirling! xD He's my favorite too, beside Tris of course! x) Insurgent will have to wait for a while because of the exam, but I promise I will read it soon! x)

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  22. Wow - I'm feeling breathless after reading your review! You write so beautifully and describe everything perfectly. I recently won this book in a giveaway and I've read the first few chapters. I'm sure I'll enjoy it from what you've said in your review and I've already warmed to Tris - I'd love a friend like her. And yeah, I agree that the Dauntless initiation is pretty dangerous - if they re-enact that in a film, I'll probably hide behind hands! Just reading about it made me squirm... Thanks for the wonderful review, Hilda. I look forward to reading more of your reviews in future :)

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