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In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
My thoughts:
Another book that was really hyped about. Sure it was good, but was it mind blowing in any way? Nope. The only good thing was a compelling story that I read fast.
Will I still go all snarky on it? Oh yes. No amount of good will save this book. Sure I am pissed that book 2 is borrowed since I would want to read it at once, but I have the flu and I wanna tear something apart.
The world building was not good. I need more people! This was not enough. The entire system of factions was beyond stupid. I did not fit a single one, humans are not such simple creatures. And this would stop war and shit? Ha! Humans are not that simple. So the factions and the world was a fail. Dauntless, oh do not even get me started on those idiots. Brave equals stupid it seems. And the whole system also throws away people, now how is that a better world? Why have factions at all? And of course there are divergents cos as I said, humans are not simple.
The heroine Tris is of course the savior of mankind, a weak little girl that is not in fact weak but rises to the challenge. Ok I did like her even if she was a little too good for her own good. Then there is a love interest and I am happy to see no triangle, but hey this is book 1 so that might happen still (I sure hope not).
Conclusion:
But in the end, like I said,a compelling story that made me want more. But an epic dystopian masterpiece? No. For that I need to question society, and here that was way too simple do to. Too many things not adding up, not explained. Anyway, all things said, I do want to know what happens next. But with my luck it will entirely suck as all part 2 of every freaking dystopia series I have read have done.
Cover: Boooooring
Series: Divergent #2
Genre: YA /dystopia
Pages: 487
Published: 2012 by Katherine Tegen Books
Source. Library
I'm just not sure this is for me and all the hype has kind of scared me away.
ReplyDeleteThe hype is always so hyped and it was nowhere as good as that
DeleteNot for me but thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteYes stay away
DeleteWise choice.
DeleteI am actually afraid to tell you I thought book two was better, more world building..LOL Get better soon my friend.
ReplyDeleteIt was...oh..yes I wanna read it. But I am sooooooo scared!
DeleteThe world building gets better in #2. I didn't understand the factions since people aren't one thing and not the other. I wouldn't be in a hurry to get book 2 since book 3 doesn't even have a release date.
ReplyDeleteFeel better!
Ok then I will def wait cos I HATE waiting for a year or more. And I am happy to hear it gets better.
DeleteAnd the factions are bad. So all people fit in one of 5 categories..really?!
Hope you feel better soon Blodeuedd! I believe half the reading world has, or has had the flu already.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for making me laugh with this review.
Oh I had the flu here? Aha, that is what I get from an old review posted first on GR ;)
DeleteHihi good
hahahaha I love the honesty. And yes, I hope you feel better as much as I hope the second one beats your expectations. ^.^
ReplyDeleteLol, who knows. It would be a first . But then I did not love this one so that may help
DeleteThat's too bad it dissappointed. I need great world building with dystopians...otherwise, what is the point? Great review.
ReplyDeleteIt did disappointed in that and more. But it was still good cos it all flowed well
DeleteOmg..really?! Arghhhh *dies a bit* i can't stand whiny cos she walks a thin line as it is
ReplyDeleteI loved this and thought it was better than Insurgent. And for YA book this was awesome lol :D
ReplyDeleteHope you like the second book better :)
Haha, that sounds like low expectations for YA ;)
DeleteLOL! I loved this review.
ReplyDeleteI do think I liked it better than you did, but I didn't go into it expecting a masterpiece. Funny that the more attention it gets, the less I expect from it. I think it has saved many a book for me. Still, I do get what you mean about the world building. I wanted much more as well.
Then again all dystopia books are hyped, but ...I do like those I have read. But I did not like this one as much. Something compelling was missing for me. But then I might not end up hating book 2 ;)
DeleteI liked but didn't love, but I am going to read the 2nd as well.
ReplyDeleteI also had probs with the world building but tried to overlook to just enjoy.
Happy reading,
Brandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
I do remember your review, as I had just read the book then. And I did feel that we felt kind of the same. Like, not love, but still wanting more
DeleteThat's what I'm afraid of...it has been hyped every where so now I will lessen my expectations and just enjoy it!!!
ReplyDeleteYes that is the way to do it, go in with lower expectations and you might like it more
DeleteSigned under every complaint, Blodeuedd! I felt the same - it was good but not good enough for the hype. I'm almost dreading reading book #2....
ReplyDeleteYes after my string of bad luck with book 2s I do fear this one. But then again I did like book 1 more from those series
Delete*waves weakly*
ReplyDeleteI have wanted to read this for ages and then I ended up getting the audio although I haven't listened to it yet. I'm sad to hear its not as good as the hype although I find that happens with a lot of books.
ReplyDeleteIt does happen to so many books. Every book is the new Hunger Games..well I ended up hating that series too
DeleteI have this one, and I've been waiting to read it as I don't want the hype to ruin the read for me. Thanks for the review, and sorry it wasn't all that but sounds like a good start. :)
ReplyDeleteHype is so bad. But it was still an ok book, who needs awesome all the time
DeleteYou know, I'm starting to really dislike hyped books. They never live up to expectations.
ReplyDeleteYou and me both! Why must they do that?!
DeleteI had fun reading this too but wasn't as impressed as others. I would label myself "Erudite" if I had to but I know that I'm so much more (as are other people) to be stuck in just one faction for life.
ReplyDeleteThat would suck, i could not be one faction for the rest of my life. And I would not fit any
DeleteTo be honest, I liked the 2nd book better than the first but I was in the minority. I thought the first book was to slow and left way to many questions. :)
ReplyDeleteThat it did, sure it makes you want more but it can also be really bad
DeleteFor a book I hated enough to speedread through it, I remember way too much of it. Good luck with the second book, but I'm staying away.
ReplyDeleteI am sure I am gonna hate it...I was annoyed here, but made it through
DeleteI have this one but haven't had time to read it!
ReplyDeleteMaybe one day
DeleteBook 2 is definitely better for world building, but I'm a bit un-enchanted with the whole idea now. It isn't something that really holds up for me over time, the more I think about it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better!
Hm, I do feel like that already, so even if it gets better I just do not know. I need better worlds
DeleteSorry it didn't do it for you ... I loved it lol and I thought the world building and factions were built on in book 2 but it'd be a boring world if we all liked the same thing :)
ReplyDeleteTrue, we can't all love the same books.
DeleteBut I do like that she builds on the world more
Humans are incredibly complex and I think that is the idea here. It is harder to fit people in a box. It just doesn't hold for very long. I think that I liked this one more than you, but must say that I have started Insurgent and decided not to finish it. I don't know if it was the timing or it was just not for me. I will give it another try after awhile.
ReplyDeleteIt just seem that here it does hold. People fit into this mold, but some don't and they are divergent. But from what I read about divergent and I would not be that either. For me the concept just would have needed at least a few more factions and then maybe it could have worked a bit better.
DeleteYikes...does not bode well
Lol. So much of what you said, I said in my review too. I was so annoyed that brave = getting a bunch of tattoos. And I agree on the world building. I do think the second one is better but I'm not sure I'll ever get the hype surrounding this particular series.
ReplyDeleteNope, too much hype, not enough stuff inside. But sure the library has book 2 so I will read it one day
Delete