Veronica Roth : THE DIVERGENT TRILOGY

Oh my GOD! I must have been living in a cave, because I have discovered THE DIVERGENT TRILOGY only this year! Actually, the trailer for the upcoming film adaptation and Theo James is the reason why I purchased these books in the first place. I would sell my soul to do devil to be with him. 

THE DIVERGENT TRILOGY is written by young author (even younger than me) VERONICA ROTH. This talented writer brought the first book into this world in 2011 and it immediately become a best-seller!

"With brisk pacing and lavish flights of imagination, DIVERGENT clearly has thrills, but it also movingly explores a more common adolescent anxiety - the painful realisation that coming into one's own sometimes means leaving family behind, both ideologically and physically." 

NEW YORK TIMES

"DIVERGENT is captivating, fascinating book that kept me in constant suspense and was never short of surprises. It will be a long time before I quit thinking about this hating vision of the future. " 

JAMES DASHNER, author of THE MAZE RUNNER

These are only few of the great reviews this wonderful trilogy got. My best friend and co-author of this blog was blown away with these books, so logically I had to read them for myself. And I was in for a treat. 

The story divides into three books:

DIVERGENT

INSURGENT

ALLEGIANT

We fallow the story of Tris Prior who lives in the dystopian Chicago. Her whole world is divided into 5 factions and their communities. ABNEGATION. AMITY. CANDOR. DAUNTLESS. ERUDITE. Every faction choses it's members for their distinctive characteristics. Abnegation is selfless. Candor values honesty. Dauntless are brave. Erudite is smart. And Amity is the peaceful addition to the family. When you are 16 you choose a faction where you belong. You go through a test (simulation) which helps you to choose which faction you should join. Unless you Divergent. This means that you have the ability to exercise more than one of these values. And our heroine, Tris, is divergent. At the Choosing Ceremony she chooses the least unexpected faction for a person from Abnegation. She chooses Dauntless. And leaves her family and friends behind to embrace the new life and find herself. 

Of course this story is not only about that. It's not another coming-to-age story. This story takes you on a journey full of twists and turns. You will fight for your believes and the ultimate truth. You will fight for your own survival. 

Veronica Roth created a wonderful world which leaves you to use your imagination to the fullest. You find yourself lost in the world of factions. You will even want to join them. You find new friends, get surprised by unexpected enemies and you fall in love with TOBIAS aka Four. Trust you won't be able to resist. 

This story is unlike others in the Young Adult Genre. It's exciting. Fresh. Full of secrets and unanswered questions. Divergent is a unique story about strength and struggle for power. It's about friendship and love. About betrayals and finding new allies where you wouldn't expect it. It twists and turns and keeps you constantly on your toes. There is so many aspects of their adventures which manage to keep on turning. 

There are more changes and surprises than in other books I have read. I fell for the story so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it. Me and Claire have spent hours discussing these books, the story and the relationship between characters. And each of us came up with different ideas. And that is a sign of a great writer and her incredible writing skills. It gets under your skin. It makes you passionate. And it makes you fall in love with it and its characters. 

The hero of this story for me is not Tris. Actually it's TOBIAS. I am sorry Jem Carstairs, Jace Wayland, Noah and Andrew Parish… but there is a new man in town. And I have fallen in love with him instantly. TOBIAS EATON aka FOUR. The one and only dauntless guy who wants to be brave, selfless, smart, honest and kind. The guy with gorgeous body, beautiful heart, kind soul and fire behind his eyes. He has taken the place in your heart rightfully. His strength through the bad times of his life is inspiring. He continuously keeps improving and raise up with each chapter and book. He makes mistakes. He is not perfect. He gets hurt. He suffers great losses. BUT even in the darkest hour he fights to stay alive. He learns from his mistakes and gives you a second chance. He is a great character to follow and I fell for him deeply and unconditionally. 

Now, I know that this story is TRIS's story. But I must say I do not like that girl one little bit. Yes, she is a very strong character. She cares for Tobias, her family and friends and ultimately she wants to help the whole world. And I know she is only a sixteen-year-old girl who's teenage years has been cut short by revolution and constant fighting to stay alive. But OH MY. I couldn't warm up to her. And this is so new to me.  Usually I want to be the main character. I want to be the heroine of this story. But instead I am finding her reckless, whiney, superior, selfish and annoying. I hate her when gets all knowing and always right. She could give people a lot of grief for their actions but never owned to her own mistakes. They were always forgotten, because somehow she managed that people looked up to her. Even Tobias put her on a pedestal, she couldn't do anything wrong. He blindly loved her. And I DO NOT THINK SHE DESERVED IT. 

In fact, sometimes, I get the impression that Tris found out that Tobias liked her and just went along with it. There are only three occasions in this book that she really loved him. And oh my !!! Where is the trust in this relationship?!! I found their relationship very dysfunctional and actually liked that their didn't get to ride off into the sunset. 

The person I wanted to be in this book was Christina. She is smart. Funny. Knows how to have a good time. She is kind. Loving. Forgiving. And a wonderful friend. She is always there for you to help you through the tough times and supports you in every way. That is a person I want to be. 

Now the theory of Good Genes (Divergent) and The Bad Genes… it's scary how technology and the science can destroy the people and their characters. Nobody should play the God. There are always consequences … But people deserve to have their own will. They deserve to have the chance to make their own mistakes and bad decisions. We need to be free. We need to make the mistakes to learn from them. We are humans and this is life! And it's scary how the constant medical alternation and new science developments can destroy it. Would you inject yourself with good genes? I have found this story most fascinating. Especially when they tried different experiments of how to cleanse the population! They developed the human kind and their life again with what they considered as good genes. It's a petrifying thought! But you could see it happening in the future. I loved that Veronica touched up on this subject. 

Three books down. One amazing story has ended. I have fallen in love with the world of factions where everyone know where they belong. I fell for Tobias who is one of the most amazing characters I got to know. A perfect crush. And I found the ending of this story a PURE PERFECTION. I liked the fact that Tris didn't survive. I know it's not nice to wish her death, but I couldn't see how this would end if she would be alive. Her death made this story unique. Original. So different from others. The transition from the book written from Tris's point of view to Tobias' was flawless. Without any faults. The aftermath of Tris's passing was just mesmerising. I only wish that the books would be written from both points of view from the beginning. 

The Divergent Trilogy was one of the best book series I have ever read. I got completely lost in the world Veronica Roth created. I got sucked in it without a chance to breathe. It was a wonderful experience which will stay with me for some time. 

But luckily I don't have to wait too long! The film adaptation is coming out next year with SHAYNE WOODLEY as Tris and THEO JAMES as Tobias. That man is just gorgeous. An afternoon delight! So pencil the dates in your next year's diary. I am sure we are in for a treat!

BE BRAVE. 

Quotes which stuck with me and the quotes I loved:

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.”

“Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up” 

“I didn't know that idiocy caused people to just start spontaneously bleeding from the nose.”

“Every faction conditions its members to think and act a certain way. And most people do it. For most people, it's not hard to learn, to find a pattern of thought that works and stay that way. But our minds move in a dozen different directions. We can't be confined to one way of thinking, and that terrifies our leaders. It means we can't be controlled. And it means that no matter what they do, we will always cause trouble for them.” 

“Crying defies scientific explanation. Tears are only meant to lubricate the eyes. There is no real reason for tear glands to overproduce tears at the behest of emotion.” 

“I never used to understand why people bothered to hold hands as they walked, but then he runs one of his fingertips down my palm, and I shiver and understand it completely”

“Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. "I’ve had a lot of practice.” 

“There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved for the sake of something greater.” 

“I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest.”

“What thought or message would you put in a fortune cookie?

"Stop reading this. Eat the cookie and live your life.”

“There are no safe rooms, no safe truths, no safe secrets to tell.”

“You’re the one who has to live with your choice,” she says. “Everyone else will get over it, move on, no matter what you decide. But you never will.”

“Morning," I say.

"Shh," she says. "If you don't acknowledge it, maybe it will go away.” 

“Honesty leads to peace.”