Series: Divergent
Release Date: April 25th, 2011
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.
• Cavalier attitude towards death
• The Heroine’s life is frequently threatened
• No OW/OM
• Does have the Hero pushing away
• No Separation
• See Ending for HEA status.
• See Possible Triggers for Abuse and OTT sad parts.
Rating: 4/5 stars
DAUNTLESS: THE BRAVE
FACTION MANIFESTO
WE BELIEVE
that cowardice is to blame for the world’s injustices.
WE BELIEVE
that peace is hard-won, that sometimes it is necessary to fight for peace. But more than that:
WE BELIEVE
that justice is more important than peace.
WE BELIEVE
in freedom from fear, in denying fear the power to influence our decisions.
WE BELIEVE
in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.
WE BELIEVE
in acknowledging fear and the extent to which it rules us.
WE BELIEVE
in facing that fear no matter what the cost to our comfort, our happiness, or even our sanity.
WE BELIEVE
in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves.
WE BELIEVE
not just in bold words but in bold deeds to match them.
WE BELIEVE
that pain and death are better than cowardice and inaction, because
WE BELIEVE
in action
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
in living comfortable lives.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
that silence is useful
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
in good manners.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
in limiting the fullness of life.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
in empty heads, empty mouths, or empty hands.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
that learning to master violence encourages unnecessary violence.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
that we should be allowed to stand idly by.
WE DO NOT BELIEVE
that any other virtue is more important than bravery.
Well, I have to say this has been a long time coming. Divergent has been on my reading list since its release but it has taken me a long time to work myself up to reading it.
I honestly don’t know why I never really wanted to read this book. I think it was my misguided way of saying The Hunger Games is better but now that I’ve read it … they’re SO different. Like, not even on the same playing field. Sure there are similarities, but it comes with the dystopian genre.
And now that the movie’s coming out in March, I can finally go and see it and not feel guilty about not having read the book beforehand (that’s one of my pet peeves).
Something that surprised me about the book? I really like Tris. She was awesome, kick-ass but so real. Like, even though she knew that she should be feeling guilty about something, she’d end up feeling guilty that she wasn’t guilty. A truly human response! Oh, and one of her fears? I have to admit I laughed long and hard … and loud about that. It fits her character but talk about awkward since the leaders can actually see what is terrifying you.
Also I loved how the romance didn’t take away from the plot but instead added to it. It was subtle at first but god I couldn’t help but swoon whenever Four entreated the proverbial room. And I love how when she admitted the fear I mentioned earlier, I love it when bad-ass guys blush! Wink, wink.
All the comments of this book completely added up and it was very surprising to me. But I guess it shouldn’t have been. I know I mentioned this earlier on but honestly, I just need to get this out there that this book is something worth reading. Everything built at the perfect pace. The romance, the action, the fear, the worry, the betrayal, the friendships, the secrecy. Everything. It was choreographed so spectacularly that I couldn’t help but think of it as a movie. And now I’m so excited to see the movie. And Four looks very attractive!
Now, why four stars and not five? Although I did say that the book had an amazing pace, it took me a while to get really pulled into the story. And there were times that I couldn’t help but think “Wow, Tris, you’re such a jerk.” I understand where Tris is coming from … most of the time but there were scenes in the story that I couldn’t help but think that was a little harsh. So the overall gist: the pull-in factor wasn’t as strong in the beginning and connecting to Tris was a rocky start but in the end, I’m rooting for her.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Divergent Trilogy, Insurgent and also for the movie starring Shailene Woodley as Tris, Theo James as Four and Kate Winslet as the dreaded Jeanine.
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