boozybook's review against another edition
3.0
Tris and Tobias are the best together!! Love the factions system. Book 2 was the best. Book 3 was soooo sad :(
mikaelatrejo's review
adventurous
challenging
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
grazeea's review
4.0
I am so inlove with Tobias Eaton, and I am very much happy that Tris died (not!). I love the whole series especially Insurgent!!
nabergel's review
3.0
This series was very interesting. My only issue was that the 2nd book (insurgent) wasn't so great. Alligent was better then insurgent but still not as great as divergent itself. The first book was great and the rest were okay.
tabatha_shipley's review
5.0
This review encompasses all three novels in the face-paced series; Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant.
Through this series, Ms. Roth creates a dystopian society that you can tell began with utopian roots. Similar to other fictional societies, this one has undertones of revolution right from the beginning. However, this society divides itself into five factions and allows individuals to choose their faction. This change is important, and it makes the story unique from others like it.
At it's heart, this is a story about knowing what makes people happy. Everyone is different, we all have different desires. The people in this world choose the faction they believe will make them happy. The contrast between factions, for me, illuminates how different humans are from each other. What makes one person happy often makes another miserable. "I have never been carried around by a large boy, or laughed until my stomach hurt at the dinner table, or listened to the clamor of a hundred people talking all at once. Peace is restrained; this is free."
I felt this series opened up amazing conversations and thoughts about what society needs. These are good conversations to have with each other. What does a healthy government look like? I was intrigued from book 1. Each sequel picks up where the other left off, leaving only subtle reminders for people not reading them back-to-back.
"I have to find out what could possibly be important enough for the Abnegation to die for-and the Erudite to kill for."
"The truth has a way of changing a person's plans."
Among the story line of action that pulls these books forward at a lightning pace is the romance. Our main characters have a love between them that feels very real throughout their challenges. Unlike many classified young adult books (don't get me started on that again) it doesn't feel fake, new, or forced. "...when he touches me like he can't bear to take his hand away, I don't wish I was any different." The romance unfolds throughout the series differently than I was expecting and pulls at your inner romantic.
I have always adored books with strong female lead characters and men that aren't afraid of that. This series delivers. Tris grows ever stronger throughout the series and I love her for it. The decisions she makes are calculated, but hard, and they force me to drop the book and catch my breath frequently.
In the final book of the series, unlike the first two, the story is delivered alternately between Tris' and Tobias' points of view. The change is refreshing. The reader is given a more complete picture of the story taking place. I also believe it keeps the story from feeling stale, as you have another voice coming through. It is in this third book that everyone, regardless of how you felt before, will fall in love with Tobias.
This is a work-of-art. An amazing tale of a society that will begin to feel real to you by the second chapter. A group of people who will make you feel every emotion on the spectrum. A series that will keep you turning pages so fast you'll marvel at how soon you've concluded the 1,500 page tale. HIGHLY recommended.
Through this series, Ms. Roth creates a dystopian society that you can tell began with utopian roots. Similar to other fictional societies, this one has undertones of revolution right from the beginning. However, this society divides itself into five factions and allows individuals to choose their faction. This change is important, and it makes the story unique from others like it.
At it's heart, this is a story about knowing what makes people happy. Everyone is different, we all have different desires. The people in this world choose the faction they believe will make them happy. The contrast between factions, for me, illuminates how different humans are from each other. What makes one person happy often makes another miserable. "I have never been carried around by a large boy, or laughed until my stomach hurt at the dinner table, or listened to the clamor of a hundred people talking all at once. Peace is restrained; this is free."
I felt this series opened up amazing conversations and thoughts about what society needs. These are good conversations to have with each other. What does a healthy government look like? I was intrigued from book 1. Each sequel picks up where the other left off, leaving only subtle reminders for people not reading them back-to-back.
"I have to find out what could possibly be important enough for the Abnegation to die for-and the Erudite to kill for."
"The truth has a way of changing a person's plans."
Among the story line of action that pulls these books forward at a lightning pace is the romance. Our main characters have a love between them that feels very real throughout their challenges. Unlike many classified young adult books (don't get me started on that again) it doesn't feel fake, new, or forced. "...when he touches me like he can't bear to take his hand away, I don't wish I was any different." The romance unfolds throughout the series differently than I was expecting and pulls at your inner romantic.
I have always adored books with strong female lead characters and men that aren't afraid of that. This series delivers. Tris grows ever stronger throughout the series and I love her for it. The decisions she makes are calculated, but hard, and they force me to drop the book and catch my breath frequently.
In the final book of the series, unlike the first two, the story is delivered alternately between Tris' and Tobias' points of view. The change is refreshing. The reader is given a more complete picture of the story taking place. I also believe it keeps the story from feeling stale, as you have another voice coming through. It is in this third book that everyone, regardless of how you felt before, will fall in love with Tobias.
This is a work-of-art. An amazing tale of a society that will begin to feel real to you by the second chapter. A group of people who will make you feel every emotion on the spectrum. A series that will keep you turning pages so fast you'll marvel at how soon you've concluded the 1,500 page tale. HIGHLY recommended.
theliteratureladies's review
3.0
When I first read Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy, it reminded me of a sci-fi version of The Hunger Games. We have a dangerous government, citizens with limited resources, a ceremony when kids become 16 (I know, in The Hunger Games, it’s for 12-18 year olds but close enough), a 16 year old heroine who defies the odds, and, ultimately, whose choices and actions propel the world she knows into turmoil and change. I remember coming away thinking, “This is just a different Hunger Games…” And I preferred Katniss’s story.
This second time around, however, I became more aware of the differences between Roth’s and Collins’ worlds. Divergent stood out and apart in more than one way.
In my interpretation at least, the questions the authors ask and the themes they focus their efforts on are actually not very similar at all. And, what I didn’t remember from my first read was how much Roth focused on science and genetics, especially in the last book Allegiant. Roth debates good and evil in individuals, science’s involvement in social issues and government, and government’s control and reach over those same social dilemmas. Through the factions she instates (Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless), she questions what it means to be selfless to a fault, honest until you’re unkind, smart but arrogant, peaceful but passive, and of course, brave but cruel. How does family or friendship play into our choices and beliefs? How do our circumstances influence us? She also tackles forgiveness, death, abuse, fear, phobias, and how all of those things make us who we are. I applaud Roth for tackling each of these weighty issues in the series.
Beyond that, however, I found myself rather disinterested in the story as a whole. I thought Tris, Tobias, and many other characters were unlikeable. Most of the characters I enjoyed were the supporting cast – Christina, Uriah, Fernando, Cara, et cetera. In some ways, Tris is relatable, but more often than not I felt she was simply unkind. While I do think that’s important to her character and story, I personally prefer kindness to seriously flawed heroics. The romance between Tris and Tobias is refreshing in the sense they don’t lose their heads around each other, in the way they build each other up, talk through their issues, and make each other stronger. However, I got tired of the constant lying and backstabbing it felt like they – and most everyone else – did throughout the series.
The first book was definitely the most interesting to me, with Insurgent and Allegiant falling behind. I had a hard time keeping up with all that was going on in the latter two books as we went new places, met a ton of new characters, and had a bunch of genetic talk. I ultimately skimmed a decent chunk.
Also, I know this is super picky of me, but it really bugs me when a story starts out from one character’s perspective but changes by the end. Tris is our first-person narrator for Divergent and Insurgent; but in Allegiant, it alternates between Tris and Tobias. It feels like the author didn’t think ahead well enough to realize she would need two narrators to tell certain parts of the plot. I wish Roth had kept it just Tris or had used the alternating perspectives throughout the trilogy. Picky, I know.
Also, the third book had a lot of language, while the first two had none. I don’t appreciate adding in a bunch of foul language after your teenage readership is secured…
So I am left with mixed feelings about this young adult series. As I read, I was skimming. But, there were still moments where I had to applaud Roth and could appreciate the effort she took to tell her story. I think Divergent just isn’t my cup of tea.
www.theliteratureladies.com
This second time around, however, I became more aware of the differences between Roth’s and Collins’ worlds. Divergent stood out and apart in more than one way.
In my interpretation at least, the questions the authors ask and the themes they focus their efforts on are actually not very similar at all. And, what I didn’t remember from my first read was how much Roth focused on science and genetics, especially in the last book Allegiant. Roth debates good and evil in individuals, science’s involvement in social issues and government, and government’s control and reach over those same social dilemmas. Through the factions she instates (Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless), she questions what it means to be selfless to a fault, honest until you’re unkind, smart but arrogant, peaceful but passive, and of course, brave but cruel. How does family or friendship play into our choices and beliefs? How do our circumstances influence us? She also tackles forgiveness, death, abuse, fear, phobias, and how all of those things make us who we are. I applaud Roth for tackling each of these weighty issues in the series.
Beyond that, however, I found myself rather disinterested in the story as a whole. I thought Tris, Tobias, and many other characters were unlikeable. Most of the characters I enjoyed were the supporting cast – Christina, Uriah, Fernando, Cara, et cetera. In some ways, Tris is relatable, but more often than not I felt she was simply unkind. While I do think that’s important to her character and story, I personally prefer kindness to seriously flawed heroics. The romance between Tris and Tobias is refreshing in the sense they don’t lose their heads around each other, in the way they build each other up, talk through their issues, and make each other stronger. However, I got tired of the constant lying and backstabbing it felt like they – and most everyone else – did throughout the series.
The first book was definitely the most interesting to me, with Insurgent and Allegiant falling behind. I had a hard time keeping up with all that was going on in the latter two books as we went new places, met a ton of new characters, and had a bunch of genetic talk. I ultimately skimmed a decent chunk.
Also, I know this is super picky of me, but it really bugs me when a story starts out from one character’s perspective but changes by the end. Tris is our first-person narrator for Divergent and Insurgent; but in Allegiant, it alternates between Tris and Tobias. It feels like the author didn’t think ahead well enough to realize she would need two narrators to tell certain parts of the plot. I wish Roth had kept it just Tris or had used the alternating perspectives throughout the trilogy. Picky, I know.
Also, the third book had a lot of language, while the first two had none. I don’t appreciate adding in a bunch of foul language after your teenage readership is secured…
So I am left with mixed feelings about this young adult series. As I read, I was skimming. But, there were still moments where I had to applaud Roth and could appreciate the effort she took to tell her story. I think Divergent just isn’t my cup of tea.
www.theliteratureladies.com
ambsfrc's review
4.0
i do really enjoy this series to be honest and i honestly think some of the critiques it gets are quite harsh i do think tris dying at the end is brutal though and probably not entirely necessary but ANYWAY ... favourite part is honestly any of the fourtris moments the date at the start of allegiant (?) is the first that comes to mind
halflingnana's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
silvia_linn's review
3.0
In no way am I in the habit of saying this... the movies were better. I loved the story line right away futuristic out of control government and an underdog rebellion? Yes please. The books however, were a let down. The dialogue was difficult to follow and unvaried. Tris’ mind is better left to the imagination. The third book is jarring and the dialogue is the worst of the trilogy.
My least favorite difference (and what makes me prefer the movies) is Tris’ personality. In the movies, she’s a badass. She’s sure. Four leans on her. She’s the hero. In the books she’s an insecure, kind of annoying, needy little girl. I get it we’re all a little less confident in our minds, but it would have massively benefitted the books to have them all from Four’s perspective.
Give our girls someone to look up too, not someone who needs a guy to reassure her every step of the way.
My least favorite difference (and what makes me prefer the movies) is Tris’ personality. In the movies, she’s a badass. She’s sure. Four leans on her. She’s the hero. In the books she’s an insecure, kind of annoying, needy little girl. I get it we’re all a little less confident in our minds, but it would have massively benefitted the books to have them all from Four’s perspective.
Give our girls someone to look up too, not someone who needs a guy to reassure her every step of the way.