A review by reka111
Divergent by Veronica Roth

adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.25

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

OK, it's been a very, very long time since I read this book, in another lifetime, and honestly, it's been a defining point in my life all along, as all the dystopian books (maze dinner, hunger games & 5th wave) have been, in a word, a bit like greeting an old friend again. 

Tris (aka Beatrice) is an extremely lovable and complex character, with a strange blend of courage and self-sacrifice. This is not really strange because one cannot exist without the other, not quite. She has come a long way in the first book and has lost an awful lot; her old life, her family, her friends, and her future. And now she is still ready to fight, to keep fighting, what is this if not courage? Four, my Tobias, deserves happiness and peace so much that it's incredible. In him everything is at once; Light and darkness, evil and good, as if two worlds meet in him, and I think this is very well illustrates how complex he is. He cannot be judged by his action alone; You have to dig deep under his armour to understand him. Christina is one of my favourite characters, maybe that's why I see so much of myself in her. She is persistent, courageous, and honest, the kind of person who says what she thinks, even if it sounds like a jerk. Will and Al, well, I don't know what to say, the former was brave, the latter was weak and cowardly, they didn't add much to the book, but they didn't take me away either.

Well, I wouldn't really call it a love story, but it's an important element of the plot, so I can't truly go away from it. Basically, a long time ago when I was a very slow reader (thank you dyslexia) it didn't even feel that fast, but now somehow I had such an insta-love tropes feeling, maybe too much. They're cute, they really are, but I don't see that potential in them every time. They are equal, but I don't feel like we complement each other.

The plot was understandable in my opinion, despite the new world, extremely creative and unique — which, unfortunately, there are fewer nowadays. The pace may be a bit fast compared to a shorter book, but I've seen worse. By the way, the building of the world appears in this book, but obviously, you can feel the holes that will be filled in later. The time jumps were confusing to me anyway — one moment it was days, the next it was weeks. The ending was well closed, leaving just enough to hurt its absence, but I still gasped for it. I will definitely continue and maybe even watch the film again in the future.
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