Basically Books! discussion

Goodreads description:

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, 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 to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating 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 a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Feel free to talk about the whole book but please use the spoiler brackets where necessary.
< spoiler > write your message here < / spoiler >
(without spaces)

I read this book a couple of months ago, woo!

Though a very interesting read, it felt like I was reading about a prolongued initiation period with a bit of actual plot just slammed on at the end. I would have preferred the final part of the plot to have been interweaved with the rest of it better and not have been more like an after thought.

I didn't really buy her vision of how society evolved either, but I suspended my disbelief far enough to accept it for the duration of the book. I'm not sure that even humans, in all their foolishness, would think it'd be a good idea to divide society into five factions based on only five personality traits. It was a good way of showing how all good intentions eventually get corrupted, though.

This said, I'm still very eager to get my hands on the second book come May! =)

Just started reading Divergent. I am about 17 pages in. Really excited to see how the book develops :o)

I hope you enjoy it! I was very different from what I was expected, but the story really captivated me. I read it in a day, just couldn't tear myself from it to do anything else! lol.

Rea wrote: "I hope you enjoy it! I was very different from what I was expected, but the story really captivated me. I read it in a day, just couldn't tear myself from it to do anything else! lol."

I am really enjoying it! It seems totally engaging and like it will hard to put down :o)

Tracy wrote: "Rea wrote: "I hope you enjoy it! I was very different from what I was expected, but the story really captivated me. I read it in a day, just couldn't tear myself from it to do anything else! lol."
..."

I'm glad to hear that! Yeah, I had to put it down to cook the day I read it and I ended up burning the meat cuz I just wanted to sneak in another chapter while it was frying up. =P Oops!

I read this book a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I didn't really know what to expect before I read it, but it definitely met expectations. I can't wait for the second book.

I read this book this summer and loved it! Discovered it after reading the Hunger Games series and needing something else :) So good!!

I haven't read The Hunger Games yet. Funny cuz everyone seems to expect me to have read it since it's a popular book and the movie's coming out fairly soon. Not sure why that means I should have read it since a number of the books I do read are fairly obscure!

Anyway, what was your favourite bit about the book?

(view spoiler)[I think mine was the scene with capture the flag game. That or the flying fox - how cool that would be! (though unrealistic, but we'll overlook that.) (hide spoiler)]

I read this a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I agree with Rea ^^ in that the concept was pretty far-fetched but when I let that go and went with the story I thought it offered a lot of interesting situations/moral dilemmas for the characters - definitely more thought provoking than a lot of YA out there. Can't wait for the second one in Spring! :)

Not only was the concept far-fetched to me, I did not find it humane to divide people into groups. It had a very Orwellian feel to it and creeped me out.

Can someone please tell me how to mark a post a spoiler? Rea, I see to your comment above has a spoiler that I have to click on to view if I want to see it.

you put < then you right spoiler inside then close with >. You proceed to right your spoiler and end end it with the same thing but the only difference is the / in front of the spoiler this time.

If you look at some html okay it explains it too.

Okay, here goes my spoiler post, hopefully I do not accidentally post it in full view! My apologies ahead of time if I do!
(view spoiler)[ I think I am about 9 chapters into the book and not enjoying the training exercises for the Dauntless fraction transfer initiates (sp)? so much. It does not hold my interest like the rest of book has so far and pitting one newcomer against another is so heartless. Isn't there another way to show or portray bravery? (hide spoiler)]

YAY! I did it :o) Thanks Adriana!

Oh great! (:

@Tracy (view spoiler)[I think that's the point. It's supposed to be the extreme of each faction. Some people talk about how it's wrong and it used to be better. (hide spoiler)]

Yey Tracy!!

(view spoiler)[Yes, I think that that is really supposed to be the point of it. I took from it that the author was trying to show just how skewed Dauntless's priorities had become as they drift farther and farther from the original aim of their faction. (hide spoiler)]

I'm presently reading Divergent and will share more later. So far, it's a very unusual book for me.

@Adriana and Rea (view spoiler)[ Yes, I agree that it makes sense to show the extremes of the factions. I think doing so can give the book more impact I suppose. I found it interesting that around page 127 the Dauntless manifesto is brought up. The manifesto states "I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. Tris then focuses on how far the current Dauntless faction has strayed from this concept. (hide spoiler)]

That's it precisely, Tracy! I couldn't remember where it was in the book or how it was worded but I knew it was there.

(view spoiler)[Even though those weren't my favourite scenes, I felt that the author had a knack for writing them! They flowed, showing us the events, rather than clunkily telling us. It also showed just how twisted the Dauntless had become. I kinda wanted to see just how badly things had gone wrong in all the other factions too! (hide spoiler)]

Well you saw (view spoiler)[that kind of. The Erudite's want power and are out of control. And when they are describing the other factions like Cantor you know that it's too much. (hide spoiler)]

i read this book a couple of months ago too...

(view spoiler)[i think before any society is going to fall, there have to be some major issues. if the society IS going really well, then you wouldn't need to change it, nor would we as readers want to read about it. i guess this isn't really a spoiler.....ah well. (hide spoiler)]

@Rea and Ardiana (view spoiler)[ I totally agree, after going through the initiation process in Dauntless I to was very curious about how extreme the other factions have gotten from the original intent of the founders.

I now am at about page 250, I think and some incredible things have happened, it's getting intense and the book is difficult to put down! Have both of you finished the book already? More specific comments about what's happening where I am at once I know both of you have finished :o) (hide spoiler)]

WOW! I just finished :o)

Tracy, I've read the whole book. :) I'll get my review typed up (it's only written out atm) asap to prevent any more confusion!

Lara, I completely agree with you. It's fun to see all these different ways authors think up to see the end of society as we know it.

Adriana and Tracy (view spoiler)[Yeah, you kinda saw it for some of the other factions but I don't really remember whether how Amity and Candor had become warped beyond their original stance was really mentioned. That said, it's completely understandable that the author did not spend her time waffling on about that as it would not have made for a particularly exciting book! (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ OH MY GOODNESS, Tris's Mom was Dauntless and a Divergent! Perfect and surprising! (hide spoiler)]

Yes! I really didn't expect that!

(view spoiler)[But then I don't get why she didn't recognise Four. Surely she would have recognised him as being Marcus's son? (hide spoiler)]

Rea wrote: "Yes! I really didn't expect that!

[spoilers removed]"

I wondered that but (view spoiler)[ she did say he looked familiar - I figured Four was largely kept out of sight when he was growing up and he would've joined Dauntless when he was sixteen, so he might have changed a fair bit since then too. (hide spoiler)]

What I liked about the initiation stuff was the way the competitiveness affected the characters differently, even as they were trying to be friends and get along - I think that was how the author kept that part interesting for me. I liked the dynamics that were at play and I thought it was very intriguing when Tris wondered (view spoiler)[ If she should feel better about the Dauntless friends she made who weren't threatened by her being strong or by her other faction friends who were there for her when she was vulnerable. (hide spoiler)]

This book has a long waiting list at the library, so I thought it might be good. When I finally got my hands on the ebook I could not stop reading it. I really enjoyed the book! I look forward to reading the next book in the Divergent Trilogy which is called "Insurgent", but unfortunately it will not be released until May 1, 2012.

Rea wrote: "I read this book a couple of months ago, woo!

Though a very interesting read, it felt like I was reading about a prolongued initiation period with a bit of actual plot just slammed on at the end. ..."

Yes, Rea, I'm in agreement with much of what you say. It was a strange book and took me a while to get into.

Divergent was not a book I'd normally read. Call me old fashioned, but I was a bit put off by the entire faction of people being placed into groups by virtues.

I empathized with Beatrice, a sixteen year old girl, who was stuck in an oppressed, controlled world. Beatrice is a brave young lady who must prove herself worthy and capable.

Instead of having just one of the the traits required, she proves not to be a mindless drone, which makes her an outcast in a wild world that I certainly would not want to reside.

I'd admired her bravery and ability to maintain her wits so she would not be killed just because she didn't fit into the insidious boxes this repressed world designated.

Beatrice learns must choose her own path regardless of the inhumane initiation she is forced to undergo. She is a smart character in a limited world without the support of friends and family.

Divergent irritated me due the inhumane rule and regulations imposed on its inhabitants. When a world such as this imposes such control over ones spirit, it's impressive that Beatrice was intuitive enough to play the game to survive.

It was sad for me to experience that she was born into a society that believes you can only have one quality. Beatrice is a strong, brave lady despite the obstacles she must face.

If you enjoy action, a bit of romance and a dark dystopian adventure, you may enjoy this book. And like Jane wrote, "It felt very ORWELLIAN to me."

I've got Insurgent on pre-order already. ;)

I agree, Aurora, the society that she was born into was one that was very strict about emotions and such. And I liked Beatrice - she had her fair share of strengths, as you say, and weaknesses, one of which Emma pointed out!

Good book for a YA debut!

I attempted to read this book weeks ago. I just could not embrace the story or characters. I found it depressing and inhumane.

I can see why you feel that way, Foxfire. Though I think depressing and inhumane go hand in hand with the dystopian genre. Oh well, there's always another book out there, hey? :)

Great summary Aurora :o)

Rea wrote: "I've got Insurgent on pre-order already. ;)

I agree, Aurora, the society that she was born into was one that was very strict about emotions and such. And I liked Beatrice - she had her fair share ..."

Yes, it was.

Tracy wrote: "Great summary Aurora :o)"

Thanks, Tracy.

Foxfire, I can definitely can relate to the books depressing and inhumane features! It certainly was not a cheerful read. (view spoiler)[ The Dauntless initiation seemed way over the top at times. It seemed rather odd that Dauntless leaders would put people thorough such a thing.

When you look at the whole of the story through it may not be that different from what happens to societies at war or leaders of countries that would do almost anything for power and control. (hide spoiler)]

Rea wrote: "I can see why you feel that way, Foxfire. Though I think depressing and inhumane go hand in hand with the dystopian genre. Oh well, there's always another book out there, hey? :)"

I agree, Rea. Maybe I'll find one I like. I guess I'm just getting annoyed with the dystopian genre. I want to read books that a more unique storyline.

Oh, I completely know where you're coming from. If you like YA you could try Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi. It's so dystopian that it's almost fantasy. I loved it, but that does not necessarily mean everyone else will. Maybe try to get from the library instead!

I have this book on my TBR list for this year. From what I can glean from the synopsis it sounds a bit like a more fantastical Divided Kingdom
which I read last year and would recommend to anyone.

Truthfully, I'm not the a fan of dystopian. After 1984, I lost interest. We are so much more than pieces of a chess game...magnificent beings in a crazy world. I say be the best you can be. Enjoy every moment.

True, but then I can see where the authors are coming from with the ideas for these societies. I've seen plenty of documentaries on China under Mao and it doesn't seem that much of a leap to get from that to some of the dystopian societies presented. Scary thoughts.

I really enjoyed this book, and can't wait to read the next one in the trilogy. :)