ŷ

Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Divergent Official Illustrated Movie Companion

Rate this book
Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling novel Divergent is now a major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet!

With never-before-seen photos; personal interviews with the directors, actors, and writers; and exclusive extras, this lush, oversize volume is a true behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Divergent.

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 2014

121 people are currently reading
15.2k people want to read

About the author

Kate Egan

78books103followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
57,283 (56%)
4 stars
25,493 (25%)
3 stars
12,996 (12%)
2 stars
3,331 (3%)
1 star
1,702 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
Profile Image for Jules ♈  (witchyrover).
167 reviews156 followers
April 12, 2023
I loved it! Perfecty describes the process about how the book turned into a movie. In my opinion, Divergent was the best movie of the three that were released. I'm looking forward to see the Insurgent illustration even though I hated the movie.
Profile Image for monica ♪.
506 reviews79 followers
October 4, 2016
It's nice to finally able to read again.
I'm sooooo busy atm. My job takes all my time. I so fucking hate my job!!
I'm so going to quit in the end of this month.

Finally managed to finish this book!

A great book to understand about the movie better

Now I know that it was actually really hard to get the right cast for FOUR. lol

Glad that they found Theo James
They couldn't have chosen better actors for FOUR and TRIS �

Reading this book makes me want to rewatch the movie again. Although I've watched it million times already

Definitely a 5 � read for me

Will try to write a proper review later, hopefully.
Profile Image for Jenn.
1,957 reviews318 followers
March 28, 2014
I'm going to start off by saying that I love Movie Companion books. I love looking behind the movie to see how they're made, how they're casted, and any other lit tidbit I can soak up. This one was no different. I loved Divergent and was actually impressed with the movie. What I liked about the companion was that it explained the transfer from book to screen from a visual aspect. Veronica Roth herself has said that she's not a very descriptive person and that was lacking in Divergent. The companion talked a lot about how the director created the world with little to go on but tried to stay true to what Roth had already created - especially concerning costumes and living quarters. I'm always fascinated by the process of film making so I revel in anything that can further my obsession and these companions do exactly that.
Profile Image for 󲹲⚢.
354 reviews18 followers
April 15, 2014
I loved this. It examined every inch of the book to movie journey, and I savoured every moment. The pictures used are fantastic and side in with the information provided well. What I found most interesting was the fact that they picked out Shailenne Woodley for the part of Tris in a quick fashion, yet Tobias was one of the last characters casted (by the oh-so-handsome Theo James). I bought this before I went to see the movie and looked out for Veronica Roth's little screen time, which was insanely cool. She stared in her own idea (look out for her in the zip line scene, she is where Uriah would be if he actually got casted -_-)! All in all, would definetely recommend this title to any die hard Divergent fans (like myself!) or just anyone purely interested in the behind the scenes work of the movie. Fantastic read.
Profile Image for John Cleary.
92 reviews30 followers
March 17, 2016
A beautiful, grandeur, and spectacular inside look on the filming process of "Divergent." Highly recommend reading this book. :)
Profile Image for Canette Arille.
Author18 books72 followers
April 3, 2024
I love this book! It is in my collection like all others in Divergent Trilogy :) The book is added to ,,my best GR book shelve,, :)
Profile Image for Rose.
285 reviews2 followers
April 5, 2014
I loved reading Divergent and the movie version that came out last month was SO GOOD!!! So I had to get my hands on this movie companion. Believe it or not, I was actually the FIRST person to check this book out from the library! Wow, that has never happened before...but back to the book: I was impressed with the layout, photos, and quotes from the director and cast. If you're a Divergent fan, this is a must read! And yes, I'll admit that I bought my own copy after reading the library's copy. :) It's that good!
Profile Image for nikita.
74 reviews37 followers
October 19, 2019

An amazing guide of how book-to-movie adaptaions are made, specifically Divergent. I'm a big fan of Divergent series and ofc of Veronica Roth, so I was genuinely astonished to find out how much filmmakers where in love with the book and that their cared for story as much as fans were. It really shows that there're still people out there who care about how stories are made and not just greedy for money. The amount of involvement of Veronica Roth in process just warmed my heart. Like everytime you see her radiating smile in a picture with cast members or filmmakers, it's just makes you smile too.


"The aptitude test and the Choosing Ceremony exclude and deny Divergents. But it’s in her Divergence, finally, that Tris finds her greatest strength. When she embraces the full range of her qualities as a human being, she can play an active role in her world. Even as it is falling apart."

Looking at pictures of Shailene and Theo as their characters is breathtaking. They both look spectacular and authentic. The chemestry between them in the movies is insane and mind-blowing. Love them soooo much!!!


description

I've never thought that filmmaking process could be so painstaking and detailed. It really did change my perception of how movies are made in general. Definitely worth reading!

Profile Image for Wise Cat.
209 reviews2 followers
November 8, 2014
I really ought to read companion books about a movie more often. I didn't think of doing this, until this came up with the Divergent books in the library database.

Enjoyed this immensely, esp. all the backstory of how they did the casting, how they shot certain scenes, which actors did their own stunts, where it was filmed, how the locals responded to the shooting in Chicago, etc.

Only wish there was more detail on how it was like for Winslet to work with the younger (up and coming in talent)cast. I didn't know Kate was 5 months pregnant at the time, so she wasn't going to be around much for shooting as much as the others. I found it interesting how she saw herself in a young Shailene Woodley, when she herself was a promising, young actress.

Woodley sounds as fearless as her character. I wasn't aware she did some of her own stunts when possible, nor that she had a double for some scenes. I figured she must have though!

I loved the photos in this book as well, and I thought Theo James as Four was perfect. I didn't picture Peter as Miles Teller, but he/is good in the role. Great that the cast got to be friendly off screen as well as on, such as between Christina/Tris (or Zoe/Shailene).

I was fascinated on how much effort went into the costumes as well. The books don't describe in much detail on what each faction wore, so it was up to the wardrobe department to imagine what they wore. Didn't know Roth herself appeared as an extra, as one of the Dauntless. Guess I didn't expect that, so I didn't even look for her. Also, I've only seen her picture a couple of times, so her face didn't register well.

The insight from the cast and crew on the story/characters was my favorite part, along with all those beautiful pictures.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
167 reviews13 followers
April 18, 2014
I have both of the Hunger Games movie companion books (The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and I really enjoyed both. When I saw that this one was written by the same author I decided to pick it up, thinking that it would be written in the same style as the other two. I wasn’t disappointed.

Actually, that’s not totally true. I waited to pick them up until I was sure that the movie wasn’t awful (it was really good � go see it if you haven’t yet).

This book is very similar to the two Hunger Games illustrated movie companions. The books are just beautiful: filled with lots of photographs, both of movie stills and behind the scenes moments. Author Kate Egan spoke with many of the people involved in the movie (the director and many of the actors, among others) and the book is filled with quotes from them.

There’s even a short section devoted to Kate Winslet!

The book has a pretty large trim size, again equal to the two Hunger Games movie companion books. This is a great format for all of the photos.

If you are a fan of the movie, I would say to definitely get this one.
Profile Image for katyjanereads.
740 reviews44 followers
April 26, 2014
1. I devoured this.
2. The first movie companion book I read was Twilight and I loved that one, too. Getting a little slice of what goes on in the production of a movie is so fascinating to me. Something I still remember from the Twilight movie companion is the part where they talk about scouting for locations. It was neat to read about the scouting for the Divergent movie, too. It's crazy how many details go into a movie.
3. I hasn't realized Veronica Roth was so young and that she had a cameo in the movie.
4. As a film viewer, you don't realize how every detail of a movie is on purpose. How much is planned out. How much of the set is also telling the story. It's awesome.
5. And you know, we may comment on how ridiculous it is that actors get paid so much but they really do work hard. And so does the whole team working on movies.
6. I want to be a movie extra. I'm adding that to my bucket list.
7. This was a great book. Very informative and fun.
Profile Image for Saya etc.
687 reviews61 followers
April 7, 2015
I am completely awe-struck.
To be completely honest with you, Divergent is one of my favorite books of all time so I must say that I was very skeptical with the movie. I noticed and criticized things that most people didn't see.
But, wow. The level of fascination reading this was very high. Seeing how it all came together. What every single location or moment meant to the movie was utterly incredible. The amount of thought that was put into this movie blew me away.
I have always been interested in film-making, I wish to study something that is related to it in the future (which might be impossible where I live) however, seeing how everything come together is truly exhilarating.

From how screenplays are written, to the visual effects of the scenes. A whole world being built.
Also, I absolutely loved taking an insight picture of how Divergent was written in the first place.

For any fan of Divergent, whether you like the movie or the book this is definitely a must!
Profile Image for Robin.
133 reviews22 followers
August 26, 2014
This book is pretty standard for a "movie companion" book - it contains details on book to script transition, casting the roles, the cast & crew, how the sets and costumes were designed, and aspects of shooting the movie itself.

The costume design sketches for all the factions were well done, and I feel they really represented the ideals of the factions.
I liked how they discussed the accent colors of the Dauntless outfits, that was something I hadn't noticed in the movie.

I found the details of the set design & location to be the most interesting part of the book. I enjoyed reading how the Abnegation Village location was created. I would have liked to read more about how the Dauntless HQ was laid out and designed.

Overall, it was an good read.
Profile Image for Justine.
2,017 reviews76 followers
July 13, 2014
I'm really interested in reading movie companions because I haven't read too many. I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. I really liked it because it covered everything: the plot/ story, characters, actors and even some behind the scenes. My favourite parts were of all of the costumes and makeup. I found this book to be very informative and I learned a lot about what goes into making a movie. Any Divergent fans need to add this book to their collection.
Profile Image for Michele (Reading Lark/CanadianTwiMom).
218 reviews40 followers
June 14, 2014
This has been sitting on my coffee table for weeks so I finally picked it up to have a real look-see. The pictures were awesome and I read some chunks of it but wasn't all that invested in reading it cover to cover. It was still worth purchasing it...if not for all the dreamy pictures of Theo James.
Profile Image for Francesca Tamburini.
Author2 books719 followers
November 8, 2020
I'm a little bit obsessed to everything related to Divergent right now so my opinion would probably be influenced by my love for that book/movie, but I feel like they did a really good job overall with this book.
70 reviews10 followers
July 18, 2015
An amazing reference to an amazing movie! I do fancy myself when things agglomerate to form masterpieces.
Profile Image for Melissa Hamm.
213 reviews4 followers
Read
September 16, 2021
I read this even tho I still haven't the movies and still found this interesting. Loved seeing how they made the train scenes, and future esk kinda Chicago. Wanting to see the movie more now.
Profile Image for Umber Horizon.
243 reviews7 followers
January 30, 2024
*MEHEHEEHE*
Evil cackle.
Nope.
I don't know how I feel about this.
Profile Image for Muhammad Edwin.
383 reviews14 followers
May 2, 2021
"She reminds me a lot of myself when I was twenty-one, you know. You have to have a determination and a focus to be able to pull something off like she is. I remember feeling like that, feeling as though I had to be the one that led the troops on, and she very much has that spirit. I have absolutely been there, and it's like preparing for a marathon." - Kate Winslet about Shailene Woodley

In a future world that’s neatly divided into five factions—Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the learned), and Dauntless (the brave)—you’d think it would be easy to find your place. After all, each faction embodies one of the best qualities in human nature. And within any faction, a person finds community. Responsibility. Love. It’s a simple but satisfying system.

Unless you don’t fit in.

From Initiate to Divergent.

There are 7 parts in this book.
1. The Story of Divergent
2. Moving Towards A Film
3. A Search for the Perfect Cast
4. Training
5. Building the World of Divergent
6. A Look for Each Faction: Costumes and Makeup
7. Shooting the Film

A good adaptation. I love how they build the world of Divergent, the look for each faction, and the cast are match. Neil Burger should be the director for all The Divergent Series. But sadly that didn't happen. Still disappointed by the fact that the series is not finished.
Profile Image for Abigail (Spaggiari).
Author5 books4 followers
April 13, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! There were parts that were slow, but overall I was entertained and invested the entire time. The story focuses on Tris, a 16 year old girl from the selfless faction of Abnigation, who transfers to the bold, daring, Dauntless. We get to see how she transforms herself, how she grow both physically and mentally, and leans that selflessness and bravery sometimes go hand in hand.

One thing that was a very minor irritant, was just how many Dauntless-transfer initiates were whiny little babies. Like, ya'll knew what you were getting into when you transferred...what'd you expect? idk, that part was odd, borderline amusing and felt like lazy writing.
Profile Image for Sophia.W xx.
68 reviews
December 6, 2023
A captivating read that seamlessly weaves intricate plots and nuanced characters. The pacing is spot-on, keeping you hooked from start to finish. The author's command of language creates a rich and immersive experience, and I found myself savoring each page. The thematic depth and emotional resonance are truly commendable. There's a subtle elegance to the storytelling that elevates it beyond typical genre fare. Highly recommend for anyone seeking a well-crafted narrative that balances excitement and sophistication.
1 review2 followers
November 6, 2020
Well I have already saw the movie like a hundred times now I just wanted to see the book I LIKE NEVER GET TIRE OF SEEING THE MOVIE!!!ITS AMAZING BUT NOW ALL I AM GOING TO DO IS READ THE BOOK!!!!ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS MOVIE OR READING IS ABOUT ROMANCE AND ACTION IT IS AMAZING YOU WOULD BE DUMB IF YOU DID N"T READ IT LIKE YOUR DUMB NOT BEING MEAN BUT I PROMISE YOU OF YOU READ IT YOU.WILL.NOT.BE.SORRY.AT.ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Profile Image for Aileena Young.
2 reviews
September 11, 2022
Divergent was a classic, and strongly can represent many things about the world. In the book you have to choose your path, at least that's what it seems. In reality, you never really get to choose. And I think thats what the whole series was trying to point out, a theme: The complexity of identity. So many people would be able to relate to this book but some don't exactly know why. It's a amazing read, it starts off slow but you really get there, this is the hook of the series.
4 reviews
November 26, 2023
For some reason I was completely obsessed with this series and I still think the concept is pretty good but I think it's slightly overrated. Still I was in a hardcore dystopian phase thanks to this book and it was a nice experience. But as with the maze runner don't watch the movies if you know what's good for you....
3 reviews
June 11, 2020
Fascinating Movie Companion for those in "Literature to Film" classes and "Literature and Technology" classes in high school and colleges. Particularly interesting for film majors interested in developing science fiction novels or short stories into film.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.