Divergent (Divergent, #1) in The Challenge Factory

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Divergent (Divergent, #1)

Veronica Roth

Start date: January 16, 2012

Finish date: February 16, 2012

Discussion: 鈾uddy Reads鈾�

Discussion leader: Shellbelle

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What Members Thought

May 05, 2011 Thenia rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014, r-ab, reviewed, series, ya-na, dystopia, 2012

Re-read: March 29th 2014

After watching the movie I decided to re-read the first book to refresh my memory on the details and see how close to the story the movie really was - turns out it was pretty close and was quite well done, too - before I started the second book.

Complex, harsh world, characters facing difficult situations and tough decisions and no end in sight for their troubles in the near future. I'm looking forward to Insurgent!

First read: January 1-2 2012

A great debut and beginning of ...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Marla rated it it was amazing

Shelves: dystopia, with-reservations, fantasy, romance, challenged, adventure, young-adult, girl-power, favorites-ya, long

4.5 stars. Thrilling book...lots of elements...adventure, danger, romance, competition, enemies, family, friendship, betrayal. Great to read a popular YA book that is not overrated. I admire Tris and I would be attracted to Four.

I'm not a dystopian fan, but I'm so glad I read this book for a group book of the month. Divergent is criticized for not being a true dystopian book, maybe that's why I liked it, ha, ha.

This book should've made me cry, but it didn't, so something was missing and this is ...more

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Nov 27, 2013 Cindy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, br-buddy-reads, 2023

I liked it.

2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 24, 2015 Catsalive rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, 2016, 2020

3.5 鈽�

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Dec 15, 2010 Logan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-bought-paper, dystopian-post-apocalyptic, movie-tv

First impressions: I picked this one up, read through the first few chapters, and then put it down for months. I did not find the beginning of this book that compelling.

Lasting impressions: However, once I got into the story, I had a hard time putting it down. The plot moves swiftly and it鈥檚 easy to get swept away in this one.

Conflicting impressions: I spent too much time wondering A) why more people weren鈥檛 Divergent; and B) what was so bad about being Divergent.

Overall impressions: A well dev First impressions: I picked this one up, read through the first few chapters, and then put it down for months. I did not find the beginning of this book that compelling.

Lasting impressions: However, once I got into the story, I had a hard time putting it down. The plot moves swiftly and it鈥檚 easy to get swept away in this one.

Conflicting impressions: I spent too much time wondering A) why more people weren鈥檛 Divergent; and B) what was so bad about being Divergent.

Overall impressions: A well developed world is the key to success where dystopians are concerned. As a reader, I need to know the rules of the current society and why they were created. Why are there factions? How do they function to protect the people? How important is their existence to the ruling powers? What is at stake if they fail? How does Divergence factor into this all? Roth does a fair job at trying to answer these, and some were more satisfactory answers than others.

Beatrice (Tris) is a pleasant enough protagonist. I appreciated that she wasn鈥檛 the best at everything. In several scenes we actually see her overpowered and humiliated by her fellow faction-mates. She鈥檚 not helpless, though, and she certainly proves her value as time goes on. Four, the love interest, is somewhat bland, but I found the supporting characters to be interesting and vivid. While Tris is completing her faction鈥檚 initiation, there is a Hunger Games-like feel to things, where this group of young people is going through hell together, but also competing against one another. It makes for a great dynamic.

As much as I liked the initiation process, it took up too much of the plot for me, to the detriment of the development of the larger conflict. Only after initiation is nearly complete do we start to understand the bigger issues at play in this world, and the climax of the book seemed cramped into too few pages as a result. I wish we had gotten more insights into the inter-faction rumblings beyond some seemingly benign animosity between Erudite and Abnegation. Perhaps it鈥檚 my own interest in politics that had me craving more of this, but I think it would have been helpful to know.

I can see why this series has inspired so many rabid fans. It鈥檚 heavy on action with an exciting setting, and there鈥檚 a nice romance that I can appreciate (even if it wasn鈥檛 my favorite). For me, however, this one failed to live up to the hype. ...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Christal rated it it was amazing

Shelves: shady-government-agency, ya-and-na, mind-bullets, dystopian-post-apocalyptic, female-lead, war, creepy-school-setting

I really enjoyed this book! The captivating writing and wonderful characters made it easy for me to go along with Ms. Roth's version of a dystopian Chicago. Even though the five faction scenario was a little wobbly, I still loved every minute of this book.

Tris was a great character. She had an internal fortitude that served her well throughout this book. She didn't have all the answers, but she never backed down from a challenge. I am looking forward to finding out more about what being divergen ...more

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Apr 15, 2014 Krissy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: buddy-read, audiobook, read-before-2015, abuse, scarred-nerdy-imperfect-heroes, imperfect-heroine, virginal-hero

Decent

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Jan 07, 2015 Avigail rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: physical-book, 2015

This story grabs you on page ONE! Divergent introduces readers to a world where society is divided into factions. The world building leaves a vivid image, the plot keeps readers on their toes it keeps you guessing but reveals enough though the story that you don't get frustrated with the plot. You, as the reader, become one with the world, engaged by Beatrice, aka Tris. Her voice resonates within us, any reader whether male/female can relate to her inner "emotional" struggles, as well as, her ph ...more

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Aug 06, 2013 Meredith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

It's not wholly original but it took all of my favorite elements from The Giver Quartet and the Hunger Games trilogy and made itself into something that could possibly be my new favorite dystopian series. Can't wait to read the next one :) ...more

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