How could I possibly not mention Divergent when doing a 2014 summer reading list? I read it a few weeks ago and meant to write a review for it, but I got caught in a wave of other novels.
I finally got around to reading Divergent at the peak of its
hype, with the movie reaching global fame and zealous fangirls exalting Roth's
writing prowess. As a result, I had extremely high expectations for the novel--
which should have been the first sign that I would not be as impressed as
hoped. In essence, Divergent is just another book in the long line of books
following The Hunger Games, which was the "original" dystopian novel
to set off the frenzy. Truthfully, I found Divergent to be just as generic as
the other post-Hunger Games novels. After the basic set-up (5 factions,
Divergent, etc), the storyline was predictable. Tris' choices and actions were
unsurprising, as was her relationship with Four. And speaking of relationships,
some of the characters' interactions with each other were a bit stilted.
Especially for the minor characters, I didn't see much development. I didn't
feel much emotional attachment to the characters, except for a little empathy
with Tris. Despite all that, it was fun enough to read. I can appreciate a
strong heroine as much as the next person. And the story moved quickly with a
fast-paced plot. While nothing extraordinarily innovative or memorable,
Divergent was pleasant enough for a fluffy summer story. Besides, who didn't
get caught up in FourTris?
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