Comments on: Review: Divergent

By: Spoil Me This « A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy

Spoil Me This « A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:02:58 +0000

[...] my review of Divergent, I didn’t reveal a significant choice the main character, Tris, made early on in the book. [...]

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:18:40 +0000

I loved this book and can’t wait to chat with you and Lenore about it! I can’t seem to find a thing about this book that I didn’t like. The characters were all interesting in their own way, the world of the factions was compelling and the plot was just the right amount of action. I have to say that I was appreciative that Roth didn’t fall into the trap of creating a book that’s first in a series that forgoes an interesting plot in order to set up further books. I appreciated that she got down to brass tacks and built the story while telling the story.

By: Liz B

Liz B — Sat, 07 May 2011 14:08:40 +0000

Lenore, ha! I can’t wait to chat in person about this one, because I have some very spoilery type things I want to hash out about the ending & how this world works.

Tanita, oh, I didn’t even think about how outside the US, education systems sort children out even younger in terms of future careers. And the testing outside the US. And we all know about the OWL levels.

Sondy, these are the types of things I wonder about for world building like this. And yes…it turns out that people are both more and less than their specified faction.

RM1, I didn’t even notice that!

By: RM1(SS) (ret)

RM1(SS) (ret) — Sat, 07 May 2011 00:36:02 +0000

Sounds interesting, but I’m afraid I’d be constantly getting sidetracked by the fact that one faction name is an adjective while the rest are all nouns….

By: Sondy

Sondy — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:43:32 +0000

Another thing I got to thinking about: I bet the divorce rate would be lowest in Abnegation! Because, in my opinion, affairs are inherently selfish. Do you think it would be higher in Candor, where people freely admit when they are attracted to someone else’s spouse (or would talking to your spouse about it take out the danger to the marriage?), or in Amity, where all that love might spill over the boundaries of marriage? (I’ll have to read the book and see what I think!) I wonder what would happen if people in Candor DID try to keep secrets – especially teens who haven’t made their choice yet? Oh, there’s clearly lots to muse over, just from your description. I will definitely have to read the book….

By: Sondy

Sondy — Thu, 05 May 2011 14:33:10 +0000

The first review of this I read made it sound like another dystopian in a society I don’t believe would ever really happen on earth. You made it sound much more compelling. I will definitely be reading this.

Another thing you got me thinking about: I have a feeling my good-girl sixteen-year-old self might well have chosen Abnegation, or maybe Erudite. My forty-six year-old self would probably NOT choose that way. So it raises the question: Would being in a faction have inhibited the changes that have come to me as I’ve matured? Sounds like lots to think about!

By: tanita

tanita — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:50:19 +0000

Ooooh. This sounds like we’ll see it again on the Cybils.
This will appeal to British readers as well, the O/A level shifting starts as early as what for us would be 7th grade…

By: Lenore

Lenore — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:47:53 +0000

Oops! I guess I should’ve had a spoiler warning I just thought her choice was so obvious, I didn’t even think about it!!