[REVIEW] Divergent (Veronica Roth) – Book & Movie

Divergent By: Vernoica Roth Preview Here

I’ve mentioned a few times before that I only like to read fiction books that I know are being made into movies. It is what it is.

I’ve put off reading Divergent mostly because I read Hunger Games and hated it and heard this series was similar. My dear friend, from A Southern Ruckus, tried to convince me otherwise but I wasn’t having it. Until I saw the trailer and decided she might be right. It’s the movie thing, I swear.
So, I read this book cover to cover in just a few days. My hubby on the other hand knocked it out in one. He keeps trying to say he’s not a fast reader. Whatever.

This series was SO much better than Hunger Games, in my humble opinion.

Yes, they are a divided population and each faction has one key job/attribute they focus on. The difference is they have a choice of where they want to belong. Also, the government isn’t oppressive. They really are trying to keep peace among the factions.

Divergent follows the story of Tris, a 16-year-old girl who has reached her day of choosing. Instead of declaring loyalty to her home faction of Abnigation (selfless) she chooses Dauntless (brave) but her aptitude test reveals that she also has tendencies for Erudite (intelligent). The combination is called Divergent. The population has been taught to fear divergence because they don’t always conform to one way of thinking, which is what keeps the current system of peace in check.

The plot chronicles Tris’ initiation into her new faction, her attempt to keep her aptitude a secret, as well as the relationships she forms among her peers and, in particular, with her instructor. Things get really interesting when one of the factions gets a little too big for their britches and tries to take over. Guess who turns out to be the hero and the heroine…. exactly!

This past weekend we also popped over to see the movie. I usually maintain that the books are always better than the movie. In this case, I kinda disagree. The basic plot of the movie was the same but there were some key conversations that were altered, especially in the simulations that the initiates must go through. It actually made more sense the way they played it out in the movie. I didn’t appreciate that the ending was changed. I think it would have been just as exciting if it had played out exactly as it did in the original story. Alas, Hollywood disagreed so we had some alternations and thus they will have to make some alterations in the next movie as well.

It’s always interesting to see who is cast as characters and if their physical attributes line up to they way I perceive them as I’m reading. In the case of Four, they totally nailed it with Theo James. Major mysterious personality and hard-core hotness alert! And he is all tatted up. Mercy!

Overall, both the book and the movie were very exciting! As a parental note there is quite a bit of violence but surprisingly little language in either one. I usually have a weak stomach for violence but I was able to tolerate the movie pretty easily. I’m giving Divergent two thumbs up in either media.

Up next, Insurgent. Too bad we have to wait until 2015 for that movie.