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mark monday's Reviews > Divergent
Divergent (Divergent, #1)
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Dear Hunger Games,
I miss you. I really do. Our relationship is over and done with but the memory of you still lingers on. I know that's a terrible cliché - and you hate clichés - but it's a true one, at least in this case. I don't think I'll ever be over you. You are fucking special.
It took me some time, but I finally met a new girl. Her name is Divergent. She's quiet and strong and short-tempered and insular and brave... a lot like you, I suppose. But is she really? This is hard for me to admit but I think I was initially attracted to her because she reminded me so much of you. I know it's not fair for me to think this way, I should be looking at her on her own merits. At the very least I could have looked at the relationship as a fun rebound and not as a search for a replacement you. Easier said than done. I loved you, I love you, I'll always love you... and I'm not sure I even like her.
First of all, she copies all of your moves and all of your traits. It's so obvious. It's clear she's modeled her whole life on you and what you've achieved. At first that similarity is what caught my eye about her. And she is an exciting person, she's always hurtling forward, she barely stops to take a breath. I like that. But in the end, there's also a fakeness and even a kind of desperation. She's not you, not even close. Why can't she be her own person?
Unlike you, she's really into guns. I know you see the necessity of guns, sometimes, but I also know you don't see them as an answer. I didn't mind her love of guns at first - I kinda like guns, I'll admit that. But eventually I realized she was equating the use of guns with bravery. What the hell? On the one hand she says "true bravery is selflessness" but on the other hand she insists that she doesn't feel fully herself unless she has a gun in her hand. Ugh.
She also has a thing against intellectuals. She finds them innately suspicious and they are the first kind of person she'll automatically reject. Honestly I don't know where that comes from. But it makes my skin crawl.
With all the gun love and the anti-brains bias, she reminds me at times of my redneck relatives. Which is not attractive.
The worst thing - and I know I'm about to sound like a real dick here - is that I've realized she is actually pretty stupid. She breaks people down into different groups, just like you do. But while you have a realistic, complicated perspective on class and power and economics and the media and self-awareness and how all of those things contribute to the boxes we put ourselves into, the decisions we make, who we are... she just divides people up into a handful of finite personality traits. Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Dauntless, and Amity. it's such a ridiculous, shallow idea. My God, she even lumps adjectives and nouns together as her labels - as if they were the same thing! It's teeth-grindingly naive and yet this idea of hers is her whole foundation. Even worse, she seems to think that only the very rare person, the very special few, are able to combine these traits in relatively equal proportions. To be "Divergent". Sometimes I wonder if she's actually ever really known a person. Her theory is like something a child thought up.
Okay now I'm feeling bad for bashing her so much so I'll say some good things. She can be pretty enthusiastic and, at her best, she can keep me up all night just having fun. Her insights about this guy Al (you don't know him and you probably wouldn't like him) are really surprising and deep. So she's not that shallow, not really. She has her moments. And just like you, she sure knows how to make some money.
Still, I don't think I will be continuing the relationship. There's a new girl I've met named Daughter of Smoke & Bone. She seems really cool and smart and mysterious. I'm looking forward to getting to know her.
But in the end, you know you'll always be number one.
Much love,
UPDATE 10/17/14: just saw the movie. it was awesome!
I miss you. I really do. Our relationship is over and done with but the memory of you still lingers on. I know that's a terrible cliché - and you hate clichés - but it's a true one, at least in this case. I don't think I'll ever be over you. You are fucking special.
It took me some time, but I finally met a new girl. Her name is Divergent. She's quiet and strong and short-tempered and insular and brave... a lot like you, I suppose. But is she really? This is hard for me to admit but I think I was initially attracted to her because she reminded me so much of you. I know it's not fair for me to think this way, I should be looking at her on her own merits. At the very least I could have looked at the relationship as a fun rebound and not as a search for a replacement you. Easier said than done. I loved you, I love you, I'll always love you... and I'm not sure I even like her.
First of all, she copies all of your moves and all of your traits. It's so obvious. It's clear she's modeled her whole life on you and what you've achieved. At first that similarity is what caught my eye about her. And she is an exciting person, she's always hurtling forward, she barely stops to take a breath. I like that. But in the end, there's also a fakeness and even a kind of desperation. She's not you, not even close. Why can't she be her own person?
Unlike you, she's really into guns. I know you see the necessity of guns, sometimes, but I also know you don't see them as an answer. I didn't mind her love of guns at first - I kinda like guns, I'll admit that. But eventually I realized she was equating the use of guns with bravery. What the hell? On the one hand she says "true bravery is selflessness" but on the other hand she insists that she doesn't feel fully herself unless she has a gun in her hand. Ugh.
She also has a thing against intellectuals. She finds them innately suspicious and they are the first kind of person she'll automatically reject. Honestly I don't know where that comes from. But it makes my skin crawl.
With all the gun love and the anti-brains bias, she reminds me at times of my redneck relatives. Which is not attractive.
The worst thing - and I know I'm about to sound like a real dick here - is that I've realized she is actually pretty stupid. She breaks people down into different groups, just like you do. But while you have a realistic, complicated perspective on class and power and economics and the media and self-awareness and how all of those things contribute to the boxes we put ourselves into, the decisions we make, who we are... she just divides people up into a handful of finite personality traits. Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Dauntless, and Amity. it's such a ridiculous, shallow idea. My God, she even lumps adjectives and nouns together as her labels - as if they were the same thing! It's teeth-grindingly naive and yet this idea of hers is her whole foundation. Even worse, she seems to think that only the very rare person, the very special few, are able to combine these traits in relatively equal proportions. To be "Divergent". Sometimes I wonder if she's actually ever really known a person. Her theory is like something a child thought up.
Okay now I'm feeling bad for bashing her so much so I'll say some good things. She can be pretty enthusiastic and, at her best, she can keep me up all night just having fun. Her insights about this guy Al (you don't know him and you probably wouldn't like him) are really surprising and deep. So she's not that shallow, not really. She has her moments. And just like you, she sure knows how to make some money.
Still, I don't think I will be continuing the relationship. There's a new girl I've met named Daughter of Smoke & Bone. She seems really cool and smart and mysterious. I'm looking forward to getting to know her.
But in the end, you know you'll always be number one.
Much love,
UPDATE 10/17/14: just saw the movie. it was awesome!
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Reading Progress
June 21, 2013
–
Started Reading
June 21, 2013
– Shelved
June 23, 2013
– Shelved as:
after-the-fall
June 23, 2013
– Shelved as:
teenworld
June 23, 2013
–
Finished Reading
June 24, 2013
– Shelved as:
rain-man-reviews
April 10, 2020
– Shelved as:
unicorn
Comments Showing 1-50 of 255 (255 new)
message 1:
by
carol.
(new)
Jun 23, 2013 08:37PM
look forward to the review!
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Can't wait to see your review on this!
i think it may be a "review" rather than an actual review...
Yes, well, the eyerolling gifs are fun.
Carol wrote: "Yes, well, the eyerolling gifs are fun."
Yeah, gifs are really good!
I approve of your new pursuit! DoSaB, wish I could read it again for the first time.
she really looks like my type. wish me luck!
I really enjoyed this book, but I enjoyed your review even more :D
Hunger Games called. She wants you back!
Don't think I'll give into this foul temptress anytime soon . . . and I'll admit. I've been tempted.
Haha, love this review. I've heard similar complaints about this one, that the characters are so dumb and flat that it really ruins everything. I'm surprised these books are as popular as they are then, it sounds....cliched. ha. Well, glad I read this so I can continue to avoid these books and try and direct customers to better books.
most of the characters are flat but there are definitely some exceptions. the love interest Four and the supporting character Al had some depth to them; the protagonist was also three-dimensional but she was also such a rip-off of Katniss. for me the really bad part of the novel was the flat underlying idea behind the whole thing. it was impossible to look past that, try as i might. so yeah, continue to avoid it Sven and don't give in to the temptation Amanda.
Good grief, it's "marked as read" 15 times on the official goodreads review page. Ah, goodreads and their silly changes.Anyway, great review. Love how it's in letter format like that. It's inevitable, of course, to have copycats when there's a big thing that works (hunger games)
i think it was also voted one of the Best Books of the year on Goodreads. sigh.and thanks!
I soo agree with you, mark! In every point.Love the letter format in the review, btw.
mark wrote: "most of the characters are flat but there are definitely some exceptions. the love interest Four and the supporting character Al had some depth to them; the protagonist was also three-dimensional b..."I think I will. It does seem to be conveniently riding in Hunger Games wake. The big teen sellers seem to do that though. Whatever keeps publishers in business though, I guess. Every time a new series like this comes out we get such a crazy number of copies that you can tell the publishers are thinking 'pleeeeeease be another Harry Potter. Pleeeeease sell like hot cakes. Otherwise we're out of jobs!' ha.
yes, for example: ZOMBIES. everywhere. still selling like hot cakes? i dunno. maybe zombies never go out of style.thanks DG!
True, Zombies have definitely taken over. Better them than vampires though, that wore thin quickly. We do still have a sizable 'Teen Paranormal Romance' section however. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for robot love stories.
'Do you love me T4953?'
'Affirmative'
Now that is an ideal film for Robert Pattinson's acting haha
i think robot vampires will be the next big thing. or zombie werewolves.
I have noticed that these books are stuck directly alongside The Hunger Games series at bookstores...subtle.
Amanda wrote: "Don't think I'll give into this foul temptress anytime soon . . . and I'll admit. I've been tempted."It's a shallow kind of fun, but I did enjoy it for what it is. The sequel however is DREADFUL.
Wonderful review mark!!
mark wrote: "yes, for example: ZOMBIES. everywhere. still selling like hot cakes? i dunno. maybe zombies never go out of style."Zombies never go out of style.
but what about zombie werewolves. i feel that is a whole market just waiting to be exploited. maybe they can sparkle too, that would be awesome and very romantic.
mark wrote: "but what about zombie werewolves. i feel that is a whole market just waiting to be exploited. maybe they can sparkle too, that would be awesome and very romantic."Throw in some tentacles and you've got yourself a bestseller!
Cyborg werewolves? A cyberpunk YA novel that asks, what's it mean to be a human? Are you a machine or an animal, and can you still look good without a shirt on even with all those wires and fur?
these are definitely important problems and i think the only solution is a literary franchise that can explore these myriad conundrums. shirtlessness is an issue that every young adult must eventually wrestle with. also, lycanthropy and nanobots that take over your body when you execute the wrong program. perhaps the series can be set in a post-apocalyptic school for young wizards??
If Wizardry is code for magic mixed with technology, then I am all for the school. And they must log onto the "Web" by head jacks via the Matrix. This also involves brutal virtual reality school sports i.e. Quidditch meets Hunger Games, but without the obvious life-threatening concerns...or is there something sinister about these virtual games?
There's your book.
There's your book.
done. we're gonna be rich!!
And the nanobots allow the werewolves to control when they can transform so that they can retain human-like lives and not be uncontrollable, violent beasts. Games help sate the thirst that is not quenched fully even with nanobots. Werewolf wizardry/hacker school plans to restart the human race since the rest of the world is post-apocalyptic zombie hell...The archetypes for the brave, stoic and angsty characters are already coming to mind...God why is this so easy to come up with?
correction. you are gonna be rich.
I don't think I have the fortitude to do write something like that, or enough drugs.
Awesome review Mark!!! This was one creative review!!! :D
mark wrote: "thanks Ronyell!"You're welcome! :D
This is the most accurate review i've seen yet.
Found any new love interests lately?
i'm hoping Daughter of Smoke & Bone will light my lovelight. if not, I have a few others waiting in the wings. The Marbury Lens, Ashfall, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, and Tender Morsels... hopefully between all these fetching charmers i'll be able to find my next love.
OMG LOL that was hilarious!!! Although I loved this book i do agree that it is no match for THG<3 PS. I want to read Daughter of Smoke and Bone 2!!
glad you enjoyed it Shruthi!
love the review! hmmm...I don't think its out on the shelf yet but if ypu have an ereader you should check out Branded Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicki
thanks Christine! thank you for the recommendation, I will check it out.
That was fantastic. Love is a fickle thing.
thank you Traci! ah, Love. ::precious sigh::
I know I'm waaay too late,but that's the best review I've ever read about this book! It's just like THG but with a smaller location (still in North America) and different character names. Smh.
