Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Divergent Trilogy

Oh YA novels I have such a love hate relationship with these. You see there is this huge part of me that keeps on yelling, how you can enjoy these books they are for kids, rubbish, twaddle, why would you read them and at times I even feel quite smug when I get it right as in the case of Heavens Waiting Room, but damn it, what happens when I get it wrong, really wrong?

Just this afternoon I closed the last pages on the Divergent trilogy and whilst it isn't perfect, is there such a thing as a perfect read anyway? I applaud Roth, at the ripe young age of 22 when she wrote Divergent she has done a tremendous job.

I'm writing here about the trilogy as a whole simply because I was already well within the third book, Allegiant, before I even realised that I hadn't written anything about Divergent and Insurgent.

So yes, we find ourselves in yet another Young Adult Dystopian Society, a wonderfully strong main female character and a series that is primarily about bravery, love, selflessness and finding oneself in what has become a world of chaos.

This is the story of Tris and Four, the story of the world they currently live in, and the imminent demise of their entire society. The story of their growth into adulthood, the pigeon holing of their personalities, character, strengths and weaknesses. The pain they endure time and time again and the scars they bare from loss, betrayal and the continual chaos of the world that surrounds them.

But aren't we already living within a world of chaos, don't we already become pigeon holed based on
our personalities, our strengths and weaknesses. Don't we spend our entire lives fighting to overcome this. To allow our true selves to break through the shell that encases us all? To live a life of pure freedom, however that they may look to each of us.

In so many ways this book is simply our reality, shared in the guise of a mixed up Dystopian society. If you are open to it, truly open to it, you will see that it is simply the world we live in today. A world of distorted priorities, where power and brutality masquerade as strength and inspiration.

Roth pens wonderful quotes and insights that I fear some will be missed on many members of her audience, simply because of the stage of their lives, they may not be open to receiving them. Or possibly it is simply that I am just in a funky zone and taking on each and every quote with sheer gusto.

I was about a third of the way into Allegiant (the third book) when I felt a strong desire to go back and read the series so that I could note down all of the passages that stood out to me.

Passages on love, such as this, "I used to think that when people fell in love, they just landed where they landed.............but I don't just stay with him by default.................I choose him over and over again and he chooses me." or this, on finding oneself, "I belong to the people I love and they belong to me-they and the love and loyalty I give them, form my identity far more than any word or group ever could"

I'm not here to give you a plot overview, you can find those anywhere online. Whilst the plot is absolutely important I read for emotion, I want to feel something, anything, whether it be love or anger or a bit of both I want my emotions stirred.  I read and love books for the way they make me feel, the way they inspire, envelope me and reach out with both hands, I mean pages and pull me straight into the story as if I am just another one of the characters within.

The Divergent Series did all of this for me and more.

It has actually taken me a few days to complete this post and I'm still not certain I have gotten across what I had intended to. I am in that bittersweet moment of the story coming to end, the sadness of dealing with the ending that had my cheeks wet with tears and the complete admiration I have for Roth in being brave enough to end the series with a finale that she had to have known would upset her readers.  

Whether you are looking for a fast paced, action packed novel that is full of all of the usual greatness of dystopian novels, bravery, murder, sabotage, twists and turns, or a story of love, friendship, selflessness and honour you will find it here in the Divergent series.

I think though, that I need to take some time before I pick up the book Four and see some things from his perspective.








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