DIVERGENT TRILOGY - YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE TRUTH TILL YOU READ THEM ALL

Divergent Trilogy © Veronica Roth

#1 book : Divergent, 540 pages

#2 book : Insurgent, 547 pages

#3 book : Allegiant, 485 pages

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I read in Indonesian, published by Mizan Fantasy. 

   I’ll write this posting in English. I’m sorry if I use the wrong grammar or misspelled. English isn’t my first language and I’m not fluent in it. I try to learn. 

   So I started to read the trilogy in September 2014 and finish it today, March 2015. I don’t intend to read the whole trilogy after I finished ‘Divergent’. The first book didn’t give the excited vibe. Usually, there are only two reason I eager to read follow through story. First, I totally fall for the characters itself. Second I hella want to know what will happen in the end. Divergent didn’t give me those. Not even Four can make me fall for him. 

   In the earlier February, I visited a book fair and bought Insurgent, because it’s cheaper (I got 15% discount) and there was no other book I put interest in. Like I said in my twitter (if you follow me tho) I didnt know that second book would be that good. Insurgent gives me all the reason to complete my Divergent collection. Yes, I paid for “Four” too. But kind of regret it because Four’s mind, let’s just say, I dont like it (Allegiant effect) 

- WARNING SPOILER -

   The first book –Divergent- is designed to build the entire story. Factions and their characteristic, the ruin city - Chicago, factionless, mysterious train seems come from nowhere, and the obligation to choose faction when you’re sixteen. When read it at first, I though every faction has unic ability or magic. Turn out wrong. LOL. It’s about Tris leaving Abnegation to Dauntless, struggle to pass iniatition, bullying and beating, wracking mind simulation, become Four girlfriend, Divergent hidden identity, and the genocide of Abnegation.

   The second book – Insurgent is about revealing all the truth. You will leave dumbfounded and eager to know what’s next. First shocking fact, Tobias (Four) mother wasn’t dead. Second would be Uriah identity as Divergent, not giving any big difference tho. Third, Caleb’s betrayal. Fourth, Veronica Roth gives us opportunity to examine Divergent brain. Fifth, Peter saved Tris. Six, Edith Prior and the world beyond the fence. 

   The third book – Allegiant (the so annoying one) is about leaving Chicago, genetically pure and genetically damage, a huge fact that Chicago just an experiment, bureau and their concern to fix human gene. Not many event happened on Allegiant. POV changes between Tris and Tobias every chapter. 

#1 Tris and Four relationship

   So, Four is the instructor and he is hot, the best in his league, and single. How come the majority of Dauntless lady didn’t swooning over him, either Dauntless lady are blind or Dauntless taste are bit different. I mean, at least he should have one date before Tris. The only logic reason is, Four –in his deepest heart- is totally Abnegation which make him stay away from dating life before marriage. 

And meet Tris, the seem fragile girl who really has badass mind inside. Really badass. She didn’t like to be ordered, free in her own mind, and has the suspicious ability toward everyone. That’s why Veronica Roth make her Divergent. No one can control Divergent, that’s Tris thing for sure.

Sad but truth, I failed to feel the chemistry between Four and Tris in the first book. It feels like common relationship, nothing special. They meet when Tris became the first jumper, Four throw knives at Tris and she is angry, Four save her from Peter and friends, Four let her in to his fear room, he confess his feeling, ‘Divergent’ similiarity, and the Dauntless attack make them stuck together. 

Again, Insurgent erased all my doubt. I love it when they lying to each other. When Tris didn’t just believe in whatever Four planning to. Because it is proven that Tris is always right. But she still love him, she just follow what she thinks is right. Basically, women is always blind for the sake of love. 

In Allegiant, there is an attempt to create love triangle between Tris, Four, and Nita. Nita is a very annnoooying character. LOL. Idk, I think she tries to flirt with Four, use the rebellion as an excuse, though it’s failed. 

#2 Tris as Divergent

   The best scene would be the one in Erudite headquarter. When Jeanine Matthew learned ‘Tris’ as Divergent. Tris show the badass side of her. Like it soooo damn much. 

I really like Tris character. She changes a lot. In the first book, she has a lot worries in mind. Betraying her parent, leaving Abnegation, struggle to pass initiation, and try to find her place in Dauntless. Athough, she is not belong to any faction. Sometime she act Dauntless like, think as Abnegation, and analyze the situation in Erudite mind. In the second book, she is so desperate to died. Can’t blame her. That’s exactly how the war will affect you. 

Believe me, being ‘Divergent’ isn’t that special. Not only Tris, there are others. Like I said, Uriah is divergent too. Even the evil Marcul is divergent. They’re killed, haunted, and powerless. Divergent is just another word for ‘genetically pure’. And not all divergent have three factions as test result, not all of them have the ability to resist serum. It just Tris. 

Beatrice Prior resist every serum, even the death one. It’s just the real death and bullet that she cant resist. 

#3 Tobias Eaton a.k.a Four, The Legend of Dauntless

   Tobias isn’t Divergent. I think he suffers a lot. He is pretty fucked up. His parent unfortunately a villain. He was beaten by his own dad and fear him deep inside his mind. He was used by his own mom. The only good thing happen to him is Tris. 

Tobias is picturing the total opposite of Tris. I haven’t read ‘Four’ yet. I don’t plan to read his mind anytime soon. I’m still mourning over Tris dead. 

Don’t you think Theo James is too old as Four? Four is 18 and Theo is 30

#4 Peter

   I feel the presence of Draco Malfoy on him. LOL. They are so alike. 

#5 All wrongs and some weaknesses about the story

   When Tori killed Jeanine, she said her brother name is Jonathan Wu. In Allegiant, Tori’s brother name is George Wu. 

Marcus is divergent. How come! Forgive me if I forget but there’s no explanation about that. Only flash of telling in Tobias mind. 

To many characters with minor effect. I hardly remember their name. Uriah, Marlene, Lynn, Shauna, Zeke, Myra, Drew, I’m sorry to say but their role in this story isn’t that important (I think that’s why they are abandoned from the film). Amar, Matthew, Nita, George, Zoe, Reggie, Mary, Rafi, it’s rude to say but their presence made the story look so dumb. Yeah, Allegiant has so many pointless scene. Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea in Allegiant, the world beyond the fence and they seem totally clueless about what happened outside. It’s brilliant, I didn’t expect that coming and I’m totally surprised. 

Tobias POV. Meh, he is so weak inside. He has more charm in Tris POV. There is not much different between Tobias and Tris POV. Their mind sounds alike. I can’t tell the difference if they didn’t put the name. 

Natalie (Tris Mom) letters, hardly reveal anything. 

All the simulation scene and serum explanation before Allegiant was mind blowing, especially Insurgent. I expect more in Allegiant, but it is poorly explained. How the heck memory serum works? Or death serum? It is just said that they are testing it at Tris and like usuall it didn’t work.

#6 What’s good in the trilogy

   The way Veronica Roth point out all flaws of every faction. Like two side of knife, human always have bad side. When you’re selfless, you tend to be weak. We you’re feeling smart, you can help but being arrogant. 

The message about discrimination. Everyone deserve an equal right. 

The books have cool cover

I hate it that Tris had to died, but the ending is nearly realistic. Not all the stories should end with happily ever after. 

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It’s New York Times Bestseller, after all.