Rabid Read: Divergent by Veronica Roth

This is my ideal weekend. I lie on my bed whole day stoke and feeling all swoony as I turn countless pages of Veronica Roth's Divergent (which I got from my awesome friend Stella as a present, a million thanks to her), unable to stop myself. I am usually a slow reader, I spent about a week on The Hunger Games, a month on the whole Trilogy. But It's only been twenty freaking four hours and I'm halfway through it.

grabbed from dontbotherlovingme

The plot

Set in a futuristic dystopia, Beatrice seeks to break free from her homogeneous society that divides people based on human traits; the five factions being, Abnegation (the Selfless), Erudite (the Intelligent), Candor (the Honest), Amity (the Peaceful), and Dauntless (the Brave). Born in an Abnegation Family, she doubts herself, admits on not being selfless enough and questions her belongingness to her faction origin. She undergoes the aptitude tests, which later reveal that she is something much different from the others, dangerous even. Scrambling for self identity, she leaves her faction and joins the faction of the Dauntless, where she falls for a young man, and discovers something much stronger than fear.

On being Hunger Games-like

I'm not gonna talk about which I prefer more. Cause honestly, and I mean it in the Candor-est way possible, I like love them both equally. I love that THG is moving on a slowly but surely pace. But I also love Divergent's fast paced and irresistible action packed scenes. In THG, it's mostly Katniss talking to herself, so that you understand only her character really well, in a more personal level. But in Divergent, you get to know more people, because Tris is often surrounded with a lot of different characters.

grabbed from dontbotherlovingme

Also, everybody knows how much of a futuristic Dystopian fanatic I am. I can say that THG is set on a more realistic future world. When I was on my first few pages, I couldn't stop scoffing at the idea of the divided factions, not to mention the kind loyalty they each have for their own chosen one. I found it silly. At first, only at first. When I start venturing into more pages, I realize it could be possible - Amity, Dauntless, Abnegation, Erudite, and Candor happening in the future. So the feeling isn't like when I was reading THG, when it was instantly "OMG THIS FEELS LIKE IT COULD ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE". In Divergent, it took me a few more pages to connect the present world to the future world it presents in a realistic scope.

The ending

I'm not gonna talk about it yet. I'm a few chapters away from actually finishing it. So I'm just writing this part to let everybody know that though this seems impossible, I'd love to see some Tris-Eric romance go on. I'm so weird. But of course I'd still be rooting for Four. 

Film adaptation jitters

grabbed from thedauntlessavox

All I can say is, Shailene Woodley is absolutely perfect for Tris. I read about her being cast for the role, so I google and youtube her instantly, a few seconds on my search engine and I fall inlove with her. I love that they cast someone who's actually new in mainstream films this time. I mean, Jennifer Lawrence was perfect, but I feel like it was a safe choice. I mean, it would've given the production extra points if they cast someone actually new and was able to pull it off.

So Tris is the reason Woodley wasn't cast for Katniss when she auditioned. She would've been perfect for THG too, but I can't imagine Divergent with a different Tris.

As for Tobias/Four's character. I think it's time for Lucas Till to take on his first lead role. He's ripe and hot enough.