I love dystopian fiction. Lucky for me, it us the hot, new sub-genre in Young Adult literature. I guess the rampant success of The Hunger Games will do that. And I am so very glad it did.
The big talk lately is about the Divergent series.
First time author, Veronica Roth (and recent college graduate) wrote a New York Times Best-Selling novel. I could never be a creative writer and I can't help but be jealous of her amazing creativity.
I read Divergent in a 2-3 day time period. I read Insurgent, the sequel/second book in the series, the very next day. The whole book, all 525 pages.
This story follows the life of Beatrice Prior. Beatrice, or Tris as she is later called, lives in a society were at the age of 16 you go to a choosing ceremony to decide what fraction you will live with. There are 5 factions that each have a certain way of living based on their philosophy. Amity values non-violence. Abnegation treasures selflessness. Candor are truth-tellers, at all costs. Edurites are scholars. Dauntless are brave and courageous and hate cowardice. Tris has to decide to stay with her parents in Abnegation or leave them forever to follow another faction. Where do her loyalties lie? Her one choice will change her future forever (hint: and everyone else's future) and her decision is difficult because she doesn't really fall into any fraction. (Guess what she picks? See my blog post title.)
This highest praise I can give a series is to not hate the middle book of a trilogy. I usually find the middle to be boring with too much back story and not enough action or something like that. Insurgent delivers. I so loved it.
Some claim this series to be the next Hunger Games and I hope it does reach that level of popularity,. The rights have been sold to make a movie, but lots of books get optioned and never get made. I definitely think my various book clubs should read it. Everyone should read it.
I am even purchasing new personal copies. This is a big deal. I tend to only buy books used or read library books (and I still own a ton of books). I did read both these books from libraries copies, but I just want to own them too (then I can make my family and friends read them so we can discuss). The last series I did this with was The Hunger Games.
Divergent #3 is scheduled to come out Fall 2013 (Veronica Roth calls it "Detergent" because she can't reveal the real name yet.). That means D will be in Kindergarten before I find out what happens. But, the wait will make it all the sweeter, right?
What are you waiting on reading?
The big talk lately is about the Divergent series.
First time author, Veronica Roth (and recent college graduate) wrote a New York Times Best-Selling novel. I could never be a creative writer and I can't help but be jealous of her amazing creativity.
I read Divergent in a 2-3 day time period. I read Insurgent, the sequel/second book in the series, the very next day. The whole book, all 525 pages.
This story follows the life of Beatrice Prior. Beatrice, or Tris as she is later called, lives in a society were at the age of 16 you go to a choosing ceremony to decide what fraction you will live with. There are 5 factions that each have a certain way of living based on their philosophy. Amity values non-violence. Abnegation treasures selflessness. Candor are truth-tellers, at all costs. Edurites are scholars. Dauntless are brave and courageous and hate cowardice. Tris has to decide to stay with her parents in Abnegation or leave them forever to follow another faction. Where do her loyalties lie? Her one choice will change her future forever (hint: and everyone else's future) and her decision is difficult because she doesn't really fall into any fraction. (Guess what she picks? See my blog post title.)
This highest praise I can give a series is to not hate the middle book of a trilogy. I usually find the middle to be boring with too much back story and not enough action or something like that. Insurgent delivers. I so loved it.
Some claim this series to be the next Hunger Games and I hope it does reach that level of popularity,. The rights have been sold to make a movie, but lots of books get optioned and never get made. I definitely think my various book clubs should read it. Everyone should read it.
I am even purchasing new personal copies. This is a big deal. I tend to only buy books used or read library books (and I still own a ton of books). I did read both these books from libraries copies, but I just want to own them too (then I can make my family and friends read them so we can discuss). The last series I did this with was The Hunger Games.
Divergent #3 is scheduled to come out Fall 2013 (Veronica Roth calls it "Detergent" because she can't reveal the real name yet.). That means D will be in Kindergarten before I find out what happens. But, the wait will make it all the sweeter, right?
What are you waiting on reading?
At camp, weren't you an Ottesen pirate or something? Anyways, with the comment "I am even purchasing new personal copies" is SO an Ottesen trait! Amy did the same thing with Hunger Games. She read a borrowed copy but then bought a new personal copy!
ReplyDeleteYes, I was an Ottesen Pirate!!! Johnny made me an eye patch and everything. I did the same thing as Amy with Hunger Games too. I think the Divergent series is better than the Hunger Games series!
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