Review and Critical Reception

Well, all and all I recommend this book to all and everyone. It definitely will be added to my list of favorite books from this school year, alongside Gone With the Wind and Their Eyes Were Watching God. Although the book itself was commendable, I will nonetheless begin with my critical review.

Things went downhill when Tris and Tobias got into their little weird relationship. The relationship was dislikable as were some of Tris's other aspects, but I will stress that I don't believe this was meant to be the book's focus. The main themes I took away from the book were the human desires for both freedom and power, but more on that later. Despite the dramatic and rapid paced ending, I found myself conflicted over the fact that things were now beginning to get unrealistic. I mean, this was supposed to be an isolated post-world disaster society, yet somehow a small group of intellectuals has managed to pull of mind control? It's all highly odd in comparison to the feeling I got of the factions at the beginning and even middle of the book. If anything, I expected primitive forms of violent unrest to arise at the book's end.

Now, through the entire duration of the book, I saw two major themes arise: human inclinations for power, as well as desires for freedom to express oneself. The antagonists were all power-hungry in some way or another, whether it be Peter, Al, or Jeanine, whereas the protagonists were trying to find freedom to make themselves the way they want to be (Tris and Tobias specifically). I think this is the only reason Tris and Tobias came out alive and together. The idea that the two are now off together without a place or faction to call home so that they may now attempt to build a life of their own-- a freedom largely suppressed by the faction system.

I have a lot of predictions regarding the second book and movie as well. Personally, I feel as if the movie is going to crash and burn in the box office and have unmemorable acting due to the lack of widespread interest in Divergent. I am just hoping it doesn't turn out to be the movie version of The City of Ember... In the next book, I feel like the conflict with Jeanine and the other vicious Dauntless and Erudite leaders will continue, and that something weird is going to happen with Marcus. I also do not think many will find Amity to be suitable for their tastes, and will move on to find a better or safer residence. Hopefully, Tris will be able to learn more about who her parents really were and in turn find out more about who she herself actually is. Perhaps maybe I will even find out what i have been dying to know all along... what really lies beyond the fences and farms?