Book Review

So, since I have now since finished the book, it is time for me to write a review over the whole thing. Divergent is a book told from the viewpoint of Tris, a sixteen year old girl growing up in a dystopian fiction type of setting. From the first page, I was hooked. It starts quickly and carries a fast pace throughout the book, right up until the end, which is a bit of a cliff hanger, but I suppose that's why there is a sequel. To review the book further, I am going to break things down a little bit.

Characters:
I think Veronica Roth did an amazing job showing how the characters progressed over time. Some of the time they did change a bit dramatically, but they were realistic characters, and I liked that. I also feel that she described every male character that was around Tris's age as somewhat attractive, which isn't a bad thing I guess. There were a few reoccurring characters who I didn't remember who they were though, like Max for example. I think she could have either left characters like him out, or if it was important to her to have him play a role in the story, then to describe him in more detail so readers will have a reason to remember him.

Themes: 
I am praising the ground Ms. Roth has set her feet on in this aspect. This book had so much time and thought put into it, I can tell. Either that or my T.A.G. class just made up a bunch of symbolism that fit with the story. Either way, it was very interesting discussing what themes were present within the book, and our own opinions about the statements made in the book. Regardless, it was so easier to find deep conversation material in this book, and I never ceased thinking while I was reading. It made me question what I believe in and how well I really know myself. So, props to you Veronica Roth!

Settings:
Oh dear. Let me start off by saying the movie is going to be SOO different than what I pictured in terms of the setting. I already know it, partially because I saw a picture of the part when the initiates are about to jump from the roof of the building and it doesn't look anything like I thought it was. However, it was very interesting to me that the author put pieces of how Chicago really looks, like the Bean, and mixed in her own bits and pieces about how it has changed due to years of chaos and change. Having been to Chicago, I think it was easier for me to able to picture some of the sights she described. I also liked how occasionally she would have Tris describe what it could have looked like before the factions existed. It put a different spin on things.

So, in conclusion, I really enjoyed the book. I would recommend it to my friends, especially those who enjoyed The Hunger Games, as the two are from the same genre. The book has a little of everything; romance, action, mystery, adventure. Something for every reader. If you haven't read the book yet, go out and get it before you read the other posts. I don't want to spoil the end for you!

Chapter 39

THE END.

Hahah just kidding, I wouldn't do that to you! Not after you've put up with my nonsense for this long! But guess what everyone. TRIS DOESN'T DIE. (Insert clip of "I Will Survive" here.) I'm sorry, I can't be serious to save my life.. But Tris can.. OMG I'm laughing at my own jokes again. I really need to get to sleep. Guys, guess what else. Tobias is free and he loves Tris. He loves her so much that her voice is what freed him from the awful simulation. DAWH. If only that stuff happened to me.. Oh wait.. Never mind. I don't really want to be held at gun point by a crazed version of my boyfriend.

After the happy reunion happens after all, Tris remembers that she kinda came here to save the world. Oh right! That's what she was doing. It's pretty easy to forget that both of your parents died because your new faction is mind controlling their members, right? Completely understandable. Tobias shuts off the mind control program, freeing all of the Dauntless soldiers. THANK THE LAWD, HE HAS FINALLY BLESSED TRIS WITH SOME GOOD LUCK. But Tobias is talking some mumbojumbo about how he has to get the data from the computer, so Tris lets him do his thang.

They return to Caleb, Peter, and Marcus. At this point I'm not even sure who I dislike more of those last two. Wait a second.. Tobias.. Marcus. Oh dear. Tris what have you done? You didn't even give him a warning or anything.. Smoooooooth. It's okay though, because she is totally ready to stand up for Tobias. She gives him a fair amount of sass before they decide to board the train.

Off to Amity they go, a place they are certain they will be safe. Or at least the safest place for now I guess. So now to try to make sense of this cliff hanger of an ending. The book ends before they reach Amity. The last thing we know is that Marcus, Peter, Caleb, Tris, and Tobias are on the train. Dauntless and Abnegation are pretty much screwed over. I'm wondering what the other factions will do about that. So many unanswered questions. But there is a silver lining, and it is known as "a sequel". Insurgent here I come!

"I reach into my pocket and take out the hard drive that contains the simulation data. I turn it in my hands, letting it catch the fading light and reflect it. Marcus's eyes cling greedily to the movement. 'Not safe,' I think. 'Not quite.'"

Chapter 38

No happy reunion here. Nope nope nope. (I definitely said this in a Ducky from The Land Before Time voice. Hopefully someone can understand my crazy references.) Tobias is still under the simulation brought on by the serum he was injected with. This poses a little bit of a problem.

There is plenty of fighting and Tris realizes that she doesn't stand a chance against him. The only way win is to snap him out of the simulation. She is begging and pleading him to wake up, to snap out of it. She is trying everything she can to get through to him. She knows he is in there somewhere. The way this way described made me think of those cheesy exorcism movies where they think they can perform an exorcist by yelling, "I know you're in there!" Oh well. I suppose one could try.

She has him at gun point and it isn't until then that she realizes there is no way she can kill him. It is simply our of the question. She recalls wise words from her father: "There is power in self-sacrifice." YEP. THAT'S RIGHT. SHE HANDS HIM THE DANG GUN. She feels the cool metal against her temple and hears the click of a bullet entering the chamber. And then.....

THE CHAPTER ENDS.

"I can't kill him. I am not sure if I love him; not sure if that's why."

Chapter 37

So before, when I said she needed all the help she could get, I guess I was forgetting one thing. Marcus. Of course he has to insist on coming along. He definitely just needs to shut up and get out of my life. (Please someone tell me they realized that was a Napoleon Dynamite reference. You will be my hero.) Tris doesn't have much of a choice, so it looks like she's stuck with him. But, on the flip side, she has her father and Caleb with her as well.

The next part is funny. All of the things Tris has done before, she now gets to watch the others go through for the first time. The first obstacle is boarding the train. Marcus doesn't know when to keep his big mouth shut and makes some condescending comment about Tris regretting her decision to join Dauntless. Oh give it a rest Marcus, you're just mad because no one likes you. Sorry not sorry!

But now, an even more frightening test. Jumping onto the roof of a building; the same one Tris jumped onto her first day as an initiate. Everyone makes it okay, except for Marcus. He dangling from the edge, being held up by Caleb and Mr. Prior. The voice in Tris's head is shouting "fall, fall, fall!" I can't say I wasn't thinking the same thing. Unfortunately, we aren't blessed with that kind of luck, and he doesn't die yet. Now, for the leap off the building and into the net! Also unfortunate, Marcus survives this test too. They kill off everyone else in this book, and they couldn't spare us the trouble of having to deal with his existence? Jeez louise.

Now, they've got be sneaky. Real sneaky Charlie. (Two references in one post? New record?) They follow Tris's lead into the Dauntless compound. But you are never going to guess who they run into on the way there! It's our favorite Dauntless member! NOT. Yup, you guessed it. Peter. Tris is so thrilled to see him that she shoots him right in the arm. He isn't under the mind control, and since he is a whining baby, they forced to take him with them. Tris's father kinda ticked me off a little. He tends to Peter's wound as if Peter were his own child. Dang Abnegation tendencies. He doesn't think it was necessary to shoot Peter, but I strongly disagree with him. So does Tris. She shows him no mercy, as she shouldn't.

Peter helps lead them to the control room, but then is forced to stay outside of the building with Caleb and Marcus. It's just Tris and her father on this mission. The dynamic duo I suppose! The elevator reaches the eighth floor and they are bombarded by guards. Her father knows the only way she will make it to the control room is if the guards are distracted. Oh lord no. He runs into the middle of the guards' firing range and is shot down. WHY?! Both parents in one day? Has she not been through enough already?! But she can't stop now. And who better than Tobias to be manning the control room.

"For a second I almost feel bad for him, but then I remember Edward.."

Chapter 36

The Dauntless soldiers are running towards Tris and my adrenaline is sky high. They fire at her, but luckily they miss. She snaps. "They killed my mother." My heart gets sad every time I have to remember that. POOR NATALIE. She shoots back at them and hits one evidently as there are only one set of footsteps remaining. But as she turns to face her pursuer, it's like a freight train hits her. It's Will. It's him or Tris. Tris has to live.. She is the only hope. Poor, poor Will. And Christina.. If she finds out, she is going to be heart broken. Oh dear, when does the agony end?!

FINALLY, she makes it to the building that lucky Abnegation members are taking shelter in. She's reunited with her father and Caleb. It is such a happy moment during such a horrendous tragedy. They briefly discuss the information they know and there are even a few heart felt words from her father. (Audience: AWH!) But now that she in a sheltered area, her wounds need to be tended to. As if being shot isn't enough, I guess it hurts even more to have the bullet taken out. My mind went off on a tangent and now I'm stuck here wondering what would happen if you left a bullet in you? Would you die? Would it get infected? Wait. FOCUS. There are more important issues at hand. Keep it together Sonya.

Oh no.. Now Tris has to tell her father and Caleb the tragic news. This would honestly be the hardest thing in the world for me to do. There is no way I would be able to see the expression on their faces after finding out their beloved mother, or wife, is now gone. But they take it surprisingly well, probably because they are still in survival mode. Of course, since we are all well aware of the fact that this book is Satan himself, the bad only worse. Who other than Marcus himself would be in the shelter with Tris. He tries to be a know it all and  Tris totally shows him up. Serves him right. Time for another one of Tris's ever-famous plans, right? She is going to need all the help she can get.

"I'm factionless now."
"No you aren't. You're with us."

Chapter 35

You thought the Fear Landscape was the last of Tris's biggest fears, right? WRONG. She wakes up in a tank that is filling with water. Oh lawd when does it end?! Have you no mercy on this poor girl? But she has come so far, she can't just quit now. She stands up to find she was sitting in a pool of her own blood. Gross.. I'm wondering how much blood she is losing, because realistically it couldn't be that much, or else she probably would have died by now. Granted she was only shot in the shoulder. ANYWAY, to make matters worse, there is a video camera in the corner of the tank. Of course it isn't sadistic enough as it is. Let's just make it worse. I'm sorry, but Veronica Roth must really have a twisted sense of humor.

Tris attempts to break the glass, as this is how she faced this fear before. But in the real world, that type of business doesn't work. She has given up trying to escape and does her best to relax. I am impressed by the mental control she has over her emotions. She spends her last moments reminiscing of her childhood and better times than the present. BUT WAIT. Things can't end now. Her mom swoops in to save the day like a total bamf. Thank you lawd, you have answered my prayers! She just waltzes in and shoots the tank like it's no big deal. She takes Tris with her and they make a pretty sweet escape. Her mom even shoots some Dauntless guards. You go Natalie.

She tells Tris to find her father and Caleb, and then hands her a gun. Where is she getting all of this?! But hold on. Major plot twist.. TRIS'S MOM IS DIVERGENT. Oh my goodness, the world makes sense now. I understand everything. She transferred to Abnegation because she knew she could keep her secret on the down low there. But now, prepare to have your heart broken. Although she may not truly be Abnegation, she sure is selfless. Natalie sacrifices herself in order to keep Tris safe. She is shot by the Dauntless soldiers while trying to buy Tris time to sneak away. It's okay to cry.

"Pain stabs through me as if everything I am made of collapses, my entire world dismantled in a moment."

Chapter 34

"Divergent rebels," a Dauntless leaders declares. "Yes, I can see that." Jesus Jeanine, you have such a way with words.. Every single time she opens her ugly mouth (her mouth isn't actually ugly, I just don't like her) she finds a new way to make me hate her. Congrats. You deserve an award Jeanine. It's all good though, because Tobias throws the sass right back at her. "Your powers of deductive reasoning are stunning. Consider me awed." God dang boy, you must have your sassy pants on today. I love it!

Tobias suggests just getting his and Tris's murders out of the way, but Jeanine keeps stringing them along. Tobias doesn't let up and keeps stabbing at her every word. Tris must have gotten angry too because she can't keep her mouth shut. But then she goes to far. She pulls out the Tobias's dad card.. Oh hell naw girl. You did NOT just go there. Her evil runs just as deep as her stretch marks. LOLOL I'm laughing at my own joke right now. I'm sorry, I can't handle myself.

They find out that Tris and Tobias are being held as guinea pigs basically, test subjects to use new forms of the serum on. Because Jeanine enjoys dealing people when they are without the use of their brain, she has to find a way to create a serum that the Divergents cannot become immune to. But that isn't possible. So she does the next best thing. She is going to give them a serum that creates a simulation, confusing them and making their minds switch enemies and friends. Oh dear lord, save us now.

Tobias is set to be guinea pig number one, and Tris is going to be disposed of because of her injury. (Pretty sure I forgot to mention Tris got shot in the shoulder. Woops.) Jeanine is messed up. I genuinely think she has a mental disorder based on how sadistic she is without even realizing her own actions. Tobias goes all Casanova and kisses Tris one last time before he is injected. At least she will have a good memory of him.. The memory of him almost choking Jeanine is probably a good one too! But suddenly, he is transformed. He no longer recognizes her. My poor heart. In his eyes, he has to attack her. Oh lawd have mercy on Tris's poor soul.

"I bite a hand that belongs to the Dauntless man on my right and smile as I taste blood."

Chapter 33

Oh no.. Things are about to get serious, so hold on to your seat ladies and gentlemen. When I read this chapter I must have had my mind in the gutter because when Tris is talking about how she hears squeaking mattresses and then sees Will and Christina dressing, I assumed the worst. Sorry for that, but I feel that part could have been made a little more clear. Straying away from my inappropriate tangent, it turns out that the Dauntless have all been turned to zombies basically. They are controlled by the transmitters that they had been injected with the day before. Tris saw that one coming. You go Tris! 

However, predictions are useless now, because the worst has already begun. I'm imagining a full out zombie apocalypse at this point. I really can't wait to see what they do in the movie for this part. I feel that a very large portion of it will be dedicated to this section, as the movie is never like the book. But wait a second... How does Tris know they are all sleep walking? Even better question, why isn't she? Yup, I bet you guessed it. DIVERGENCE. It is all making sense as to why being Divergent is dangerous. It prohibits the leaders from using you as a pawn to get what they want. You have the ability to think for yourself and they can't stand that. This honestly made me think of a documentary we watched in history about North Korea. The more brain washed they can get people, the easier it is to get them to follow your each and every command. Anyhow, she has to find a way to fit in, or at least pretend to.

She tries to march in unison with the other Dauntless members as they make their way to a stock pile of arms. They each take one and continue onward to board the train. Oh dear lord this is getting too suspenseful for me. But guess what! Since this book has screwed Tris over countless times, it is going to give her some good luck to make the playing field even. She stands next to Tobias on the train. Hallelujah thank the lawd. Guess what else! He's Divergent too. DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING DID YA? Actually you probably did.. This book is a tad bit predictable at points. Their arrival in Abnegation makes me stomach drop. Tris and Tobias create a plan (go figure). Before she can reach her family, she witnesses a Dauntless soldiers murder an Abnegation leader. The soldier is Tori. They are going after leaders, so Tris's father is in great danger. HURRY TRIS, HURRY! But like I said, this book constantly screws Tris over, and Eric finds out that her and Tobias are immune to the mind control. They are forced to surrender their weapons and are basically taken custody. 

"You won't shoot me," Eric replies.

"Interesting theory," I say.

Chapter 32

The scene changes from Tobias’ bed room (SO SCANDALOUS.. jk nothing happened) to their walk to the banquet. Once they arrive, they part ways and head off to their respected tables. I’m wondering when they will be able to be couple publicly, if ever I guess. Back with Christina and Will, Tris and her friends discuss what the future has in store for them. The subject changes to Fear Landscapes. Christina asks Tris why the leaders were laughing while watching hers. Oh my goodness, I couldn’t contain my laughter at that part. Good luck getting out of that one Tris. She ends up telling the truth because why not I guess?

Something shocking happens.. The Dauntless are quiet. WHAT? That’s unheard of. There is a reason however; Eric is going to announce the rankings of the initiates, determining who will become members, and who will not.

1. Tris

2. Uriah (YAY! I like him.)

3. Lynn

4. Marlene

5. Peter (Oh well, at least he is below Tris!)

6. Will

7. Christina

The other initiates are irrelevant (that’s a bit harsh, but you know, sorry not sorry) because they don’t mean a thing to the plot and Tris doesn’t know who they are. But you know what this means? Drew and Molly aren’t members. They have now been deemed factionless. SUCK IT.  This is why I believe in Karma. Although, that doesn’t explain how Peter got in. Oh well, his time will come I suppose. But before this action packed chapter can come to a close, Tris realizes something awful. She has figured how the Erudite will get the Dauntless to fight.

“You beat them!” he shouts back. He releases me, laughing, and runs into a crowd of Dauntless-born initiates. 

Chapter 31

PHEW! Good news everyone, Tris lives on! Eric congratulates her upon entering the room. "You have successfully completed your final evaluation." Even though I hate Eric, hearing those words from him sent a wave of relief over even me! But she isn't quite done yet. She must be injected with another serum. This one is a new Dauntless standard, its purpose being a tracking device in case a member goes missing. Tris is suspicious.. "And I am supposed to be done with those [liquid used for simulations]."

Anyway, she has plenty of other things to do today, so she continues on her merry way. She is stopped by Tobias. (I've finally conformed, but that doesn't change the fact that I still hate calling him that.) He congratulates her, but tells her that he didn't see her simulation.. Thank goodness, because Tris was definitely worried about what he knew of it. It's funny how that's what is on her mind, because he asks her to spend time with him alone before the banquet. I am laughing at her at this point.

He starts to kiss her, but she can't take it and pulls away from him. He seems angry that she won't tell him what's wrong, but she finally admits what she is worried about. It's a good thing she does too, because I was worried that they were going to break up.. Well I'm not even sure if they are dating.. Anyway, not the point! Tobias says a few pretty harsh things, even though he doesn't intend for them to come off sounding that way. Tris tells him she is going to leave. It broke my little heart because that's EXACTLY how I respond when people start getting upset with me.. Poor little Tris.

She finally admits that he was a part of her Fear Landscape. I think this brings them closer. They show each other their matching Dauntless and Abnegation tattoos. Tobias has the other faction symbols tattooed smaller on his back as well. I like that he values the fact that every faction has something to offer. It makes so much more sense to me to admire parts of other factions rather than bashing what the other factions believe simply because of a silly feud.

"We have each other memorized."

Chapter 30

This is it. Tris's Fear Landscape. She has mentally prepared herself, so she feels as ready as she can be. First fear? Birds. She has realized that this fear isn't about the birds, rather it is about a lack of control. In order to face the fear, she must feel like she has control over the situation. She remembers the power she felt the first time she fired a gun, and just like that, one materializes near her. She busts caps in those dang crows! First fear? CHECK.

Second fear? The glass tank. She isn't afraid of drowning, she is afraid of being too weak to break the tank. It seems all of her fears are related to some form of self-doubt. She hits the glass, expecting it to break like it did the first time she faced this fear, but something is different. It doesn't work. It isn't until she imagines the tank is ice that she is able to escape. Second fear has been faced as well.

Third fear? Another one dealing with feeling out of control; being swept away by the ocean waves. Her body is being slammed into a rock and she is trying desperately to cling onto it to prevent herself from drifting out to sea. Finally, she convinces herself that she is strong enough to climb atop of the rock and run inland. Her third fear dissipates.

Her fourth fear is one she has already faced before; being burned at the stake by Peter while the other initiates simply watch it happen. As the fire is creeping up the pole she is bound to, she realizes she just has to think it through. She can't actually get hurt. "Smell that, Stiff?" Peter cackles. He is just trying to get in her head. "I smell rain," she retorts cleverly. Suddenly thunderclouds appear overhead and rain drenches the fire.

The fifth fear she encounters confused me a lot. She is back in the Abnegation sector when she is confronted by dozens of faceless beings, trying to attack her. I have no idea where this fear came from, or how it connects to her mentally. She picks up the gun she imagines is in the closet, only to find that she won't have enough bullets. Bodies are pouring into the room from every opening. She retreats to the closet. When she notices the door she thought was a wall, she escapes from that unusual fear as quickly as she can.

Not going to lie, I know I'm immature, but her sixth fear is really funny. She is afraid of becoming intimate with Tobias. To put it in simpler terms... She is scared to have sex with him.. Sorry to be blunt, but it gets my point across. Awkward for Eric and the others watching her simulation. I couldn't take this fear seriously at all. She tells him she isn't going to sleep with him, and then starts kissing him.. I don't know how that turns out to be the way she gets over that fear, but she did something right.

Finally, she is being held at gun point and will be shot if she doesn't shoot her family. The woman holding the gun turns out to be Jeanine. Figures. I knew she was bad news. She beings counting down and Tris can't tear her eyes away from her family. They are all willing to take a bullet for her, even Caleb, being they came from Abnegation. She tells herself she can do it. It is the only way to get over her final fear... Or is it?! Impulsively, she drops her gun, and presses her forehead to the gun Jeanine is holding. Jeanine's count reaches one. "I hear a click, and a bang." WHAT?! Is Tris going to die? Certainly she can't, this is only a simulation, right? RIGHT?!

"I have to take control of the situation and find a way to make it less frightening."

Chapter 29

So before I start, the last post was over a much longer chapter than this one, so I'm sorry if this one is significantly shorter than the post for Chapter 28. Now, apologies out of the way, it is time to tell what happens today in the exciting life of Tris!

Initiation day. Today we will find out if Tris is going to become a member of the Dauntless. Haha who am I kidding? We all know she is going to make it! Duh! Tris gets food from the dining hall and decides to take it back to the dormitory where it is quiet. She realizes that the food on her plate is all Abnegation type food. I think even though she is proud of how far she's come, there is still a part of her that misses her home and family. But, she pushes the thought from her head, as there isn't much she can do about it now.

She takes a nap, probably to escape from her busy mind. I can relate to that. She is woken up by Christina. "Time to go." It is time for her to face her Fear Landscape. She walks to the Pit with the rest of the initiates. It is packed with people. And when I say packed, I mean like a can of sardines. On her way there, she realizes others have already begun. She takes note of Marlene, who just recently finished her Fear Landscape. Dauntless born initiates are to go first, then the transfers. Because they start at the bottom on the rankings and work their way up, Tris will go last. Best for last, right?

Tris closes her eyes, as the simulations aren't entertaining to watch since only those hooked up to the computers can see what is going on. She hears the score of every one of her fellow initiates before she is up. She knows exactly how well she must do in order to become a member of the Dauntless faction. Soon enough, she is up. Eric injects her with the serum.

"Ready?" he asks.

Chapter 28

So Tris is on her own after the drama with Four went down. She is wandering around and finds herself near the train tracks. She can't go back to Dauntless compound or to her family in Abnegation, and her mom did tell her to visit Caleb. Oh heck, why not? Nothing bad will happen, right? WRONG. But we will get to that later.

Now Tris finds herself in the middle of the Erudite compound and I'm sure she is sticking out like a sore thumb. She, dressed in all black in the center of a faction that's main color is blue, blends right in, right? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say stealth isn't one of her talents. The faction members part like the Red Sea to let her through for God's sake. Obviously she doesn't care that much though because she continues right into the Erudite headquarters, which is a library.. Go figure. She is asking a man behind the front desk where she can find Caleb, and thankfully, right before she is about to open a can of whoopass on him, Caleb intervenes.

She hugs him, even though she knows she isn't supposed to, and it made my little heart so happy. He is just surprised to see her new look as she is to see his. They have both changed so much since the last time they saw each other, and I doubt they think the other has changed for the better. They go to sit near a sculpture of a giant bean (THE BEAN) to talk. Caleb seems to be liking Erudite so far. He mentions appreciating having knowledge at his finger tips. Because of that, he knows something big is happening. The whole faction is gossiping like teenage girls about Abnegation. That is actually a great metaphor, because hardly anyone knows the truth too! Caleb and Tris begin getting sassy with each other and Tris tries to storm off. Tries..

She is taken by two Erudite men into the headquarters to see... Jeanine. *DUN DUN DUN* Jeanine is being rather unpleasant, so Tris is back talking every chance she gets. Even though I knew it might get her in trouble if she wasn't careful, I couldn't help but laugh. Unfortunately she has to lie to keep herself out of trouble, and this includes talking down on her home faction and sounding really cocky. It made me appreciative that she isn't always like that.

Tris arrives back in the Dauntless compound and has to force the wrath of Eric. Oh dear lord, help her now. Thank god before he can snap, Four walks in. He is going to save the day, I just know it! He helps Tris with a fabulous lie to tell Eric; Tris tried to kiss Four, but he rejected her and she ran off crying. Eric believes it because he wants to find anything to make Tris seem vulnerable. This gets Tris out of trouble, and out of a room with Eric. Four leaves as well and kisses her. DAWH. He tells her to meet him later.. Scandalous.....

Before it is time for her to meet Four, she has a conversation with Christina back in the dorm. She finds out Will and Christina have a thing going on! She also finds out about the Candor initiation, and Christina's fear of moths. But after whole mumbojumbo, she finds herself in a train car with Four, heading towards the Erudite compound. Things get pretty serious on the trip there with all of their kissing and what not! Anyhow, back to the important issue. Four reveals something life changing. Dauntless and Erudite are planning to team up on a war against Abnegation.

"And I am someone who does not let inconsequential things like boys and near death experiences stop her."

Chapter 27

Tris has what I like to call "fangirl syndrome". She wakes up and is still giggly about her and Four KISSING. (It's still a big deal to me, okay?) She is trying to suppress her giddiness, but can't help it.. That is until Four doesn't sit with her in the dining hall. She realizes that she is being silly thinking that things will be so much different now that they have kissed. Not going to lie, I was a little sad that he wasn't like Romeo now, even though that's completely unlike him.

Today is Fear Landscape day. Since the initiates haven't seen any type of demonstrations that would ready them for this, they aren't going to see theirs.. Yet. Instead they are assigned one of the instructor's (Lauren) fears. Tris watches as the others face Lauren's fears, but she cannot see the simulation, as she is not hooked up to the computer. I think in her position it would be hard not to laugh, seeing people freak out about something that you can't see. However, it isn't funny when Tris is forced to face Lauren's fear of being kidnapped.

She isn't nervous in the beginning. She kind of feels above the others, since she has already been in Four's Fear Landscape. But something goes terribly wrong. The fear transforms into her own. She can hear the chasm behind her and the reenactment of her own kidnapping begins. She loses it. She screams and cries, as any normal person would, having to relive that experience. Suddenly, she hears a voice yell stop.

The simulation disappears and she is once more in the cement Fear Landscape room. Four is the one who stopped the simulation. He beings yelling at her. "What the hell was that, Stiff? Get yourself together! This is pathetic." My little heart broke. This is the first time I wanted to hit him. How could he say that to her?! In front of everyone nonetheless. Tris isn't about to take the business. She smacks him. I laughed really hard.. "Shut up," she says as she exits the room. Dang, talk about strong independent woman that doesn't need no man.

"I yank my arm from his grasp and walk out of the room."

Chapter 26

Tris and Four are still spending time together after going through Four's Fear Landscape. He just told her he has something else that he wants to show her. Ooooh. Mysterious. I love it. They hold hands on their way there, and Tris is all paranoid that she is doing something wrong, which I think has to do with the fact that she was never exposed to affection in Abnegation. Poor child. She verbally sorts things out with him, like how his fears haven't changed since initiation.

They reach the chasm and Tris brings up the subject of Four's aptitude test. As much as she wants to be romantic, and I want them to be cute, she has to know his results or the curiosity will kill her. I understand, but it could have waited. Just sayingggg. Anyway, Four's results? Abnegation. Tris asks him why he left and I kinda wanted to bop her on the head.. Excuse me, but if you don't remember, one of his four fears is his father beating him with a belt?! Of course he is going to leave. Derp.

Four and Tris have an in-depth conversation because Four decides to open up. He brings up his opinion that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different. That sure is food for thought. Tris thinks about how she left Abnegation because she never felt selflessness enough, but throughout her initiation, she has shown signs of it all the time. It makes me wonder which faction would have truly been better for her. 

Things get a little on the flirty side, so naturally I am freaking out. She finally tells him that she is worried about him not liking her because he is older and he responds with  sarcastic remark about how two years is SUCH a long time. I giggled. I like his sense of humor. But then... THEN.. He gives her a look. Not just A look, but THE look. Ya know what look I'm talking about. And then get this. Prep yourself. You might want to sit down for this. THEY KISS!!! I absolutely freaked out! FINALLY! The moment I have been waiting for since she met Four! To put in perspective how much I freaked out about this, I'll just say I may or may not have had to close the book so I could roll on the floor making dying whale noises. You're welcome for that mental image.

"Yes, that whopping two-year gap really is insurmountable, isn't it?"

Chapter 25

Because her friends are so amazing, Tris has a night dedicated to feeling better. They start off by getting tattoos, and then continue to the chasm where they tear up the Erudite articles about Abnegation and throw them down to float away. I feel like most people would think this is a silly way to feel better, but I've done something similar, I wrote a letter to the person I was angry at and then burned it, and it made me feel so much better. It might be because I'm a bit of a pyromaniac, but that's aside the point. Because nerves are high, Tris and Will almost get into an argument with each one defending their old faction. Luckily Christina breaks it up. That's why Tris notices that Will and Christina have been awfully physically lately. I sense a relationship! While they are being infatuated with each other, Tris decides to follow Four, since she caught a glimpse of him walking up the the glass building above the Pit.

Even though she thinks she is being sneaky, Four knows that Tris is following him. Secretly, I think he wanted her to. He decides to let her see his fear landscape. This is a huge freaking deal. "There are some things I want to show you," he says to her. Excuse me while I freak out about that. He trusts her so much that he is willing to let her see him when he is most vulnerable; when he is facing his worst fears. If that isn't love I don't know what is. Then he takes her hand, and they are about to enter the simulation..

The first fear is a tad bit predictable; heights. Tris already knew about this one, and it really isn't that interesting or important, so I'm moving on. Second fear; confinement. I don't quite understand this one. It seemed pretty random to me, especially since I didn't pick up on any reasoning as to why it would be one of his fears. But it is super cute because even though Four is scared out of his mind, he still manages to be adorable and I love him. Third fear; he must shoot a woman. He has to kill her. He has obviously practiced with this one because it doesn't take much time at all. Now.. For the last fear. This one is tough. Marcus, an Abnegation leader appears in front of Tris and Four. All of a sudden it makes sense. Four is Marcus's son. Tobias. (I totally figured this out earlier in the book, but it was still pretty exciting to have my suspicions confirmed.) Marcus holds a belt in his hand. Suddenly a dozen Marcuses appear. Four is about to be whipped, but Tris leaps in front of him. (Awwwwwhhhh :D) Four pushes in front of her nd just like that, the Fear Landscape is over. He only had four fears.. OH WAIT. THAT'S WHY HIS NAME IS FOUR. I GET IT. That is sarcasm. It is pretty easy to figure out once he tells her to guess why his name is Four right before they enter his Fear Landscape. Four tells her Tris got him through it. My little heart couldn't handle it.

"Tobias pushes me behind him so he stands between me and Marcus. He looks angry, not afraid."

Chapter 24

Today brings a major plot twist. Tris is woken up by a hysterical Christina, saying something about Al. Like we want to hear anymore about him.. Whatever. Christina leads Tris to the chasm, running the whole way there. As soon as they arrive, Tris sees Dauntless members hoisting something from the chasm.. A body. Al's body. I didn't see that coming. I mean even though I hated Al I didn't want him to die. Tris is suddenly haunted by his memories, thinking of his sobs the first night in Dauntless, and when he carried her into the dining hall.

Tris finds herself drinking tea with Tori not too much later. I like Tori. She seems like a very trustworthy person, and that means a lot if it is said about a Dauntless as they are so unpredictable. Tori does all she can to help Tris through Al's suicide, but tea won't cut it. Funerals in Dauntless are so different than those she remembers from back home. In Abnegation, everyone would take part in making sure the family was okay, and it gave them a sense of community. Here, they just drink their problems away and try to keep emotions out of their heads. It really disgusted me how they dealt with it actually.

Al's funeral is about to begin, but before it does, Molly has to make a remark about an article written about Abnegation. Tris is fed up and punches her in the face.. I was so freaking excited. It's about time Tris hit her because I was about to. I don't care if that's not possible, I would find a way. Eric is speaking about Al, and says that he has done a brave thing by jumping off the chasm. Brave? Is that really what he considers brave? Tris can't stand it any longer and has to leave.

She finds herself at the water fountain she was kidnapped by. Four sneaks behind her and engages in a conversation about Al's death. Tris has had enough, and can't keep herself from saying exactly what she feels. Four lets her continue until she says, "This would have never happened in Abnegation!" Oops Tris, too far. Four warns her to be careful about what she says since she is already being kept a close eye on. She finds out that Four has been trying to push her until she breaks because he wants to see how hard it is. That's why he has been paying so much attention to her during the initiation stages. There is some part of the conversation that makes Tris think Four came from a different faction.. Abnegation actually.. Weird....

"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up. I've seen it. It's fascinating."

Chapter 23

Today is the day she must face the others. In my opinion, this is the bravest thing she has had to do yet. But before that, she describes how her night when. She slept in the room she woke up in that morning because she wasn't strong enough to sleep in the dormitory yet. She admits to herself that she likes Four (FINALLY). In the morning when she is getting ready, she catches a glance of Four without his shirt on.. Jealous.. He leads her out to the dining hall when she decides that even if she has to pretend to be weak, she can never let it be true.

Unfortunately, pretending to be weak isn't very hard for Tris at this point since she has been beaten senseless and is bruised and cut up everywhere. Things get much better when Drew walks in though. He is black and blue all over. His lip is split and it is obvious that Four didn't let him off easy. I was really satisfied at that point. So was Tris. Uriah, Will, and Christina are all making sure that they protect Tris and that made me very happy. I am glad that even though nearly everyone in this book is out to get Tris, she still has a few people on her side.

Today the initiates are going to do something new. As they are trudging higher from the floor of the Pit, Drew falls behind, probably due to his injuries. Four tells him to pick up the pace. I know it's terrible, but I laughed a lot at that. Drew had what he got coming for him, so I guess I don't actually feel that bad. They arrive on top of the glass ceiling, so now it is a floor to them. Four shows them what is called a Fear Landscape. It is basically a combination of all of the things they have worked on so far. Each initiate has to face their own fears, which is usually between ten and fifteen, and how quickly they can complete it determines their rank for stage three, the most important of the three stages. After this is explained, Peter makes some comment about how it isn't fair.. Four says exactly what I was thinking when he replies with something along the lines of, "You really think you want me to talk about what is fair with you? I'm sure you are frightened because the events that happened last night proved you to be a coward. You are afraid of a a short, skinny girl from Abnegation." SLAM. SICK BURN.

Back in the dormitory after the trip with Four, Tris finds herself confronted by Al. He is an emotional wreck. He is sobbing like a little girl and he asks for her forgiveness. She has a slight internal battle about it, but ultimately tells him not to ever talk to her again. It seems harsh, but I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing.

"Do you really want to talk to me about what's fair?"

Chapter 22

Tris wakes up in the hospital after the dramatic turn of events unfolded and she was nearly killed. Four, being the chivalrous man he is, is already with her, taking care of her. She finds out that Four put Drew in the infirmary and I laughed because I hate Drew and he totally deserved it. Four tells her that she has to pretend to be vulnerable if she wants to stand a chance of making it in Dauntless. Peter, Drew, and Al tried to kill her because they thought she stood in the way of them becoming members (which she did because she is ten times better than them at simulations). If she wants to be left alone, she has to be able to convince them she shouldn't be seen as a threat.

Throughout Tris's short stay in the hospital, she starts to realize that Four truly cares about her. I noticed he is always looking out for her almost like he has made a commitment to himself to make sure she is safe. It is the first time she is allowing herself to be weak in front of Four, and he still thinks she is as wonderful as ever. He tells her say she has to pretend to be weak even though she seems to think she won't have to do much pretending. This says a lot about the way Four looks at Tris. He sees her as the strong girl she is.

She tries to protest when Four tells her that she is going to have to act like none of it phased her. She tries to tell him that they touched her, but she realizes it is really awkward to talk about with him, so she drops it. Personally, I don't see the significance of that whole part in the book. Isn't it enough for her to almost die? I don't understand why she brought it up to Four either. But I guess it doesn't matter all that much. At least not right now.

Four surprises her slightly when he says he is looking forward to her ruining them when she gets the chance and I laughed because I had the exact same thought. This is the first time she has been so physically impaired that it is affecting her emotional state. I can't even imagine what that must be like because I haven't suffered any major injuries. I suppose you could say I gained a little more knowledge on how to empathize then!

"There are tears on my face, but neither of us mentions or even acknowledges them."

Chapter 21

Fast forward four days from the last time we checked in on Tris. Honestly I found this time gap really stranger. The pacing of the book makes it seem like every day counts and it is important to know what goes on, on a daily basis. Now they are just leaving out four days. Anyhow, Erudite is still trash talking Abnegation because they are a bunch of jerks, and Tris needs to get rid of some pent up frustration. She decides to talk a walk back to the net that caught her after she jumped from the building on her first day at the Dauntless compound. She lets herself think and looks at the world around her, admiring its beauty. I think it is amazing that no matter what happens, you can always rely on nature to be astonishing if you really look at it. She replays the past in her head while enjoying the quiet and alone. This sounds a lot like me nowadays. Lately all I've been wanting to do is lay on my bench swing, stare at the stars, and think.

Tris has faced four new fears in the days that have passed, each I think relating back to her fear of losing control. Today's fear? Tris must shoot her entire family or she will be shot. She tells herself the whole "it's just a simulation, it isn't real" mantra, but it doesn't seem to be doing much if anything at all. Her and the others are going through complete hell because of the simulations. Rankings for stage two come out and guess what guys... Tris is ranked FIRST. Of course this gets Peter all fussy because he's a prick. But he isn't the only one her rating upsets. Al, who was ranked last, takes out his anger on her by blaming her. He is breaking down, so she does the only thing she can and leaves him alone.

Tris takes another adventure with Uriah and his gang to the room where Tris learned to fire a gun because he has a bet with Lynn that he could shoot a muffin off her head but she will flinch. I like how that's what they do with their time. Anyway, they get in a little trouble when Four and other members walk in because they aren't technically supposed to be there. Four stops Tris on her way out and tells her she belongs in Dauntless. It made me smile.

That night, Tris gets out of bed to get a drink of water when she hears a female's voice talking with Eric. While she is trying to figure out who it belongs to, she is kidnapped. The kidnappers who end up being Peter, Drew, and Al (this was what I was hinting about earlier.. he doesn't stay a good guy forever.) They take her to the chasm and Peter violates her. Al tells him to stop, but like Peter would listen. They nearly kill her when Four busts in like the knight in shining armor he is and beats the pulp out of Drew, scaring the other two away. I'm not saying I encourage violence, but when Drew got the snot beat out of him, I was internally screaming with victory. Once again, Peter and Drew are awful excuses for human beings and don't deserve to be classified as the same species as Tris, and Four is a god. So, that's that.

"The night sky is empty and silent, and for the first time in four days, so is my mind."

Chapter 20

Simulations again today. Joy. I should apologize for my constant sarcasm and snarky comments, but, sorry not sorry.. :P The simulations are haunting not only Tris, but the other initiates too. Four tries to calm her down by saying it is just a simulation, but to that I say, HORSE POOP, because once the simulations start leaving the room, it isn't just a simulation anymore. This time Tris is drowning.

She is in a glass tank, surrounded by the other initiates who are laughing at her as the water is rising quickly from the bottom of the tank. The way the scene was described reminded me of a Saw movie. Tris tries to calm herself down enough so she can think of how to get out of the simulation. She starts losing control and slams her hand against the tank and holy cow. IT BROKE. But because this book is evil, that can't just be her happy ending. Apparently breaking the glass isn't something she is supposed to be able to do, so Four starts questioning her. He finds out she is Divergent. Oh dang.. Now things are getting serious. He protects her by deleting the footage, but there isn't much else he can do. It still helps to know that at least one person is looking out for her.

I'm going to go off on a small tangent here for a moment, so bear with me. I think it is a big deal that he finds out she is Divergent, but not for the reason you think. I realize it is very dangerous for anyone to know she is Divergent, but he isn't the type who is out to hurt her. I feel like it made their relationship more intimate in terms of closeness and whatnot. The fact that she didn't put up much of a fight in denying it says to me that she wants him to figure her out. That's why I can't get enough of their love story. It is as much of a mystery as it is romance. Thank you for having the patience to read through this long paragraph of me blabbing on about something that, in reality, doesn't have much emotional meaning behind it at all.

It is all a little too much for her to handle, so she goes to the only person she can truly talk to about it: Tori. She is warned once again to keep it a secret and that she must not let anyone find out about her Divergence. I feel nervous just typing the word. It's like after you read the Harry Potter books and you're afraid to say Voldemort. But her life is threatened by Divergence, so this subject is a bit serious. Tori explains that her brother was killed because he was Divergent and I think it hits Tris that it could happen to her, and it will if she isn't careful.

"These people taught you how to use a gun. They taught you how to fight. You think they're above hurting you? Above killing you?"

Chapter 19

So let me start off by saying Peter is a prick. (I'm hoping that is a school appropriate word because I couldn't find one that got my point across that wouldn't be considered "vulgar".) Tris walks in to find him being a horrid person and reading an Erudite article bashing Abnegation and her family. I don't understand why the jerk can't just keep to himself and leave Tris alone. I'm sitting here like Chris Crocker right now. By the way, he is the "leave Brittany alone" guy! Anyway, steering away from my tangent and back to the topic at hand. Also, Molly is a disgusting excuse for a human being because she decided she would put in her ten cents to the article, making not only Tris and her family look bad, but creating a suspicion of corruption of the Abnegation faction. Tris loses her cool, understandably. I'm so done with the antagonists in this book. Kill 'em. Kill 'em all.

But it doesn't stop there. *me muttering to myself* No of course it doesn't. Four calls out to Tris when she is with her friends and guess what! He's drunk and acting like a sleaze ball. (I'm forcing myself to come up with new insults, so I'm sorry if they are awful.) He tells her she looks good and winks at her and it just made me want to cry because there is no way to know if it was him or the booze talking. I absolutely hate when people are drunk. If I were her I would have responded with a strongly worded remark about how he can talk to me when he is sober.

Al rescues her by picking her up and running with her to the dining hall. That part gave me conflicted feelings. I know how much I love Four, and how much I am shipping Trour (the name I made up for them like Brangelina!), but there is a tiny part of my heart that is rooting for Al, despite his flaws. He seems like a good guy and he always looks out for Tris. But who knows, it could all change... HINT.

"His words surprise me, and my heart leaps. I wish it didn't, because judging by the way his eyes slide over mine, he has no idea what he's saying."

Chapter 18

Today is the first day of stage two and all the initiates are being put together finally. No one knows what to expect, and nervousness is in the air. They sit in a dark hallway, awaiting the fate that lies behind closed doors. Lynn, a Dauntless born, starts talking crap to Peter, and even though I don't like Peter, she makes me want to hit her. Her arrogance is not appreciated.

Tris becomes nervous as the time wears on. She has no idea what to expect, but can't stop her mind from wandering as one by one her fellow initiates are taken behind the closed doors. Finally, once her turn arrives, Tris is met with a horrific and familiar sight. From the metal chair to the computer screen, this room is a spitting image of her aptitude test, an event she would have preferred to keep in the past. I understand why she becomes so unnerved. It is like stirring up a problems that have already settled. Actually, this happened to me when I was writing my Fear Landscape paper. I had forgotten how much it hurt me to experience my fear the first time, so forcing myself to recall it was a devastating reality to me. Tris tries to keep her cool, especially in front of Four, but can't seem to overcome her nerves.

She is injected with a serum that contains a transmitter, a device that allows Four to watch her simulation. At this point, I would probably be screaming and begging to leave Dauntless. It has its perks, but overall, I would never make it there. I would probably pull an Al and cry if I had to hit people. Anyhow, back to Tris. Her fear comes off as strange. She finds herself in a field being attacked by crows. She isn't able to escape the simulation until she overcomes her fear or can control it physically. They way she describes it is really gross and it made me think of a horror film I saw a couple minutes of, where an entire town was wiped out by crows. To me, it is a silly fear, but then I realized it was symbolizing her fear of being out of control.

Tris is horrified by her experience, as I imagine the other initiates probably were. When she wakes up, she ends up smacking Four and I felt bad because she was just overwhelmed with emotions and wasn't thinking straight. I noticed it was like her animal-like side kicking in, because she was in survival mode at that point. Four offers to take her back to the dormitory, but she is determined to at least try to show the others that she can be strong. However, when she talks to him in the hallway just outside of the simulation room, she breaks down and reacts like I know I would in that situation. She longs for her home and wants to quit. I don't know how she has lasted this long, as I know I certainly couldn't. But, since Four is a sweet heart and charming and wonderful, he assure Tris that this did not make her weak. I love him by the way.

"But becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear and how to be free from it, that's the point."

Chapter 17

Because of the bad memories associated with the dormitory, Tris seeks refuge somewhere else. She finds herself in a hallway she doesn't recognize. This part reminded me of myself because often times I get anxious when I am stuck inside so I wander outside, not really paying attention to where I'm going. She hears people walking towards her and tries to duck her head, hoping they aren't seeking her out. When she finally does look up though, she sees Uriah. I was very relieved that it was him. I like him. Even though I know it will never happen, I can kind of see Tris and Uriah having a thing. I think the way she describes any somewhat decent male character in this book gives me that feeling though, so it means nothing really.

Because Uriah is a sweet heart, he takes Tris with him on an adventure that Dauntless born are those who make up the group. It's okay that she is a faction transfer though, because Uriah stands up for her, saying she needs to get out after seeing what happened to Edward. They board the train and Tris finds that a lot more people know her than she thought. Apparently she has earned some type of fame in Dauntless. From the way I see it, it is a neutral type of fame, but it definitely has potential to turn good or bad at any given time. Tris just has to be very careful with her actions. After making the leap off the train, it doesn't take Tris long to realize where they are going. Their destination? The old Hancock building, the tallest building for miles.

The group makes their way to the top of the building and once they have reached the one hundredth floor, they continue further on a flimsy aluminum ladder. Typical Dauntless stuff you know, no big deal. The big steel cable descending from the roof top and the black slings can only mean one thing. They are going to slide in a cloth sling down on a wire to the ground from the top of a one hundred story building. Again, no big deal. Tris's nerves get to her while she watches others soar through the air. But when Uriah's brother Zeke, straps her into the harness, he whispers, "Don't worry," in her ear. I don't know why, but I thought that was the sweetest gesture especially considering the fact that he doesn't know her personally. As soon as she leaves the building, she feels alive. She forgets everything and her eyes have been opened to an entirely new world. (Insert cheesy "A Whole New World" audio clip from Alladin here.)

The other members who've already made it to the ground have the help Tris to the ground, and this requires her to trust them. She thinks that takes more bravery than sliding down in a sling off a building.. Hahahah. She makes it alive, and professes her love for the thrilling experience. She finally feels like she is one with the Dauntless. This really spoke to me because I recently felt like I was completely accepted by a group, which was the speech team by the way. I felt like I was important to the team and that I belonged. It meant a lot to me, and I can truly say it was one of the best feelings in the world. The feeling is cut short when she returns to her friends though, as they are hurt that she left them and is being accepted by the other Dauntless. Luckily the subject changes and her friends get over it, but she can't get the images of soaring above the ground out of her head, or the wide grin off of her face.

"For the second after I walk in, I stand among a crowd of Dauntless, and I feel like one of them."

Chapter 16

After Tris finishes her conversation with her mother she returns to the dormitory only to find Al sitting alone. After she talks with him about it, I gathered that he is ashamed of the little progress he is making. I do think that he is in Dauntless for the right reason, wanting to protect people that is, but I don't think that alone is going to get him to the point that he needs to be. Tris tries to be there for him, but he gets creepy and makes a move on her. I wish she liked him. He's a nice kid. Oh well.

Since talking about family has been unofficially deemed off limits, during dinner, aptitude tests become the conversation topic. Tris begins to think of her own faction and her family, and eventually she thinks back to her own test. It sucks for her that she has friends from Candor because they can tell when she is lying. I was wondering how she was going to get around letting out her secret, but she continues to be witty, and found a way to change the subject.

The initiates are getting nervous because rankings are going to be posted soon. Four explains how the ranks work and his eyes fall on Tris. She says she thinks it's because she probably looks nervous, but I'm pretty sure we all know that he likes her by now. Maybe she should get a clue? Hopefully she will figure it out soon, because I've been shipping* them so hard.

Surprise! Tris is rated number 6! Of course this surprises her, since she lost her first fight, but evidently beating Molly gave her a boost. I found it funny because Molly was mad. She deserved it. But on a different note, that night, Edward gets stabbed because he is rated first. The culprits? Drew and Peter.. Duh. Tris helps him. The scene is really gross and described in more detail than I would have liked. He and Myra end up leaving the Dauntless to become factionless. Sucks to suck. Sorry, that was a bit harsh. Oh well. But thankfully their leaving keeps Al from being cut. So I guess that's a plus if you look at it that way.


* A term used to describe fan fictions that take previously created characters and put them as a pair. It usually refers to romantic relationships, but it can refer platonic ones as well. (Just think of "shipping" as short for "relationSHIP".) [definition from Urban Dictionary]


"I believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."

Chapter 15

Visiting Day at last. The day that has the potential to change Tris's feelings of leaving her family. The room is filled with hopelessness though. Everyone seems to have realized that it is entirely possible for them to reach the Pit floor only to find that their family isn't coming. It made me think of when I was in the psych ward, how my parents visited me every chance they got, but when I thought about the others, my heart dropped. I am fortunate enough to not know personally what it's like to have a family that isn't always there for you. I am so blessed with the family I have, and through reading this book, it only becomes more apparent to me.

Even so she hasn't much hope, Tris makes her way to the Pit floor anyway. She wears clothes that reveal her tattoo, even though she is fully aware that her family would not approve. I feel that she is doing this as an act of rebellion against her family, and as a defense mechanism. I believe she thinks if she gives off the image that she doesn't care what they think, she won't give them the opportunity to hurt her. When scanning the room and taking note of the other initiates with their families, Tris catches a glimpse of her mother. I was surprised that someone from her family showed up, but I knew that if someone did, it would be her mom. I am glad that her father didn't come because I still don't have a particular liking of him. The thing that surprised me was that Tris's father didn't go to visit Caleb. I understand that he probably felt that Caleb had betrayed him to, but leaving Caleb alone on Visiting Day is a little harsh.

The way that Tris's mother speaks to her is very suspicious, not only to me, but to Tris as well. She can tell something is up. From the way she seems to know an awful lot more than she should, to her seeming to recognize Four, it becomes obvious that something is about to be revealed, and that it does! PLOT TWIST. Tris's mother is from Dauntless. I am pretty proud of Tris for putting the pieces together so the puzzle is becoming a bit clearer.

Tris feels that she can be honest about her aptitude test results with her mother, and then suddenly her mother seems to know much more about Tris's situation than what she could possibly have learned without some kind of prior experience. It makes me wonder if there wasn't a member of her family that was Divergent. Even though the whole conversation is kind of shady, one thing struck me as especially odd. Tris's mother instructed her to talk to Caleb about the simulation serum. I'm not quite sure why, but I'm certain I will find out if I read on.

"So Tori was right. Divergent is a dangerous thing to be. I just don't know why, or even what it really means, still."

Chapter 14

Visiting Day is about to come upon the initiates. Tomorrow marks day that Tris thinks she's figured out what will happen. She is getting herself ready for the momentous day and notices the changes her figure is going through. She is developing muscle and losing any fat that was once on her body. I think it would be strange to have my physical appearance change so quickly that I can actually notice changes without looking at pictures or some kind of reminder of how I once was. I suppose that she has developed a sense of remembering her image due to the fact that she wasn't allowed to look in mirrors growing up.

Unfortunately, these changes aren't exactly for the better in everyone's eyes. Because Peter, Molly, and Drew are devil children and feel the need to hurt everyone around them, they take Tris's towel, exposing her. They make fun of her body and she can't help but let out a sob after she takes refuge in the bathroom. I don't understand what makes Peter, Molly, and Drew be so completely inhumane. They look for every excuse to humiliate someone that they can possibly get. I can't see any motivation, or any reason they could have to find that type of behavior to be fulfilling. Thankfully, Tris takes it better than I would have and gets dressed. This probably has to do with the fact that she knows she will have the opportunity to get revenge on one of them during today's fight. She shoots a glance at the board. Molly. Even though she and I would both rather it be Peter, Molly is good enough to let some anger out on.

The fights leading up to hers aren't very eventful, but Tris still takes note. I think this is a big contribution as to how she does so well. Not only does she take things from her own personal experiences, but she also makes an effort to learn what she can from others'. Finally it is time for her to enter the ring. Instead of relying purely on physical strength, Tris uses strategy to her advantage. She recalls what she knows from watching Molly's previous fight to conclude that they way to win is to go for her stomach and ribs. She knocks Molly to the ground and continues kicking until Four stops her. I think she went a little bit overboard with how much she hit Molly after it was clear who the winner of the fight was. It almost made her seem like an animal, but I completely understand why she couldn't stop herself. It might sound a bit sadistic, but I was happy to see Molly finally get what she deserves.

"At least I am stronger than I was."

Chapter 13

Another day of training with Four and Eric is what awaits Tris today. The weapon of choice? Knives. By Tris's keen observation skills, and thanks to her special admiration of Four, she realizes how accurately he throws. He hits the target every time. She watches his form closely until she feels comfortable to practice on her own, without a knife. When she actually throw the knife for the first time, she is the first of the initiates to hit the board. It certainly did get Peter to shut his mouth thankfully.

Al isn't having a great time with the knives however, and is the only initiate who hasn't hit the target. This is deemed unacceptable by Eric, who then decides to be a jerk in hopes of intimidating Al. Al eventually admits that he has a fear of knives being thrown at him, and since Eric is a huge jerk, he commands Al to step in front of the target while Four throws knives. Al will be allowed to leave once he stops flinching as the knife is thrown. Eric is abusing his power and I am wondering how he even got the power he has in the first place. He didn't earn it with his character, that's for sure.

Tris can't believe how much of a tyrant Eric is acting like, and she speaks up. She tells Eric off and I was cheering her on in my head. I am glad that she has finally taken action upon her thoughts of Eric. It's about time that someone did. Of course her words aren't free, and come with consequences. She must take Al's place. If she flinches, Al is put in front of the target once again. She takes her place and Four is standing ready with a knife in his hand. I can't believe that he is about to willingly throw a knife at Tris. I thought her cared about her. The first two throws Tris is fine, but the third nicks her ear. To my surprise, Eric is the one who calls it quits. When he touches Tris's shoulder I got a sick feeling in my stomach. There is something seriously wrong with him, but I can't put my finger on what it is yet.

Once out of the training room, Tris confronts Four. She is pretty angry with the fact that he hit her on purpose. Four responds with mysterious remarks as always. The way he talks is difficult to decode, but I think that is a sign of the fact that he thinks before he speaks. That is one quality I really do admire.  He has the ability to hurt Tris, and he makes that painstakingly clear, but he makes the bold decision not to. Looks like maybe he does like her after all.

"If I wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have already?"

Chapter 12

Tris won the second fight she had, but since it was Myra, she didn't take much pride in being able to beat her. I guess I could understand that since Tris doesn't see Myra as a threat. Of course, she hasn't given Tris much of a reason to. As soon as she lays down to go to sleep that night, the lights flick on and the dormitory is invaded by Eric and some of the other Dauntless leaders. Personally, I would have been so grumpy if that happened to me. It reminded me of how I feel when my parents try to wake me up in the morning and I feel like I haven't even slept at all. I can understand how she feels because she has been worked so hard, and I usually stay up late doing homework to the point when exhaustion forces me to sleep. But, apparently they were woken up for another field trip, so it might not actually be all that bad.

Before boarding the train, Tris spots a box labeled "PAINTBALLS" and gets a pretty good idea of what the field trip is focusing on. She grabs a gun and box of ammo, eager to join in. Once everyone is in the car, it's time to start picking teams. I definitely had a flashback of elementary school when we used to make picking teams such a big deal that they had to be pre-decided for us. Anyhow, it isn't a problem for Eric and Four, because they both seem to have their own strategies worked out. Eric goes for the whole "I'm stupid so I will pick the people who look the most physically inclined" whereas Four actually has a functioning brain and decides to choose those he think will be able to move quickly, so his team had nearly identical body types.

Tris is pretty smart too (perfect pair, just saying) because she has the bright idea of leaving the rest of her team to argue while she does something that will actually benefit them in the game. She decides in order to win the game she needs to know where the other team's flag is, and in order to know that, she must seek higher ground for a better view of her surroundings. She climbs the Ferris wheel only to find that Four decided to follow her. Like I've been saying, they should probably just date already. When he asks her what she is doing, she gives him a sassy response that made me laugh, probably because she is awesome at keeping her cool with Four. For some strange reason, Four decides that even though he is afraid of heights, that he should follow Tris as she climbs higher and higher up the rungs of the Ferris wheel. When they arrive at the top, all is well and Tris spots the other team's hiding spot. Determined to retrieve the flag, they start the journey back to the ground. All is going well until the rusty rung gives way and Tris ends up dangling from the Ferris wheel, clinging there for dear life. She calls out to Four, hoping he will be her knight in shining armor and save her. Which he does. Bam. And guess what else! He uses his intelligence to find a way to get her down. Smart and cute.. The perfect combination.

After informing the rest of the team of Tris's brilliant plan, Christina and Tris go after the flag while the rest of the initiates man other jobs, like guarding their own flag and holding off the members of the other team. Christina and Tris race to the area that the other team is keeping the flag and frantically search for it. They both see it, but Christina just had to make sure Tris didn't out do her, so she made Tris let her get the flag. This is the only time so far that I have been upset with Christina. I don't understand why she couldn't just let Tris get the flag, since she was the one who knew where it would be in the first place, but I guess I understand that Christina wants to be noted for at least accomplishing something.

While being congratulated on her smart plan, Tris takes the time to realize how much she actually admires the Dauntless way of life. She has found a new source of motivation. She only has to make it through initiation and she can make the Dauntless lifestyle her own.

"If my entire life is like this, loud laughter and bold action and the kind of exhaustion you feel after a hard but satisfying day, I will be content."

Chapter 11

The day begins in what I would consider a terrible way. The pain of the fight is coming back to haunt her, and I am not talking about emotional pain. She is covered in bruises and her body aches, but Tris still forces herself out of bed. She makes sure to stay caught up with the other initiates. This is what I like about her. No matter how hard things get, she has made a promise to herself to never give up, and she keeps her word.

Another thing I found to be a reoccurring theme in this chapter was that nearly everyone she encounters shows her some sign of Abnegation deep down. Christina is the first to display selflessness when she offers to get breakfast for Tris and helps her out of bed, to the train. Al helps her in the car once she finds her sore body makes it much more difficult for her than before. I guess what they say is true; there is good within everyone. Not that I thought Al and Christina were bad, but I guess I never really thought about others being intentionally kind to each other outside of Abnegation.

Once on the train, Tris spends a few seconds admiring Four's hot bod, but I mean, who could blame her, right? That boy sounds F-I-N-E! Anyway, enough of me fan-girling. The initiates are on a field trip. My first thought was that this would be exciting, but then I remembered that they are in Dauntless, and therefore meaning it would probably include something that risks their lives. You know, no big deal. Just an everyday occurance.

It turns out to be not so bad after all. They arrive near the gates of the city to find guards from none other than the Dauntless faction. The purpose of this little trip is to inform the initiates of what types of jobs they can get once they become a member. I guess that is if they even survive initiation. Four shares that he was ranked first, so he could have gotten nearly any job he wanted, but chose not to take a government job. This perplexed me a little. He seems so concerned with how Dauntless is changing, but yet he still doesn't take the opportunity he has to change it.

But hold on a minute. Surprise! Tris has a visitor. Well, not really, it was more of an unexpected meeting. She is called out by Robert, her old neighbor from Abnegation, who has become an Amity initiate. He tries talking to her, but she gives him quite the cold shoulder. He strikes a thought in her brain though. Wouldn't life be easier if the goal was to be happy? Anyhow, the chapter wraps up with a short conversation between Tris and Four, and finally, the initiates returning to the Dauntless compound.

"The goal of my life isn't just . . . to be happy."
"Wouldn't it be easier if it was, though?"

Chapter 10

Tris finds her bed vandalized; the word "stiff" has been spray painted across the mattress. Personally, I would punch whoever did it in the face. Really? Like it isn't hard enough going through initiation, they just had to be an inconsiderate jerk and do that to Tris when she hasn't done anything to them? Anyway, I am getting off of this rant train. She turns to find it was Peter. Surprise. *sarcasm* He shoots her a grin, and I would have snapped, but some strength she possess allows her to handle the situation calmly.

She talks with Al briefly before they head off to training and realizes he may not be cut out for Dauntless. I personally am worried about what he will become if he keeps up with what he's doing. Anyway, once they arrive in the training room, Tris sees that her opponent is Peter. That's just fabulous. Even though she knows she could take the Al way of doing things, which is being a wimp and letting people hit you while you pretend to be hurt, she knows she has to try. She can't give up now. I admire her determination.

When the fight begins, Peter is being a jerk, as usual and decides that he should say nasty comments to Tris. I wanted to hit him,  but I guess that isn't saying much because I usually want to hit at least one character in this book at every point. Since I didn't really enjoy the gruesome details of Tris being beat up, I will make a long story short. Peter is a jerk and has an advantage of Tris physically, but she doesn't give up. She fights until she is barely conscious. Then I thought Four broke up the fight and took her to the infirmary, which I found chivalrous, but it turns out it was Eric. Oh.

When she is in the infirmary resting up, she reminisces about her first time in a hospital with her mother. She realizes that Caleb has shown almost secretive traits of Erudite all along, telling their mother she would be alright because he was aware of the fracture she had. Before she can do much more thinking though, she has some visitors. It ends up being her and Al and the end. He is like, trying to put the moves on her or something. It made me really uncomfortable and it did her as well. He leaves her with thoughts of Visiting Day, which happens to be the very next day. Try as she might, she can't hold back her tears any longer. It broke my heart to hear that she finally broke down. I guess it was only a matter of time, but I am still surprise she held out so long.

"Out of my peripheral vision, I see Four shove the door open and walk out. Apparently this fight isn't interesting enough for him."