Bon's Book Club March - Divergent by Veronica Roth.

Oh Bonnie, I do so love the book club (even if I’m rubbish at updating every month), I do everso much, but why, why oh why did this book have to be on the list? Reading is a joy to me and this book became a chore. It also became a lesson in determination as I made myself finish it even though it literally had my teeth on edge with its horrendous writing and poor plot.

 

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Maybe I’m being a bit harsh

One of the beauties of this life is that we are all different and we all have different tastes, its why I love cooking for people – making dishes that suit their tastes even if it isn’t quite mine (hence why I end up cooking Pork Belly for the family). Reading is no different, heck if everyone had my impeccable taste then publishers would never have let 50 shades of grey and the Twilight series ever see the light of day. Ever. But it is clear to me that there is an audience for these kind of books – that audience being young teenagers.

I’m not a young teenager. I’m not even a young adult anymore. Sigh.
 

And before you say it, I love Narnia, I love Roald Dahl. There are numerous books from when I was a teenager that every now and again I take of the shelf, brush it down and reread. Usually it only take a couple of hours and I enjoy that time and the nostalgia that comes with it.

But I just couldn’t deal with this book. To be fair maybe my use of the word horrendous is a bit harsh as I’m sure kids will respond well to Veronica Roth’s  style of prose well. Did I mention that I’m not a kid? It was just excruciating to read. The language is so basic I found no joy. No joy. The plot is flawed disjointed with deaths left right and centre. Don't get me wrong death is OK in books but here I just felt there were just there to sensationalise. For example when Tris' parents die - i didn't even care mainly because I was totally uninvested in this book at that point.

I give up it just wasn’t for me, hence why I am not going to waste everyones time with "meh" answers to Bon's questions. I think if we wanted something in this sort of genre we should have read The Handmaids Tale as it might have actually stretched us and given us some grown up discussion. My apologies if you love this book, like I said everyone is different and I’m looking forward to understanding why you love it. And then moving on.

I’m off to get cracking on the next book “Night Circus”, I’m already worried that it seems to be marketed alongside the words “Twilight” shoot.me.now and “Harry Potter” Not quite so bad but doesn’t actually inspire me to start. However others have said that this isn’t giving the book the kudos it deserves. I’ll report back, honest as ever.