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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Divergent in Books
Feb 11, 2019
So this book is a bit of a recycled plot - whether or not Roth was aware that it resembled Hunger Games. Honestly, though, I really don't care. The book was entertaining, the world-building was still unique, and I can't wait to read the next one.
I found the idea of dividing society into factions based on a specific personality trait interesting in that I wanted much greater detail about each faction, much more so than the main character, Tris, was willing to provide. Tris is a teenager being forced into making the greatest decision of her life, and there just is not time for dwelling on the details. I found the simulation that is designed to help decide the faction of each individual too simplistic. Human beings are complex creatures, and an individual's personal prerogatives can change very easily from year to year. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, or the rebellious Divergent - I could easily fit into any of these at different times in my life. The characters in the book are no different.
Much of the book centers around Tris undergoing the trials of becoming Dauntless, with details of the other factions trickling in, as well as the state of the political current. While this world of factions was originally created with the best of intentions, corruption has set in at all levels, and Tris's world will be toppled by the end of the book. While her trials are a journey of self-discovery, she is also forced to grow up quickly to protect the people she loves.
The only thing I would have liked to end differently is what happens to Tris's mother - with everything that we discover about her, she could have been a fountain of fascinating plot elements. Unfortunately, in most YA books, parental figures rarely stick around. Hopefully, I will get my hands on Insurgent soon!
I found the idea of dividing society into factions based on a specific personality trait interesting in that I wanted much greater detail about each faction, much more so than the main character, Tris, was willing to provide. Tris is a teenager being forced into making the greatest decision of her life, and there just is not time for dwelling on the details. I found the simulation that is designed to help decide the faction of each individual too simplistic. Human beings are complex creatures, and an individual's personal prerogatives can change very easily from year to year. Abnegation, Amity, Erudite, Candor, Dauntless, or the rebellious Divergent - I could easily fit into any of these at different times in my life. The characters in the book are no different.
Much of the book centers around Tris undergoing the trials of becoming Dauntless, with details of the other factions trickling in, as well as the state of the political current. While this world of factions was originally created with the best of intentions, corruption has set in at all levels, and Tris's world will be toppled by the end of the book. While her trials are a journey of self-discovery, she is also forced to grow up quickly to protect the people she loves.
The only thing I would have liked to end differently is what happens to Tris's mother - with everything that we discover about her, she could have been a fountain of fascinating plot elements. Unfortunately, in most YA books, parental figures rarely stick around. Hopefully, I will get my hands on Insurgent soon!
Rembrandt: The Late Works
Gregor J. M. Weber, Jonathan Bikker, Marjorie E. Wieseman and Erik Hinterding
Book
The first book to focus exclusively on the extraordinary paintings, drawings, and prints that...
Basketball's Greatest Stars
Book
Profiles of the very best NBA players and a great history of the game. The spectacular success of...
CONFLICT - the Insiders' Guide to Storytelling in Factual/reality TV & Film: The C.O.N.F.L.I.C.T Toolkit for TV and Film Producers
Book
"The recipe book of great television from one of the best TV makers in the world" Jamie Oliver Story...
Dereliction of Duty
Book
"The war in Vietnam was not lost in the field, nor was it lost on the front pages of the New York...
Before You Wake: Life Lessons from a Father to His Children
Book
From Erick Erickson, "arguably the most powerful conservative in America today" (The Atlantic), an...
Jeff Bridges recommended Tideland (2006) in Movies (curated)
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated The Dark Tower (2017) in Movies
Dec 2, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Ahh, the Dark Tower, Stephen King's epic tale that spans 8 core books and crosses over with almost everything he has ever written as well as some he hasn't (unofficially of course). A Saga that has inspired many and disappointed a few (well I'm told the end of book 7 is self indulgent, I'm only at book 4 and that was a while ago). Anway, the Dark Tower books are epic and so they try to put all this epicness in to a hour and a half film and when you consider that IT is only one book and that took 2 films with another possibly on the way and the Stand is only one book and has a hole mini series you can imagine that there is a bit of editing of the source material.
The Dark Tower bring three of the characters from the books; Roland, the gunslinger, Jake, a boy from our world and the Man in Black aka Walter. Unlike the books the film focus' mainly on Jake, a boy who is having dreams about Roland and Walter and who is being hunted by Walter's forces.
The story line is loosely based on the books as Roland hunts the Man in Black across not only his own world but ours as well and attempts to kill him in revenge for his father's death whilst Walter is attempting to destroy the Dark Tower and bring darkness to all the worlds.
Interestingly, although there are many nods and easter eggs to Kings other works, the film version of The Dark Tower is linked more to the Shining and Doctor Sleep than IT or the Stand as it gives Jake 'The Shine' and makes it an integral part of the plot.
As long as you're not expecting too much of the books 'The Dark Tower' is quite a good film, it has a slightly more Sci-Fi feel that the books and the final battle would feel at home in most first person shooter games but, when seen either as it's own thing or possibly as a tie in to the two shining films it's quite a good action film.
The Dark Tower bring three of the characters from the books; Roland, the gunslinger, Jake, a boy from our world and the Man in Black aka Walter. Unlike the books the film focus' mainly on Jake, a boy who is having dreams about Roland and Walter and who is being hunted by Walter's forces.
The story line is loosely based on the books as Roland hunts the Man in Black across not only his own world but ours as well and attempts to kill him in revenge for his father's death whilst Walter is attempting to destroy the Dark Tower and bring darkness to all the worlds.
Interestingly, although there are many nods and easter eggs to Kings other works, the film version of The Dark Tower is linked more to the Shining and Doctor Sleep than IT or the Stand as it gives Jake 'The Shine' and makes it an integral part of the plot.
As long as you're not expecting too much of the books 'The Dark Tower' is quite a good film, it has a slightly more Sci-Fi feel that the books and the final battle would feel at home in most first person shooter games but, when seen either as it's own thing or possibly as a tie in to the two shining films it's quite a good action film.
LaBMaC (116 KP) rated Brain on Fire (2016) in Movies
Aug 3, 2019
Highlights the real life presentation of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (2 more)
Engaging and emotive plot
Highlights issues surrounding misdiagnosis and psychiatric incarceration
Contains spoilers, click to show
This movie is unsettling as it is based on a true story, told in the book of the same name by Suzannah Cahalan.
A healthy young woman in her early 20's suddenly and inexplicably withdraws from life. As her personality is destroyed as is much of her life. The illness begins with sensory sensitivity and confusion and ends in catatonia.
When watching it I found myself trying to figure out what exactly what could make someone act like this. Epilepsy, stress, schizophrenia, mental breakdown. The diagnosis was none of these and it reminds the viewer that the brain is a complex and vulnerable entity that could fail in numerous ways.
A healthy young woman in her early 20's suddenly and inexplicably withdraws from life. As her personality is destroyed as is much of her life. The illness begins with sensory sensitivity and confusion and ends in catatonia.
When watching it I found myself trying to figure out what exactly what could make someone act like this. Epilepsy, stress, schizophrenia, mental breakdown. The diagnosis was none of these and it reminds the viewer that the brain is a complex and vulnerable entity that could fail in numerous ways.
A Certain Uncertainty: Nature's Random Ways
Book
Based around a series of real-life scenarios, this engaging introduction to statistical reasoning...