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David McK (3600 KP) rated Divergent in Books

Jan 28, 2019  
Divergent
Divergent
Veronica Roth | 2012 | Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)
6
8.1 (140 Ratings)
Book Rating
"Dear Katniss Everdeen,

I desperately want to be like you ..."

So might read the opening words of my (imaginary) letter written by the protaganist of this series to the protaganist of the (more famous) Hunger Games series, as there are (more than) a few similarities in common: both novels are set in a dystopian future, both feature a female protaganist, both have some PG-rated romance thrown in, and both deal with themes of family.

Actually, on second thoughts: maybe I'm being a bit unfair on Tris Prior - if this novel had come along first (instead of [b:The Hunger Games|2767052|The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)|Suzanne Collins|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358275334s/2767052.jpg|2792775]), my imaginary letter may well have started with:

"Dear Tris Prior

I desperately want to be like you ..."

;-)
  
I read this on recommendation from my dad, and, I must admit, while I went in not expecting much from it, I was actually quite pleasantly surprised and found it to be quite enjoyable.

I beleive there is now something like 18 books in the eries; this is the very first that introduces us to the central character of Amelia Peabody: a Victorian heiress at the turn of the century. I'm also not really sure how to classify this novel, as it combines elements of mystery, action/adventure, romance and comedy, with the central character of Amelia herself being a bit of a know-it-all (she's always right, even after the fact).

Will I read more in the series? Probably, but I don't know if they are books I would go out of my way to look for.
  
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Aiden Gillen recommended The Bandini Quartet in Books (curated)

 
The Bandini Quartet
The Bandini Quartet
John Fante | 2014 | Contemporary
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"A collection of, yes, four works by John Fante. Rereading this at the moment. Fante is the man who inspired Bukowski and it'd be hard not to see how great that influence is as Bukowski said: "Fante was my God." Anyway it was that comment by CB that led me to Fante who I prefer as a writer if I had to pick. The crab-shooting passage of The Road to Los Angeles will stay with me for ever and Ask the Dustcorrect, a doomed Los Angeles romance is just fantastic. Robert Towne directed a film version of this a little while back. It's an admirable misfire but he did use the novel previously as a template for the LA of his Chinatown screenplay. The quartet also includes Wait Until Spring, Bandini and Dreams of Bunker Hill."

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