Divergent - Veronica Roth

She turns to face the future in a world that's falling apart. For sixteen-year-old Tris, the world changes in a heartbeat when she is forced to make a terrible choice. Turning her back on her family, Tris ventures out, alone, determined to find out where she truly belongs. Shocked by the brutality of her new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. The hardest choices may yet lie ahead..

Divergent is set in a futuristic Chicago where society is split into five factions, each of which uphold a particular virtue of humanity: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave) and Erudite (the intelligent). At sixteen years old, Tris Prior is faced with a choice that will either transform her or lead her to feel trapped in a part of society she believe she doesn't belong. However Tris soon finds out that discovering where she belongs is the least of her problems. She's Divergent, which means she doesn't fit into one particular faction and is therefore considered dangerous. So Tris, along with the mysterious and gorgeous Tobias (Four) Eaton, must do all she can to hide her true self in a world that doesn't celebrate difference.

Overall, the pacing of this novel is brilliant, the suspense and action is never tedious, the chapters are of a great and enjoyable length and you find yourself sucked in from the get go as Veronica Roth's portrayal of this world is so realistic and thought provoking.

On a large scale, Divergent is very much a reflection of how difficult it is for any person to feel like they belong and fit in. The protagonist, Tris Prior, feels as if she doesn't quite live up to anyone's expectations, least of all her selfless family. She's a very conflicted character who struggles to decipher where she belongs when she doesn't even fit into an area of society that she has remained in for the last sixteen years. As a result of this she's a very likeable character, particularly to teenagers, as it's easy to connect with and understand her struggles and the expectations she faces. Saying that however, she is also a very focused and relentless character who will fight for everything she believes in when challenged to do so, making her yet another excellent YA heroin.

The story is an enormous eye opener to the world we live in and how easily capitalism can take anything and everything away from us in the blink of an eye. The political struggle present in this story is easy to read and understand and presents the idea that a uniform mass can be controlled if they aren't allowed the freedom to think outside the box in which they have been contained, theoretically and literally as Chicago has been separated from the rest of the world for an unknown reason, creating a lot of suspense throughout the story.

Unsurprisingly to this dystopian, there is a romance. However the story is not once defined by said romance, nor is it in any way whatsoever part of a love triangle, which is what makes it so enjoyable to read alongside the other and much darker themes present in the story. Tris and Four's relationship is based on equality, mutual admiration and respect for the other's strengths and weaknesses, which are so admirably heightened when in the presence of each other.

The only aspect of this story that I found a little bit disappointing was the last chapter of the book. Although the build up to the climax is exceptionally tense and action packed, I felt as if the last chapter was too 'lived happily ever after as they rode into the sunset' for my liking. Of course, it isn't at all like that and leaves a fantastic lead into the next book, Insurgent, it's just how I felt when reading it because of what was happening in the chapters before; the story seemed to halt so suddenly.

Ultimately, this is a debut novel that leaves you breathless and begging for more from a world so different from any before it.

I give Veronica Roth and Divergent ★★★★★

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling

Synopsis: "Harry's furious that he has been abandoned at the Dursley's house for the summer, for he suspects that Voldemort is gathering an army, that he himself could be attacked, and that his so-called friends are keeping him in the dark. Finally rescued by the wizard bodyguards, he discovers that Dumbledore is regrouping the Order of the Phoenix - a secret society first formed years ago to fight Voldemort. But the Ministry of Magic is against the Order, lies are being spread by the wizards' tabloid the Daily Prophet, and Harry feels that he may have to take on this epic battle against evil alone."

It's fair to say that within the first three quarters of this book nothing all that exciting happens, other than the arrival of the Dementors at the start of the novel which at that point suggests the first sign of Voldemort's return to power. The general pace of the story is rather slow with the odd bit of humour here and there, unsurprisingly provided by the Weasley twins, and an insight into what Voldemort is planning and what he's after, which Harry sees through his dreams when his brain is most relaxed and unprotected.

So once again the story of Harry Potter kicks off during yet another lonely and depressing stay with the Dursley's for the summer holidays. Following the return of Lord Voldemort at the end of Goblet of Fire, Harry becomes more wary of his surroundings and agitated by the fact that he has heard nothing from anyone within the wizarding world, including his two best friends Hermoine and Ron. As a result of this I found myself become rather agitated myself by Harry as all he seems to do at first is whine and complain and not consider the possibility that maybe people are trying their best to protect him by keeping him in the dark until the right moment.

As a matter of fact Harry becomes rather unlikeable through the entire course of the story. He develops into an arrogant character full of so much teenage angst because of the things he's achieved since entering the wizarding world. He doesn't shy away from reminding himself, and more surprisingly others, of what he's achieved and how he should be rewarded by simple things such as becoming prefect and knowing more than he should about the Order and their educated guesses at what Voldemort's planning. Saying that however, when others remind him of what he's achieved, as Hermoine and Ron do when persuading him to set up a secretive Defence Against the Dark Arts club, he finds himself being brought back down to reality as he states the things he's achieved were mainly down to sheer dumb luck or assistance from others. As a reader you can sympathise with his frustration through all of this but at the same time grow tired of him acting so hard done by.

It's clear however that the strongest part of this novel is Rowling's continuation of using a blend of dark and light themes to create a story that continues to portray the beauty of the wizarding world but also the dangers of it. Furthermore, she concentrates a lot on developing characters that have remained prominent throughout the series so far but haven't had much in the way of their own story. Professor McGonagall for example becomes one of my all time favourite literary characters in this book because she becomes so enjoyable to read. You get a real sense of her protective and loving side for Potter but also a hilarious and incredibly sassy side when dealing with Dolores Umbridge.

And, finally, there's the matter of the conclusion of the story. There's no denying that the lead up to the appearance of Voldemort in the Ministry of Magic is fast paced and action packed, but when Voldemort actually made an appearance I found myself rather let down. I just felt as if that part of the conclusion was rather anti-climatic and too short. A lot of the story focuses on people believing that Voldemort has returned and then when they finally realise he has nothing much happens. Saying that however it was thrilling to read about the prophecy of Voldemort and Harry and finally learning why he tried to kill him as a baby.

There's no denying that this is my least favourite book of the series, but overall the story is just as magical and thought provoking as the latter with a strong storyline that, unfortunately, doesn't have a lot going on with just a few little surprises here and there.

I give J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ★★★

Reading an unfamiliar genre

In the post today I received my prize from youngwriters.co.uk after I won July's book review competition, having submitted a review of Undone by Cat Clarke. I wasn't aware of what book or even what genre I would be receiving so I was really looking forward to seeing what arrived. Upon opening the parcel I discovered a copy of The Cabinet of Curiosities by Paul Doswell, a novel that, up until that moment, I had not heard of.

According to the blurb, the novel follows the story of of a boy called Lukas who has been summoned to Prague (in the year 1598) and apprenticed to work for the reclusive Emperor Rudolph II. The emperor collects wonders from around the world which he keeps in four incredible rooms, his Cabinet of Curiosities. But not everyone appreciates his eccentricity, and when a group of diplomats arrive, sent by the King of Spain, Lukas senses danger. If he is to protect the great Bohemian city from tyranny, Lukas must quickly learn the true meaning of trust, honour and friendship.

So in case you hadn't guessed, the novel is of historical fiction - a genre I am very unfamiliar with as I am yet to recall ever picking up a book of the sort. This is due to the fact that the genre in no way interests me. I wish I could give you a valid reason for that but I can't, it's just not my cup of tea. However when I found this book in my parcel I was rather excited by the prospect of reading something that 1) I had never heard of and 2) was of a genre I had very much avoided.

I mean it's something different isn't it and the point I'm trying to make is that I think it's important for us to try something different now and again to shake things up a bit. Yes, okay, reading a book of a different genre is nothing exciting to most but if I find myself liking this novel then it could open up a whole new genre for me to enjoy and fall all too in love with. And if I dislike it then at least I can say I've tried something different.

There's just so many books of the same nature around nowadays that I think branching out of a reading genre that you're comfortable with such as fantasy, crime or even something like YA literature as a whole, is important. There's no point in avoiding something because you assume you won't like it without having even tried it. It's like my mother always says, don't knock it until you've tried it.

The Host - Stephenie Meyer

Synopsis: "The Earth has been invaded by a species that takes over the minds of their human hosts while leaving their bodies intact, and most of humanity has succumbed. Wanderer, the invading 'Soul' who has been given Melanie's body, knew about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind. Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer yearns for a man she's never met. As outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off to search for the man they both love."

The Host follows the story of Wanderer as she tries to adapt to and survive in a world far different than the worlds she's previously inhabited as a Soul. With the initial expectant to spend more time on this world than her previous ones, Wanderer's hopes are soon dashed as she discovers she's been placed into a Host, Melanie, who is reluctant to let go. Scared of how things will turn out Wanderer tries to find a way to relinquish Melanie but soon finds herself being emotionally blackmailed by Melanie's memories which feel all too real to Wanderer. With her memories in tow and her ambition to fight against Wanderer, Melanie soon finds herself having to work with and befriend Wanderer to get what they both truly want - freedom and love.

I found the start of this novel very confusing to read and difficult to understand as the story jumps straight to the moment in which 'Wanderer' in her Soul form is inserted in to Melanie's body. As a result of this I was completely unfamiliar to the words and processes used, again adding to the level of confusion, which lead me to having to reread the first two chapters twice over. As the novel dives straight into the story, the events leading up to Melanie's capture and the implantation of Wanderer are told through flashbacks that Melanie shows her.

Due to the confusing and somewhat uneventful first few chapters, I feel as if the story should have been told in chronological order. It is the flashbacks which Melanie forces Wanderer to see throughout the story, which might I add are a nice way to build on Melanie's character development and create a greater understanding of what the world was like as the Soul invasion began, that are why I felt as if the lead-up to her capture should have been told in chronological order.

Overall the events of the story are enjoyable to read but there is an up and down movement of action packed scenes to a bleak few chapters inbetween. Saying that however, what I particularly enjoy about this novel is the uniqueness of it. It's very much something someone hasn't done before and that makes it all that more appealing. Not to the mention that the second half of the novel is far more fast paced and eventful than the latter.

As another romance novel from Meyer it's inevitable for it to draw comparisons with that of the Twilight Saga. Fortunately for this story the romance is far more bearable to read despite being a love square between Melanie, her boyfriend Jared, Wanderer's love for Jared and her romantic interest in another man named Ian. There's no love at first sight or the incapability to survive without their loves, thus making the female characters of this story far stronger than that of Bella. There's plenty more going on that doesn't involve passionate kissing, the urge to have sex every five minutes and sparkly vampires.

Overall this novel is an up and down journey of enjoyment and displeasure for the reader with a love story that redeems Meyer as a writer and provides a satisfying ending that gives way to a much needed sequel.

I give Stephenie Meyer and The Host ★★★

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling

Synopsis: "When the Quidditch World Cup is disrupted by Voldemort's rampaging supporters and the resurrection of the terrifying Dark Mark, it is obvious to Harry that, far from weakening, Voldemort is getting stronger. The ultimate signal to the magic world of the Dark Lord's return would be the defeat of his one and only survivor, Harry Potter. So when Harry is entered for the prestigious yet dangerous Triwizard Tournament he knows that rather than win it, he must get through the tasks alive."

There isn't a single dull page from Harry, Ron and Hermoine's fourth year at Hogwarts, with a captivating and action packed start and explosive and heart-stopping climax, this book has a truly frazzling plot with a pace more impressive than ever.

The Goblet of Fire really showcases Rowling at the height of her writing talent and her ability to captivate even the most abstruse of minds. It is in this book that Rowling takes a firm grip of her voice as she delves into a story far darker than the previous three books in the series, but in a way that can still be enjoyed by even her youngest of readers and that is why it is my favourite book of the series.

The darker themes present in this story such as death and hatred become representative of the darker times ahead for Harry and the remainder of the wizarding world, giving the reader a feel of what the final three books of the series will endow. Rowling's idea of creating the Triwizard Tournament to add something new to the already magical and wonderful world she has created is something I truly relished. It gave a broader aspect of the wizarding world, particularly of wizards and other supernatural beings outside of Britain and something refreshing to read as the events that unfold aren't primarily focused within or around Hogwarts.

Unsurprisingly the friendship of the golden trio continues to flourish in this story but without a few bumps along the way. Up until this point Harry, Ron and Hermoine's friendship has been almost unbreakable but Rowling shows in The Goblet of Fire that even the strongest of bonds can sometimes be broken even if it is for a little while and that is what brings such a strong sense of realism to the book.

Finally, it goes without saying that the attention to detail in this story is fantastic. It is obvious that Rowling really concentrated on adding a lot of background information to new characters and the plot in general, leaving next to nothing unanswered. Even the littlest of details that are considered insignificant at the start of the book become vital to the story thus bringing everything in the focus.

Conclusively this novel is far more darker, exciting and thought provoking than the previous three books and stands as a good lead to the final three in the series.

I give J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ★★★★★