★★★★★
"There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.
But sometimes it doesn’t.
Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. "
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BE BRAVE.
I thought I was. I thought I was brave enough to finally come to terms and stop stalling to finish the final book in this brilliant series, but I was wrong.
More or less an hour had passed since I finished reading Allegiant and my eyes still sting with the tears that unstoppably flowed all through out the last couple or chapters. Shaken? yes I am. Well...no, I guess that's an understatement. It's more like I'm still in a trance...still numb with the unexpected ending. I can't even repeat things in my head right now like I used to do play by play of things after reading a good book. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this isn't a good book -- Because, this is a very very good book! It's one of those rare books where you can't really tell or guess how will the story end...it's totally unnerving and just practically makes you shed tears all because you are too caught and absorbed in the world that the author created and what she wanted her readers to experience and see through her words.
I would find it really hard to believe if you'd tell me that you didn't shed even a single tear while reading on to Tris' and Tobias' story to come to an end. To be honest, I was on my guard long after this book was released and after seeing so many tweets and posts of those who have already read it, I was wary about the ending. I don't want it to be spoiled before even getting my hands on it, that I practically avoided going through timelines in order to not see anything that would give away stuffs. But then, my curiousity was even fueled by the time that I had wait on before actually reading.
This was supposed to be a story of a girl who had been brave enough to grasp change in her hands and conquering her fears in a new faction where she isn't limited by the thought of selflesness and inhibitions. It was supposed to be a story of her and her friends opposing the threats in their city as they're lead to face; of her facing the dangers with the one man she loves and who makes her stronger...braver.
But just outside of the city limits, outside the only world that they've ever known is the real world bigger than they can imagine, with still lots of people living their own lives.
Learning the truth that you weren't the last people in the world after escaping the dangers and chaos of the other world you left is mind blowing. Finding out that you are part of centuries old experiment to heal genetic damage is just too much for a sick joke. That you are a special case among the "genetically pure" and healed is even beyond astonishing. Finding out that many lives were lost, including your own parents' just because of some government regulated bureau sacrificing lives to attain genetic healing among the "damaged" is twisted sick enough that you want to kill with the anger that consumes you.
I felt for Tris, from the very beginning... I admired her strength, courage and moral sense. She is no perfect 16 year old but she was brave enough to sacrifice everything to cure a social illness, to give all that she has for the greater cause of correcting a twisted belief that has torn humanity apart and had it turn into a vicious cycle of mistakes and disorder. I love how forgiving and loving Tris is. It's kind of a rare trait at a very young age to grasp the deeper sense of selflessness and sacrifice that was born from love and compassion. As cheesy as it sounds, she's one of a kind. And that made me all the tear-jerkie that I am finishing the book with sobs and snot. And oh dear Tobias, my heart broke for him! 70% of the tears I've cried is for him; for Four. Read the books and you'll know why I ached for this strong and dauntless boy.
How could Veronica Roth end the story that way is truly admirable. It may be undesirable for some but for me, it's not about ending the story in such a way to please and impress readers. It's more of sticking with the reality of the world that you have created. As many possibilities for the kind of ending as there is, I don't think the author could have ended it up achingly beautiful and rivetingly real as she had. It was painful and unexpected but the kind of ending is what made the story real; it made sense to everything. It's not always rainbows and butterflies, right? Maybe endings aren't always meant to be happy but maybe some are meant to teach us life's lessons and remind us of reality.
I love dystopian stories and it began with The Hunger Games but I wouldn't hesitate to say that Veronica Roth's Divergent Series is definitely a notch higher in my regard. ✔
I could go on and on but I'd only end up spouting sad feelings and no one would like that. Not even Uriah. The rest of the characters are real good by the way. Sits well with me, though I was wary and hated a bunch of them. Only proves to show how effective a writer Ms. Roth is, I should say.
I have "what ifs" and "buts", probably as some of the readers also have, but it isn't important and it doesn't even matter. I've had my peace with every tear and every tug at my chest. Once again I am telling my self: BE BRAVE ツ and I qoute:
"Life damages us, every one. We can’t escape that damage.
But now, I am also learning this: We can be mended. We mend each other."
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