Insurgent Book Review

The story started right from where Book One ended.

I am beginning to feel that Tris has her own inner demons which she needs to get over with before she shows some action really. In terms of self-control I am beginning to like Tris but she is struggling a lot. The impulse in which she wanted to harm others is not identified as I am reading. She keeps on talking to self, she keeps on fighting the inner battle, she keeps on struggling to keep up with things. One thing is for sure, she is a quick learner and has love inside her heart. I guess this is where the entire concept of Divergent falls in place. Her mind just like mine will wander across many things at a time. They are unstable. Woww.. sounds like my game.

From the google meaning, I got to know that Insurgent is referred to a rebel - who is against the government or law.
In this book Tris and Four characters do justification to the title. Nothing I had fallen in love so far. I became obsessed with Four in Book 1, but here in Insurgent I am not finding any exceptional behaviour so that he melts my heart.

While reading the book, I got so curious with the movies that are released based on this novel. So, I went online and searched through all the interviews of the movie cast and finally confirmed that the character Tris is definitely women empowered but does not have all these super powers to deal with in her life. Instead she would evolve herself in to one. Definitely I never read any such story that way. No, not until today.

God, I am definitely falling for four here. Currently at Chapter 13, where Tris is acting so loud after admitting in the Candor meeting room that she has killed her best friend Will while he was in a simulation developed by Erudite. And Four answers to her in a very soothing way, calm and serene.. Love you Four for that. No matter how much a girl yells at you, a guy definitely must thing that she is under PMS and has no control over her mind. A guy should always love her girl no matter what. :)

A quote from the book " I don’t know what to say or do around the erratic part of him, and it is here, bubbling just beneath the surface of what he does, just like the cruel part of me. We both have war inside of us. Sometimes it keeps us alive. Sometimes it threatens to destroy us."  - In my perspective, it is good to have multiple thoughts in one's head. I like this sentence a lot from the book. Just like Tris even I am collecting the lessons each faction has to teach and storing them in my mind like a guidebook for moving through the world. There is always something to be learnt, something that is important which needs to be understood.

This book is fun to read and I got submerged in it immediately. It is like going in to a different world everytime I start reading the book after my stressful work day. It is effortless to read and impossible not to enjoy even the slightest bit. At some parts I liked the book version of depicting the light hearted conversations among Dauntless members in Candor premises. At some points I felt the movie version is quite quick. Cutting all the crap material and extra drama from the book. It is good to get over with the plot soon.

Wow, Finally after taking a lot of breaks I completed reading the book. It is good to see Tobias and Tris come together again but I prefer the movie version more.

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy

Divergent of all times..

I never read a story that involves a female character in the plot to perform action sequences. This is the first action story I read till date. It is not less than watching any action film on TV. What helped me reading the book is the amount of imagination I do.

To begin with - This book needs a lot of my memory space to remember each and every faction of the story so that I can understand the plot through out the series. Generally the first part of the series takes a lot of the introductions.

Why the factions are formed in the first place?
Quoted from the book - 'Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind’s inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is.'

What are the five factions ?
(1) Amity - Blamed aggression - Red and Yellow - Love, care - understanding counselors and caretakers - soil - they farmed the lands and produced food
(2) Erudite - blamed ignorance - intelligent teachers and researchers - water - they know everything in terms of knowledge - blue color dress
(3) Candor - blames duplicity - trustworthy and sound leaders in law - glass - they always tell the truth
(4) Abnegation - blamed selfishness - selfless leaders in government - stones
(5) Dauntless - blamed cowardice - protection from threats both within and without - fire

At one point in the story there is a statement made by Tris after Al's death - "I don't think tea is a solution". Wow, a complete contrast to Ana Steele's philosophy from Fifty Shades. For me also tea is always the solution to anything.

It is good to experience Tris, I liked her. However, I loved Four more.
Looking forward to reading the second part in the series.

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy

Losing Hope.. From the voice of Dean Holder

Losing Hope book was entirely different from that of HopeLess.

Here in the initial chapters, Holder explains about his relationship with his twin sister. A one true relationship in the entire world. What really caught my attention was this - I quote from the book "When a guy loves a girl, especially his sister, he's supposed to know what makes her smile and what makes her cry." The same relationship I observed in a Mahesh Babu's Telugu Film 'Arjun'. Here, he protects her sister from every single mishap. It is really heart touching about the attention he gives to her sister. Having a brother of my own, I feel proud to share this - What ever might happen, My brother is there to protect me !!

The initial chapter's about Les is quite good. But when the events turn to Sky/Hope, Dean Holder is sharing with us a lot of dialogues which I feel personally is dragging the story more and more. I prefer reading Hopeless at the moment. Currently at Chapter 12.

Reaching the end of Chapter 15 actually made me cry. It is about a letter Dean Holder writes to his dead sister about why he doesn't want any one to call him 'Dean'. Quite heart touching. 

At one part of the story, Holder mentioned that 'the only thing I want to do is protect her from him, but I can’t. I can’t protect her from all the memories that are flooding her mind right now and I’d give anything if I could.' This is a very scary thought as per me to love a person to such an extent, that they don't want their partners to get hurt merely by remembering things. It is a scary love.

The best part I liked about this book is that Holder always uses words to talk sense in to a person in case of happy moments, tragic moments, strange moments, love moments etc., what not - EVERYTHING !!

Reading the book with a lot of emotions from Holder's side, I wasn't able to follow each and every word one after the other. It is because of the reason that mostly my eyes would be moist either with happines, overwhelming feeling, (or) sadness. Over all this book is great with an even great ending. The letter from Les to Holder, Holder's mom meeting Sky, Holder writing a letter to Les telling about college. What more can I ask for..

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTY

Hopeless ..

At the beginning, when I started to read this story it is all very interesting. Just like my style of book. I like reading teen love stories. The names of two characters from the book 'Hope' & 'Less' together forming the book name is unheard of. It felt very emotional about how the three characters in the story are friends since childhood. When I got to read the end, I am a bit shattered I would say. Never expected such a tragic ending and getting to know about child sexual abuse is very un-nerving. I read this kind of a story for the first time and currently I am having mixed feelings.

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy

Falling for my Husband

This is the First Time I am writing a book review in elaborate form. This I achieved by reading and writing in parallel. Hope I did fine and also I would like to improvise.

I began to read this book after googling the fact that - the story took an inspiration from '50 Shades of Grey'.
So far, I am doing ok. It is just the copy-cat of 50 shades where Ana, Kate and Jose are friends. And here Stella, Lucia and Mark are the characters. Strange thing is Lucia (Stella's roommate and Mark are together).

Now, there is this Alec (in Stella's office) who had a crush on her just like Paul had on Ana at Clayton's.

Chapter 3 of the book starts with Stella visiting Callum's [hero of the story] office building just like how Ana visits Grey Enterprise for conducting "The Interview". I quote from the book - "Callum leaned against the singular sofa chair with his elbow planted on the armrest, his fingers cradling his shin and his eyes glued to mine." 
- How similar to 'My' Fifty shades..

It is good to see the story is being told from both Stella's perspective and Callum's perspective in the same book but at different chapter's. I liked this idea. I now realize that this concept is taken from Twilight because at times Bella couldn't tell the story as she is dying of her pregnancy. And Jacob and Edward takes the charge of story-telling.

At Chapter 24, we get to know that even Callum had a personal trainer [Lars] at his home gym.

By Chapter 29, how coincidentally like Fifty Shades a week passes by after Callum and Stella broke up and the opening words explain about how bad the heroine of the story, Anastasia oh sorry, Stella !! is feeling staying away from 50 Shades.

One day Stella went on a date and came back drunk. All she wanted to do is - sleep and deal with Callum the next morning. But as stubborn as Christian, he too suddenly gets on his knees and pleads Stella to stay. 

As the story unfolds, it is heart breaking to see the lead characters break-up so many times in their life. But let me tell you - All these break-up's of love birds are far less heart wrenching when I read them in print. But the same when I start to watch in a film or for that matter any screen with lead characters crying their heart out, I would also not stop from curling up and crying my heart out.

The funny side of me made me realise that the Greek God - Luca resembles Lord Varys from Game of Thrones. The way his dialogues are delivered, The way he protects Stella..

After getting married.. a guy's perspective - I quote from the book "This might sound odd for some, but I’d choose my wife over my children. Yes, I would love my offspring’s madly, but my wife is world. Without Stella, life would hold no meaning for me." "No matter what happens in the future, my wife came first—forever and always. Her needs were my own. Her desires were mine to deliver. Her wishes were mine to achieve." This is the first time I read these words coming from a guy.. Woww !! There is something new. Who wouldn't wish this for. 

Overall, It is a good thing to get reminded of the love 50 Shades and Ana have in any other book. But Falling for my husband is completely different even though it reminds me of My Fifty Shades.

-SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy

All new beginnings with Grey !!

Beginning to read Fifty Shades of Grey series again, brought back the comfort and solace to my withered heart. This book for me is a Tonic to Love. The love potion is extracted from Grey and Steele. 

Initially, I read the books before the movie is out. Now after the movie is out, I decided that I need to read the books again visualizing the characters. Because the characters now have a face.

The love that unfolds in the novel is what brings back a smile on my lips, glow to my eyes and acts as a soothing balm to my disrupted soul.

It's been all about the 'Unconditional Love' that is showered on Anastasia by Christian. It is this great feeling that captivates me into reading the novel again & again. It is not only the passion I am obsessed about, but also am focused on the true love.

I usually refer to Fifty Shades (or) Twilight for the dialogues I need to say to my partner. It feels great to see the smile on my husband's face when I care for him. Just like the dialogue in the above picture. If I were the one who is being told "I like taking care of you" by my husband - I definitely would be head over heels. Personally, I feel communication in a relationship is important. And all this I found in Fifty Shades. This series is like a relationship guide for me. Thanks to #fiftyshadesofgrey.

One can learn a lot from Fifty Shades personally. One needs to communicate about love to the true one. Within me, I have a lot of unconditional love which I willingly showcase to my husband.

Just completed Reading the 2nd part of the Series and you know what my inner goddess is doing -- Going round and round in a Red Hula Skirt happily chirping to the love songs I like.

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy

The Ugly Truth - What About it !!

I always find my laughter in reading Wimpy Kid's series. 
There goes another book from my list..

The most hilarious part is when Greg forgets all about Uncle Byron and his Flat Tyre and sits by the TV sipping juice. 

- SwEthA ChAlAmAseTTy