(Amazon Link)
#青少年小說YoungAdult
#自我探索
#科幻冒險與愛情小說
#比飢餓遊戲再成人一點
#有哈利波特不同學院的影子
#有中文譯本
Divergent. (The Divergent Series- Book 1) By Veronica Roth.
(Reading level: S)
中文譯名:分歧者系列，第一冊:分歧者
(雖然這是一個三部曲，但我對第一集與第二三集的感受有一定的差異，所以我決定先獨立介紹第一集…)
想像你的國家，在每個人16歲的時候，都要從五個族群中選擇一個族群，成為自己未來永遠的類別歸宿。這五種族群，並非由種族、膚色、姓氏、社經地位等來分類，而是由[每人人性中最鄙視或最崇尚的價值觀]來分類：
Abnegation (克己派): 鄙視自私與自我彰顯，崇尚無私與奉獻
Dauntless (無畏派): 鄙視怯懦與膽小，崇尚勇敢與冒險
Erudite (博學派): 鄙視無知與愚笨，崇尚知識與創造
Candor(直言派): 鄙視欺瞞與表裡不一，崇尚誠實與直言不諱
Amity (友好派): 鄙視爭吵與戰爭，崇尚和平、原諒與慈愛
一旦決定，你將永遠跟跟你同樣類別的人生活在一起到老，遵守該類別的生活規則與價值觀，並只會與同類別的人組成家庭。若不選擇或放逐於同類之外，你將只能成為如遊民般的流浪者。如果你在這樣的國家生活，16歲的你會選擇甚麼?
你可以選擇跟你父母一樣的類別，這樣你就不用與父母斷絕往來；
你也可以用16歲前夕做的[虛擬實境性向測驗]的結果，來作為自己選擇的依據；
當然，你也可以完全靠著自己當時的喜好來選擇…..
這個[分歧者]三部曲的故事設定，就是開始於成長在克己派家庭的女主角 Beatrice 年滿16歲，得面臨這個重大人生抉擇的時刻…。原本她以為她能從虛擬實境的性向測驗獲得解答。卻沒想到她做完該考核後，她被考官告知她沒有辦法被歸類，因為她的性向平均分散於三類: 克己、博學與無畏派，平分於這三類而無法歸類的性向，是該城邦的禁忌性向，因為代表她是可能為社會帶來動亂的[分歧者]。
為了不惹來麻煩，考官協助她隱瞞並更改性向測驗的結果。最後Beatrice以自由意志與對無畏派生活的嚮往，選擇了無畏派，並更名為 Tris，展開她的新人生。
但進到無畏派後，她才知道她將面臨一連串慘酷的身心挑戰……
為了確保留在無畏派的人在身心上無所畏懼，無畏派設計了一層又一層殘酷的身心考驗，考驗這些選擇無畏派的16歲青少年們。瘦小的Tris一面慌亂地、疼痛地、自我質疑地面對不斷撲到眼前種種震撼，一面掙扎地讓自己學會更加茁壯與強大….
這[分歧者]三部曲系列跟[飢餓遊戲]系列類似，都是以16歲的青少女為主角，也都是在自己未預期的情況下，被當時的社會結構與挑戰下，被迫逐漸蛻變成“女英雄”的故事。
但比起飢餓遊戲，分歧者故事主角Tris，在第一集中，更有青少年那種困惑與徬徨，還有自我質疑的內心過程。
飢餓遊戲的主角Katniss的人設與奮鬥動機，比較容易招讀者喜愛，也更容易改編為電影，畢竟她是為了所愛的妹妹而戰，或為了回去與所愛的人團聚與生活而努力求生。
可是，分歧者裡的主角Tris卻更加真實地貼近青少年的那種自我中心卻又渴求認同的狀態。愛著她的家人的Tris，仍然狠心地告別家人，想找到自己人生的新方向。在自己新人生中遍體麟傷，卻仍不斷地想著如何不讓已跟她分道揚鑣的家人對她失望。受到挫折的她，努力一遍又一遍地爬起來。
雖然沒有像飢餓遊戲中的殺戮設定，但裡面求生的爭鬥與折磨或人物間的爾虞我詐，我反而覺得要更大一點的孩子才比較能咀嚼與消化。
這系列跟飢餓遊戲一樣，都被圖書館館員們投票為青少年必讀的十本書之一。第一集在Amazon上有兩萬八千多筆的評價，平均4.6顆星。這三部曲也被改編為電影，電影也許沒有飢餓遊戲有名，但票房也不錯。我沒看過電影，但小說應該會比電影好看很多，因為鬥爭與挑戰好拍，但主角內心的糾葛與成長，才是這本書的精華所在。
誠摯推薦給七年級以上的青少年與大人們，也許，你們會跟我和小米一樣，討論起自己如果是書中人物，面臨生涯的選擇，究竟會選哪一派呢?
這系列也是很挑書看的小米願意賞臉並獲得她好評的書。雖然她只有七年級，但她也覺得這系列有點不太適合太低年級開始看，所以她說八年級以上會是最佳的閱讀群。
我跟她都覺得書中選族群的部分，會讓你想到哈利波特裡學院的設定與分配的過程...
以下是她的評分:
角色深刻度: 4
故事引人入勝度:4
故事節奏順暢度:4
整體評分:4.2
Divergent is a trilogy written by Veronica Roth. It is a YA novel and if you read it, you might find some similarity to The Hunger Games and Harry Potter. Divergent is more mature than the hunger games so you should be 8th and up if you want to read it.
Divergent is a world where humans have progressed so much that they have devised a way to be perfect. They all have different beliefs of what makes a human imperfect. So, they are sent to different factions: Erudite, (The Intelligent), Abnegation (The Selflessness), Candor(The truthful), Amity (The Peaceful), and Dauntless (The Brave).
The Erudite believe that what makes a human imperfect is idiocy, so they devote themselves to being intelligent and rational. The Abnegation think that it is selfishness, so they devote themselves to being selfless. The Candor believe that it is dishonesty, so they devote themselves to being truthful. The Amity believe that what makes a human imperfect is violence, so they devote themselves to being peaceful. And finally, the Dauntless think that it is cowardice that is imperfection, so they are always brave.
Seems like a perfect society, doesn’t it? When a child is born, they are in their parent’(s) faction
until they turn sixteen. When they turn sixteen, they go through a choosing ceremony, where they choose which faction they are committed to for the rest of their life. Then they have to take a test. If they pass, they get into the faction. If they don’t, they must become factionless, which are basically people who do manual labor.
Our story begins in the life of an Abnegation girl named Beatrice Prior. She is about to turn sixteen, and is extremely nervous for the choosing ceremony. She doesn’t feel like any of the factions suit her beliefs. The aptitude test (a test that shows which faction you are most compatible to) isn’t helpful either. It shows three possibilities: Erudite, Dauntless and Abnegation. After some struggle, in the choosing ceremony she eventually picks Dauntless. After facing a terrifying trip to the Dauntless section, Beatrice changes her name to “Tris”. She meets many other Dauntless initiates (People who are taking the test to get in), and befriends some of them.
However, while taking the Dauntless test, Tris faces many challenges, some not expected at all, betrayals, and a shocking reveal of who she really is. Will Tris get through this test? If so, would she regret the life-changing decision she made during the choosing ceremony for the rest of her life?
People who enjoyed the Hunger Games would typically enjoy Divergent, as they are very
similar. However, I did not enjoy it as much as the Hunger Games. Divergent might be a bit long for some slow readers, but it would take you on twists and turns with the main character and end up with an unexpected ending. I recommend this book for 8th grade and above.
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