tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post555728968220125259..comments2023-11-02T06:50:17.503-07:00Comments on <ul>Fantasy & SciFi Lovin' Reviews</ul>: "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth- Uninspired Second InstallmentSQThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-12873818640774866782012-07-10T22:12:01.292-07:002012-07-10T22:12:01.292-07:00It might. There was a decent cliff-hanger and I...It might. There was a decent cliff-hanger and I'm hoping she might add the elements that were missing to the final book. There is the possibility that the reveal will involve some kind of scientific tweaking to keep people in different factions. I just wish she had introduced some skepticism to the whole concept in *this* book to make it more realistic. The whole thing seemed muddled to me.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-79324278192863685342012-07-10T18:50:21.627-07:002012-07-10T18:50:21.627-07:00Huh, I can see how that would translate to 'me...Huh, I can see how that would translate to 'meh'. That's unfortunate, because I think its a relatively easy fix with the people in charge purposely messing with brain chemistry with chemicals in the food/water or chips or something (for whatever ends they plan) and you have the few that it doesn't work for due to a natural resistance, ie the Divergent. I think there's been enough studies on how drugs can manipulate the brain for that to work. The idea isn't 'new', but it'd probably hold up better than socialization. <br /><br />Do you think you'll pick up the final book?Lindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16018358111540493236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-48545374988194901142012-07-10T17:44:44.023-07:002012-07-10T17:44:44.023-07:00I wouldn't have finished the book if it hadn&#...I wouldn't have finished the book if it hadn't been a book club pick. The other women in my group who read it also had a "meh" reaction. <br /><br />To be honest I don't think this is middle-book syndrome. I think the main idea isn't well thought out enough to carry a whole series. The inside-look at Dauntless, which made up the first book, was great. But you can't rehash that throughout the series and the whole <i>Divergent</i> thing wasn't all that convincing as a central theme. There needs to be more of an explanation as to why people are so rigidly defined by personality. To say that's a natural occurrence isn't convincing.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-422923834438102412012-07-10T17:22:12.024-07:002012-07-10T17:22:12.024-07:00On the actual book, I read about a third of the wa...On the actual book, I read about a third of the way through Divergent before putting it aside. Mostly because I was listening to an audio copy and I couldn't skim over scenes that bugged me. I find my patience for fiction shrinks dramatically when I have to hear in slow detail every sentence given how fast I read. <br /><br />There's something about that second middle part of a trilogy that is so difficult to capture the right balance.Lindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16018358111540493236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-49762602460771664982012-07-10T17:12:11.879-07:002012-07-10T17:12:11.879-07:00@Linds- That's a good point. I'm not a big...@Linds- That's a good point. I'm not a big erotica fan, which is why I don't read Laurell K. Hamilton, but if that's what someone is looking for there's definitely better out there than Fifty Shades. I reviewed some erotica a few years back by Polly Frost and it was very imaginative- racy for sure, but there was a real story with the sex.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-4444319649859579922012-07-10T15:57:50.032-07:002012-07-10T15:57:50.032-07:00I haven't heard about the tampon scene, but, I...I haven't heard about the tampon scene, but, I think I'm better off ignorant. I checked out some of her other stuff on her fanfiction.net account and thought it was pretty bad. <br /><br />Whenever I think about Fifty-Shades' popularity and it's watered down bdsm, I want to shove ppl towards erotica that's actually good and say 'there's better book porn out there!' Within fanfic alone, you can find plenty of stories as good if not better than what's out on the market, certainly with m/m.Lindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16018358111540493236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-80662978899045744512012-07-10T10:48:30.299-07:002012-07-10T10:48:30.299-07:00Full disclosure- I skimmed through a couple chapte...Full disclosure- I skimmed through a couple chapters of the first Fifty Shades book and thought it was awful. I can be low-brow, but my taste isn't *that* bad. To be fair to the author I don't think she was aiming to write great literature. I believe her success is as much a surprise to her as anyone else.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-1539177411038887952012-07-10T10:37:46.220-07:002012-07-10T10:37:46.220-07:00Well, I was talking about YA fiction. All the book...Well, I was talking about YA fiction. All the book-club mommies in my area are tearing through the Fifty-Shades books. I haven't bothered (what would I be compensating for if I did?) and now that I know that there is an infamous "tampon scene" I don't think I will. Ick.SQThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04251030404220909306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55282503134540185.post-88601639923504615492012-07-10T10:33:48.317-07:002012-07-10T10:33:48.317-07:00But is dystopian fiction the rage these days or is...But is dystopian fiction the rage these days or is erotica the new hotness? Afterall...Fifty Shades of Grey is stomping everything. My forty-year-old female Mormon friends who read it can't tear their eyes away. And I cite the now infamous "tampon scene" as proof that one can truly write pornography and sell sell sell.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.com