LV7Thinks

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Today we are sitting down to interview Veronica Roth, author of NY Times best-selling novel Divergent and its sequel Insurgent which is in stores now. By “we” I am referring to me, myself and I… also known as my horcruxes.

Veronica, I’d thank you for speaking with me today but it’s not like you really had a choice. I’ll release the body-bind curse after you’ve answered some questions… maybe.

LV: Could you briefly describe the plot of Divergent for those non-Ravenclaws who were imperiused into reading this interview and might not have picked up the book yet?

VR: It’s about a girl who lives in futuristic Chicago (a land much different from Hogwarts) that is divided into five factions, each one dedicated to cultivating a particular virtue in its members (which is a lot like Hogwarts, actually): selflessness, bravery, honesty, kindness, or intelligence. She, along with all other sixteen year olds in her society, gets the opportunity to decide whether she wants to stay with her family in the faction she was raised in, or switch to another one. The book is about that choice and its consequences.

LV: JK Rowling has famously said that the idea for Harry Potter “strolled into her head fully formed” on a train ride. Was your experience for this trilogy something similar?

VR: Ha! Not at all. The idea came to me in bits and pieces– simulated realities here, fearless psychopaths there, a huge group of people dressed entirely in gray here, someone jumping off a roof there…until one day, I found a way to put them all together.

LV: There are five factions in your book which seem to mildly mirror the four Hogwarts houses. For instance, Ravenclaw/Erudite and Amity/Hufflepuff. The Abnegation would have been muggles (don’t argue, it’s true)

However, it seems that Dauntless, the courageous, is almost a mix of Gryffindor and Slytherin. Would you say that’s accurate?

VR: Oh, I don’t know– I think Slytherins are far more cunning than the Dauntless, who approach life with a complete lack of subtlety. IE: for destruction purposes, the Slytherins would choose a chisel and the Dauntless would choose a giant freaking sledgehammer. I’d say Slytherin and Ravenclaw would both be in Erudite.

LV: In your opinion, why is it that the line between good and evil seems to get hazy when bravery is concerned? Is that something that you touch upon in your books?

VR: This was a huge question in the first book, but ultimately I think the problem is not with bravery itself but with how people misinterpret bravery. Some people decide that bravery is demonstrated with violence or mercilessness or even risk-taking. And if you push bravery too far in those directions, you often end up with cowardice—Tris remarks in the middle of the book that bullying is cowardly, for example, even though it looks like a demonstration of strength. I think her ultimate conclusion is that selflessness and bravery are often the same thing, and that makes the line between good and evil a lot less hazy for her.

LV: What Hogwarts House do you think your characters would have fallen into?

VR: Tris and Christina would be Gryffindors. Caleb would be a Ravenclaw. Tobias would be a Hufflepuff. (Think about it.)

LV: I think it’s safe to say Eric would have signed up to be a Death Eater, correct?

VR: Decidedly yes.

LV: Are there any other characters you think would have wisely gotten a Dark Mark?

VR: Peter, probably, though you might have to remind him that butter knives are not nearly as effective as wands. Also Jeanine, Drew, Molly…

LV: Hm, it seems some of your characters need to rethink their priorities. Speaking of your characters, do you think Tris or Four believe in magic?

VR: No. They’re Abnegation, remember? Muggles!

LV: We already know the fears Tris would see if she came across a dementor, however, if Tris conjured a Patronus what would her happy thought be and what animal form would it take?

VR: Her happy thought would probably be ziplining off the Hancock building. And the animal form would be…a raven. Figure that one out.

LV: You frequently kill people… in your books. I like that. Is that something you ever regret as an author? Are more characters going to be avada kedavraed as the series progresses?

VR: Sometimes after I kill people I look back and think, “but they would have been so useful! DAMMIT!” But it forces me to be more creative, since I have a “no bringing characters back to life” policy. And yes, I’m a bit avada kedavra happy– something you probably understand.

LV: In a similar vein, are we going to be introduced to new main characters in the next two books? If so, who is your favorite?

VR: I think the “main” characters remain almost the same in book two, though some of them become far more prominent than they were in book one. My favorite new character is Evelyn. I can’t tell you who she is without spoiling something, but she is a complicated person.

LV: Many popular series nowadays prominently feature a love triangle. I have always disliked this, mainly because love is gross. You have maintained that there won’t be a love triangle in your books; was this a conscious choice in order to deviate from other series?

VR: While I sometimes like a good love triangle, I often feel that they’re a way to artificially create tension between the love interests that doesn’t actually exist. I thought it would be more challenging for me to explore the tension that exists in new relationships, particularly when the people involved are in a difficult life situation, rather than throwing someone else into the mix. Also, Tris isn’t an indecisive person, so I would have trouble imagining her torn between two people. She would just pick one and deal with the consequences.

LV: Is it hard to be the only one who knows what is going to happen in your books? Do you have to put a silencing charm on yourself sometimes not to spoil what is yet to come?

VR: You know, it’s not. I’ve always had a problem describing plots and storylines to people, so the whole “nope, can’t say that, it’s a spoiler” thing has been remarkably useful in social situations.

LV: One of the reasons people love the Potter series so much is that with each additional book more moments of the prior books fell into place and made sense. It seems that in Insurgent we are going to dive into the Chamber of Secrets a bit and that Divergent was setting up the background for what is to come in the next two books, is that correct?

VR: One of the only things I really outlined at the beginning was when certain world-building and story questions would be answered. For example, the question “what is a Divergent, actually?” is something I think I answer in all three books, with varying degrees of depth. I like a slowly unfolding series myself, so hopefully people can be patient as they wait for answers. They will come! Eventually!

LV: If we were gifted with Professor Trewlaney’s visions of the future (the 1% that are actually accurate) what would we know to expect in Insurgent?

VR: In Insurgent, Tris is freer to move around inside the city, rather than having to stick with her faction, so you should expect more insight into the other groups in the city (Amity, Erudite, Candor, and the factionless). Also, you should expect death, destruction, and mayhem. As usual.

LV: As you know, I am very devoted to Anagrams. Did you know your name is an anagram for hot carnivore? Anything we should know about that….?

VR: I like steak.

LV: Finally, everyone knows that you can’t lie to the Dark Lord. What are two true things that will happen in Insurgent and one lie in no particular order.

VR: Caleb shoots someone. Tris goes under truth serum. A building explodes.

Hmmm you seem to be gifted in the art of occulmency, I’m not sure which is the lie. I suppose we’ll have to read and find out…

Divergent is currently available in hardcover and soft cover. Its sequel, Insurgent will be in stores May 1^st. Pick it up. This is not a request.

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The true power of words is when they force you to think or feel something new. I previously wrote about a book called Divergent by Veronica Roth. The sequel, Insurgent, releases May 1^st.  You need these books in your life. This series is a game changer. It is the bludger that knocks you off your broom just when you think you’ve got the game won.

The thing about books is that they are a magic all their own. They have the ability to take you places faster than apparating & teach you more than all the professors at Hogwarts. However, they usually fall into a formula. The reader knows where the plot is going to go and what the characters are doing to do. Every once in awhile a story comes along that you cannot put down. (And not just because it’s an evil, enchanted diary that’s secretly sucking out your soul.) Divergent is that series. J.K. Rowling’s words were (and are) actual magic.  Veronica Roth must have some kind of summoning charm on her words because she pulls you in to her characters and story in a way that is nothing short of magic.

Divergent is about a girl named Tris, the choice that defines the rest of her life, and a secret that will either save or destroy her. I spoke about the compelling nature of Divergent as, similar to Harry Potter, people are sorted into groups based on the attributes that define them.  However, the real question is can someone ever really be defined? Isn’t trying to sort everyone into groups just a way to “figure people out” and generalize about them? “A way to “understand” people so it is easier to establish control? Insurgent continues to question the fundamental theme of Divergent and the Harry Potter series: How does society adapt when one group seeks ultimate power and seeks to bend the will of others? Insurgent also poses another question: how do people respond to, and understand, chaos?

For those of you who haven’t read Divergent, why the hell are you reading this? Go buy it! Read! Now!

For those that have read the book, Insurgent picks up directly after Divergent ends. Facing the consequences of the choices she’s made, Tris must find a way to discover the truth about the world she lives in. A truth that some people will do anything (short of building a basilisk filled chamber) to keep secret. The realities of loss, lies and loyalty all come into play as she struggles to find an answer which might make her question everything.

Tris’ story is spellbinding (not literally, still no charm casting in this book). She is the epitome of a character worth knowing, in a story so compelling you can’t put the book down.  The reason that people are drawn to series like Harry Potter and the Hunger Games are that they make you question the world. This book has action, romance (gross), intrigue, mystery, and a plot so full of twists and turns that it might as well double as a Triwizard Tournament maze. Most important of all; it has something to tell. It is not just a book, it is a story. One that anyone, regardless of if they fall into the “young adult” category, can (and should) read & enjoy. It will give you plenty to think about. Which is good, because most people are idiots and can use all the practice at using their brains that they can get.

Seriously though, you just read all of that. What are you, a Ravenclaw? Clearly you like reading… and have too much time. Read this book. You won’t regret it. You might if you don’t though….

Insurgent releases May 1st.

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What is your purpose in life? Should be an easy question, right? You exist after all. There must be a reason. Something you are meant to do to leave a legacy.  A way to ensure people will remember your name, even if they are too afraid to say it out loud. But of course, you don’t know. You’re probably sitting at home wishing a giant would knock down your door and tell you that you are a wizard. That someone would suddenly show up to explain to you that you that you are special. Different. Meant for something greater.

What if everyone else around you knew EXACTLY what their purpose was except for you? What if they’d known for years, centuries even, because they’d lived all that time? Had lifetimes to discover their identities not because of horcruxes, or the Philosopher’s (Sorcerer’s) stone, but because every time they died they were simply reborn again?

A world in which everyone lives forever is a scary, scary idea. One person trying to live forever is a challenge, everyone living forever is… boring. When there’s no risk of death for anyone then where is the purpose? How can anybody  truly live if nobody can die? There is no secret to living forever in Incarnate by Jodi Meadows. People live, they die, and they are born again. It is a given. At least until Ana arrives.

Ana is a new-soul, or perhaps a no-soul. While everyone else has lived forever, she is brand new to the world. The ONLY person who does not have a past. In fact, when Ana was born, for the first time in memory, someone else’s life was gone forever. A soul destroyed faster than you can say ‘struck with a basilisk fang.’

Forced into a new world which is old news to everyone else, Ana must figure out not only her place; but how to survive. Along the way she encounters Dossam, dancing, dragons and danger. All while trying to figure out what, and who, she truly is.

Incarnate is not a book you read because you like others of it’s kind; because there aren’t others of its kind. Like Ana, it is new. It is a completely new story filled with fresh ideas, fresh characters and a fresh journey. A journey that you will want to take along with the characters. It is one of those glorious books that not only tells you a story, but makes you think. The questions Ana asks herself are the ones that everyone asks themselves, (unless you’re a wizarding evil genius), and you will be surprised to find her answers.

Incarnate by Jodi Meadows is available in stores now.

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I am at a loss to figure out why people are surprised that the Kardashians are faker than an R.A.B.  horcrux. The fact that people accept, seemingly without question,  the ‘real’ in ‘reality tv’ is baffling. There are some people whose entire exsistence revolves around other people acknowledging their existence. The Kardashians definitely fall in this category. However, instead of wanting people to know them for something like, say, their ability to instill fear with awe-inspiring magic, the Kardashians want you to think they are “normal.”

The Kardashians are not normal. There is no such thing as normal. If someone, especially on reality tv, tries to claim they ‘are just like you’ then they want your money, end of story. If someone says you are “just like” a Kardashian I can only assume that this is meant to explain that being exposed to you is worse than a cruciatus curse. Relatability is just another way celebrities try and take your money. If you were already like them then why would need to buy products to be like them? It make no sense if you think about it. Which is why people buy their products, because people don’t think.

Why are people outraged that Kim Kardashian is staging parts of her show for sympathy?  This is a woman who married for Gringotts gold. EVERYTHING that she does is for her own gain. However, that is not what bothers me most about the Kardashians. What bothers me most is that people do not understand that you are giving them everything they ever wanted by complaining about them. For instance, this post. I am giving them attention. The more attention they get, positive or negative, the more money they are worth. They do ridiculous things because then you talk about the ridiculous things. They don’t need you to like them, they need you to talk about them. People don’t understand this.

Remember Paris Hilton? She’s about as relevant as Gilderoy Lockhart right now. You almost forgot about her, didn’t you? That is because people stopped paying attention to her. She was everywhere and then she was nowhere because people stop caring. Talk is not cheap, talk is lots and lots and lots of money. You are giving it to them. If you want it to stop then don’t complain about them don’t click on their paparazzi shots. Don’t watch their shows to make fun of them. Just stop and then they will stop. Put a taboo curse on the Kardashain name. I will not be mentioning them again. Unless, of course, I feel like it. I do what I want.

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What if you could go to Hogwarts without ever having to leave your room? What if you could go to Paris, the moon, the 1920’s, ANYWHERE without ever leaving the comfort of your own, safe, bubble? That life is a reality for Aria in Veronica Rossi’s new book Under The Never Sky. Aria lives in a society which, threatened by disease and other outside threats, no longer leaves the safety of a carefully maintained bubble. Instead, her people remain in their “Chamber of Secrets.” They use the “magic” of technology to literally plug in to a new ‘realm’ through a device called a smartscreen. Through its use, Aria, can be transported to any place, during any time, she wants wants faster than you can aparate.

Aria has ‘seen’ the world but she has never truly been outside. At least, not until a disaterous event causes her to be outcast into the real world, known only as the “death shop” to her people. While this may sound like the place Death Eaters go for groceries, it is actually referring to the rest of the world outside of Aria’s safe bubbles, a world which has struggled to survive. Dark Marks might be the most terrifying thing you could see in the sky but in Under The Never Sky the real threat is aether,  lightning-esque energy that blasts from the sky in deathly storms.

While struggling to survive Aria meets Perry, an ‘outsider’ with his own special brand of magic. Magic, which has recently led him into trouble. Aria and Perry are as alike as Slytherins and Hufflepuffs but they both have one goal: redemption. They seek the same endgame and the only way to reach it is to travel across the out wasteland to find the answers they seek. 

Under the Never Sky exposes the reader to a different type of magic. It is currently in bookstores now.

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I often wonder about the end of the world… mainly because I often spend time plotting how to end the world. That being said, it often seems that the world doesn’t really need any assistance with destroying itself, it’s doing just fine on its own. The question becomes; if an evil-wizard-bent-on-world-domination doesn’t finally do humanity in, what will?

If you look at current trends it seems the most likely causes are: depleted natural resources, disease or technology. Yes, technology. No, this is not a jab about how twitter is ruining society but a nod to the increase in production of weapons that can destroy lives with a button faster than you can say “Avada Kedavra”.

The one positive (?) for humanity is that those weapons still require a human element. But what if humans themselves became the weapons? That’s the question presented in the upcoming book Partials by Dan Wells. A story in which humans, tired of that whole “having to fight in war” thing, create a brand of super soldier that’s half human, half robot to win their wars for them. Sounds great until, like most humans, these “Partials” get sulky about other people telling them what to do and decide to take power themselves.

The result? A deadly disease that kills all but about 30,000 humans. The disease also affects infants meaning there has not been a child that has survived in over a decade. The key to the future of humanity, and finding a cure, might be in the very thing that was created to destroy it.

 Partials is an excellent book, filled with the kind of twists and turns that would make a Triwizard Tournament maze jealous. Wells is able to paint a picture of an apocalyptic world with almost troubling ease. His characters are engaging but, more importantly, they are real. While you read it is impossible not to start to question “What what I do if…”.  The fate of humanity hangs on finding a cure from humanity’s greatest enemy. But as in real life, just when you think you have ‘good’ and ‘bad’ figured out, things change, “evil” might not be what it seems….

Partials by Dan Wells will be released February 28, 2012. You know, if the world doesn’t end before then…

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I was not paid to write this. No galleons exchanged hands and no imperius curses were cast. I simply encoutered a book that anybody who enjoyed Harry Potter should read. It is called Divergent and was written by Veronica Roth. I believe in the power of words. I don’t really like things. Except magic. And power. And my snake. And sarcasm. And myself. And clearly lying about not liking things. Anyway, I don’t like things but I do support some things. Things like magic, power, copious use of the Avada Kedavra curse on stupid people and…reading. I have no use for stupid Death Eaters. Crabbe and Goyle are more than enough. Therefore, I support people actually attempting to accio some knowledge instead of sitting mindlessly at a computer screen. Like you might be doing right now. Well… this is awkward. At least you’re reading something. Moving on…

When you read the Harry Potter books one of the most compelling parts is the sorting of kids. Immediately you begin to question which house you’d belong to. What attributes define you and make you who you truly are? Which ones do you WISH defined you and which ones do you REALLY posess though? You might want to be a Slytherin (we’re badasses, I don’t blame you) but might find that deep down, you’re more courage than cunning. More learning than loyalty. The sorting hat places kids but what if those kids could hear its advice but ultimately choose their own way? (Like that Potter kid choosing Gryffindor). Does something like a sorting, being placed into a “clique” if you will, does that one choice define you forevermore or can you ever move away from being just “smart,” “courgeous,” or “cunning” and a combination… just be yourself? How does society adapt when one group seeks ultimate power over others and seeks to bend other’s will? This is the fundamental question in the Harry Potter series and it is the same question in a new series The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth.

Divergent centers around a society which seeks peace by forcing every member to join one of five “factions” dedicated to one fundamental aspect of human behavior. At the age of sixteen each person chooses to be initiated into the faction that they most identify with. About to choose her path, Tris, the main character, must make a choice that will define the rest of her life. The story is compelling, dangerous, and addictive. It is a must for anybody who favors books which favors the STORY over something like SPARKLING.

There will never be a new JK Rowling. Her words are magic, literally. However, I have found that this book can pull you in the same way. There is no magic in Divergent. I repeat, there is no magic. Unless you count the way in which the storyline and characters are written. Her words might not be spells and charms but the way you can’t put the book down until the very end is pretty magical. I know what people are saying already “What, is this chick paying you to talk about her book?” “Do you know her?” “Why haven’t you posted on this website in months?” She’s not. I don’t. And I do whatever I want. Don’t believe me? I don’t care. I never do. The point? This is a good book. If you read it, you’ll like it. I suggest doing that. And we all know what I realy mean when I “suggest” things…

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Ronald McDonald does not make kids fat, parents make kids fat. Unless there are some seriously creepy issues going on, Ronald McDonald did not take your child to a fast food store & buy them snacks. He did not make it so your child didn’t exercise. He also did not force your child to make unhealthy choices off of the menu instead of practical ones. Parents did that.

Is it their fault that their child is fat? Yes. Is it completely their fault? Possibly. Let’s look at this logically. Yes, if you allow your child to eat nutritionally poor food & then don’t get them active then you suck. You suck as a parent. I shall call you the Dursleys right now. In fact, you’d be better off shoving your child in a cupboard under your stairs because apparently they’ll grow up to be a ‘reedeeming person’ or whatever. That being said, it is also not completely the parents fault either. Read the rest of this entry »