Allegiant

 homage paid to a girl who was selfless 

TRIS

I cannot rate this book because 4/5 stars means the book was amazing, which if the ending is any indication, far from it. I cannot decide whether I liked it or not. But I definitely don’t think I hate it either. as far as the story goes, i have no issues. may be expected more action.

Did the ending bother me, yes but I am not complaining. Bad things tend to happen, its normal. It is well within Ms Roth’s right to end the story she created in any way pleasing to her. It’s quite immature to hate the author for thinking that the ending was inevitable. I will always like her. She made me sad, but it is because I’ll miss her writing more now.

I loved the way the author created the world of divergent. She painted her scene, built a world, created characters and breathed life into them and then she spun the words around their life as a story. She made the connection between the story and readers allowing them to familiarize with her characters and falling in love with them. We are addicted to the world and wonder in fascination and speculate the events of their life as if it’s all real. She simulated us into the book and we were as much a part of the plot as the other artists.

She gradually introduced emotions into the artists and we sympathized with them. We shipped their relationship and she played with romance, friendship and loyalty. We learned about the disposition of the imaginary friends we so made and related ourselves to their situation. She rained them with challenges and we wished them success. Then came violence, bloodshed and pain neither characters nor readers could bear. We prayed that no harm befell them. We realized that the characters are brave, smart, passionate and strong willed individuals who can overcome any number of problems. In spite of death of many side characters the lead pair survived through the crisis and it made us proud and content.

The world of divergent inspired by the distant future was crafted with meticulous details and developments. The imagination and creativity ran wild with high class technology, advanced science and even the violent parts and a well run society mimicking peace and prosperity and free of injustice. The author mesmerized us with descriptions of simulation and reactions with delicate hands.

As she led us to the heart of the tale, she brought out the imperfection and purity so as to further get to know her little artists. We began to admire their courage and smart work and experienced the selflessness of their actions.  We also saw the character’s self actualization and evaluation of their choices in life and saw them attempting life threatening deeds and venturing out safely. We were anxious that they return safe instead of turning up as next on the casualty. After betrayals and wedges in the relationships we finally understood the clear picture of what the author has set as premise for.

The romance was sweet and breezy, untouched by wild and crude form of lust. We saw a real relationship blossoming with both its best and unpleasant times. We saw beauty in the innocence and were left craving for more. The lines between young love and lust were clearly defined, it felt like Cinderella and Charming again.

The characters grew along with us and we became intertwined with their life. When we were so sure of their future, the maker took the heroine away from us, sacrificed for greater good, leaving us shattered and lost.

The ending is not justified. Tris sacrificed her life for a noble cause. She could not send her brother to his death; he was too much of a coward to face death in the face. She decided to honor her parent’s selflessness by giving up her life too. She became a martyr. We were introduced to a tris who could not embrace the life of abnegation. She is smart, enthusiastic towards every new thing and brave. She had substance. Her passion drives her to be reckless in order to save her loved ones. She comes off as fierce in friendship and in battle. She is loyal and selfless. She realizes via various fatal ventures that she is as selfless as her parents and would not stop to think before she throws her life for the greater good. She is too stubborn to listen to tobias nor her friends. Unlike many she felt guilty about the lives that were lost on account of her and she mourned it. She trembled using the gun. She did not value her life above others. She was a pure soul.

To say that it was predictable that tris died is absurdity. A character develops into a better personality as the story advances and tris only advancement was to think she is meant to sacrifice herself. She made poor choices. She cheated death quite a number of times and hoped she could pull off a final one. But death caught up with her. She had survived serums and simulations only to die by gun shot. This is more insult than honor.

Now the explanation to her demise is illogical. What was so inevitable? Was it because she was so reckless? Was it because her plans backfired? Was it because she miscalculated the consequences? Was it because she was too complacent? She merely misconstrued that her parent’s selflessness was without ulterior motives.

Being selfless does not mean laying down your life. We are all defined by the choice we make. Since when has the direst crisis ever pushed us towards death? Then it’s cowardice. No one’s purpose in life is to die however noble the cause is. Death does not answer to any problem. Her parents gave up because that they had seen enough. They had also lived their life. It is the young who need to lead the world and if they think they have to emulate elders then all of us should die. Everyone has huge problems and they have to face it. Caleb did not deserve her pity; he should have been the one to die for his betrayal. By making that choice, she failed to enlighten us upon the various harmless alternatives that were there. What kind of moral is this? That a sixteen year old girl is mature enough? Hell no!! As for tobias he went from a little annoying to a douche. He just lost the shine out of him.

This ending is expected of a dystopian novel. It is considered silly if readers hope for happily ever after. It would be too unrealistic. Bittersweet ending is apt only when its justified. The patterns and trends in this trilogy led ppl to speculate death and violence and even want the same. Also it is in human nature to want things to wind up pleasing and good, although many don’t like anything that comes neatly packed in a HEA. Dystopian teaches us all things horrible that is possible. Sometimes the sadness is okay. Tris’s death is an insult. It’s a case of execution gone completely wrong.

Tris did not care how much she would hurt tobias. Their relationship went on a rollercoaster ride with lies, mistrust and fights. In the end they found their way back into each other’s arms. We’ll love her. She’ll always be the gun toting kickass girl who was a good person. There will never be another Tris.  We’ll miss her forever. She was unique and normal at the same time.

Tobias found his closure after a couple of years. 

Indeed allegiant is neatly wrapped up in a lovely red wrapper with a golden string. But untie the ribbon; inside you see pain, grief and lingering misery. We started our journey with tris jumping from buildings, catching fast-moving trains and zip lining just because she is the kind of person who does not shy away from courageous feats. We felt the love between her and tobias and became close only to lose her in the end. Her death feels real and leaves an empty silence in the place where she lived in our hearts.

I hope Ms Roth gives us more tales preferably fantasy and with one of a kind plot. I will keep hoping that in her next venture she gives a HEA.

I wish i knew how to rate it. Its a rather delicate topic i on a sudden whim ventured into.
Plus points
Even though i hated myself initially for picking a book with such a theme, i couldn't help liking the way Ms Tabitha spun the tale. Honestly I have not seen one single brother being so selflessly taking care of his siblings and doing jobs like cooking, bathing the kids, putting them to sleep, putting up with their tantrums, picking them from school, paying bills and managing an entire household like an adult without a single complaint and not to mention getting straight A's in academics. Albeit this may appear as a fairytale and too stereotypical, it was interesting at least that such ppl exist in books. I could imagine the picture, Lochan was like the father figure in the house and i immediately liked him strictly as a BROTHER.
Its definitely not easy to handle an issue of incest without being too bold and dramatic and I appreciate the way she narrates the emotions and pain endured by Lochan and Maya. Their lives were extremely harsh, they had to face reality and hard facts of life at a very early age and the author has been tactful to base the reasoning of incest on violence and abuse they had endured at the neglect if their parents which i find to some extent relatable even though an attachment formed when they were little. Its understandable how Lochan experiences grief, remorse and pleasure simultaneously during the initial realization that he's in love with his sister. Maya feels only genuine pleasure and is unwilling to lose his love. As far as the ending goes, it was too tragic. But the bitter sweetness makes it beautiful especially when i look at the sacrifice he made for the well being of his siblings, even at the point of death he was thinking of them, i should say that moved me to tears. In my opinion i felt satisfied that the incest would cease.
Quite Overdone
I felt that may be the author took the plot too far. The melodrama of a mother wasting away her life hardly caring for her kids and dumping her responsibilities on her eldest kids was too far fetching. Also that it is unbelievable when teenagers accept a responsibility or rather a big burden without being self centered about their desires. It was like they stepped into their parent's shoes thereby justifying their actions. Suicide is total cowardice.
Minuses
Forbidden was a little suggestive. What with the detailed description of lochan's and Maya's feelings emotionally and physically it does explains to the effect incest is okay. It is naturally awkward to even look at a brother-sister relationship(normal) without replaying the embarrassing moments of incestuous aspects given in this book. Incest will always be an insult and endanger good relationship between family members. The ending only served a poetical justice as impure love doesn't conquer anything. I'm totally not okay with word by word details of physical emotions. GROSS.
Strange feeling
Obstinate as i may be in my strictures on incest, some part of me couldn't accept the Lochan's death and for Maya to spend the rest of her life either punishing herself or crying over the useless sacrifice he made.

Repay gratitude by blood and tears is one way of fulfilling your obligation, Minerva’s feelings amounts only to this that she is by far keen on intimidating and constraining the hand of her niece to a halfwit ,a conspiracy nevertheless atrocious. At least Torquil can end the formidable…..

It’s neither one of her mysteries nor is it one of her perfect romances. Sparkling around the apposite of the regency maxims and delicacies, the novel soothes with striking sketches of the picturesque Broome Hall. Kate’s destitution brings her to the Broome family. Not finding a friend in the somewhat opprobrious Philip, she stays in the house with only Torquil and Minerva to bear her company. Happiness takes form of Phillip’s offer for marriage. Soon after this first blossom of love, Minerva insinuates her precarious desire of Kate marrying Torquil. In a normal course, an alliance such as this should proffer enlivenment to any penniless female of commonplace; but it seems the otherwise; the thought of marriage to a halfwit howsoever innocent he claims to be, is a matter requiring the highest deliberation, her position being considered only secondary. And though her profound knowledge of her aunt’s intention receives her sympathies, the fortitude with which she faces the situation is estimable where she is punctilious not to hurt her benevolent aunt. Torquil is equally averse to the plan as the rest of the family is. With the thought of placating the quandaries, he strangles his mother and repenting over which drowns in the river immediately. Amidst the melancholy, the family puts back things, the memories of the departed to haunt them for ever.

Minerva is calculative and is so absorbed in her self conceit that she regards her every atrocity as mere commonplace. Her plan dominating over her scruples, she takes advantage of Kate’s situation despite the knowledge of Phillip’s love. Minerva often stands at loggerheads with her dictatorship and it doesn’t come to a shock at her unpredicted death which is more to her blame than of Torquil’s. The only person who is unaffected by her despotism is Philip. He seems to be the pillar for support to Kate during her stay at the hall and continues to be of help to her. The objects of Minerva’s puppet show are Kate, a victim in the hands of gratitude with extreme tolerance and Torquil, a victim of undue influence and haplessness.

Cousin Kate is I believe one of Heyer’s best written novels as it reflects upon a combination of emotions carved up into equal proportions for regency, despondency, romance and also some sightseeing thus providing an all- encompassing entertainment. On the contrary, people correlate Gothicism to Cousin Kate which has clearly no place in the story and sadly this novel doesn’t enjoy the same preferences which DC, TOS or the Sophe does. But by snubbing 
Kate, they are definitely missing the best of regency romance. 

Kate is a remarkable work by Ms Heyer and it is the best. I would recommend it to all.

His excesses had banished him from the country yet he could not put her away from his mind. What could he do but take her for his companion. It all lay in the hands of the leading lady to devise a plan to preclude an abduction that could ruin the repute of her injudicious sister. But her obligation doesn’t cease with this. She also takes on the mission of taming the male shrew and managing him.

If only he were real and all mine.....

Dominique, the marquis of Vidal accredited for his scandalous reputation as a rake disgraces the family with yet another brawl. Of all the allegations, his new uproar had the effect of producing an ill fate to his name. Accordingly his parents ship him off to France, rather than confronting the ramification if he is anywhere in the vicinity. But his journey would be fragmentary without any distractions, he convinces Sophia to accompany him. Fortunately for Sophia, Mary intercepts his plan and goes instead regardless of what turn would Dominique’s fury take. Desperate as she may be, her fortitude never once fail her, she shoots at him with a pistol.

 

Vidal, who had never expected even a speck of virtue in any of his indulgences , offers for marriage in vain to silence the scandal that would arise therewith. Mary refuses the offer as she is absolutely aware that the intention is purely circumstantial and there being no foundation for love; even though she is in greatly in love with him. The shot having made its effect defers their departure by a few days in the course of which he becomes extremely cordial; as soon as he appreciates her insidiousness he forms an attachment for her. 

A way out this dilemma presents in form of her friend Juliana. She elopes with Comyn, Juliana’s heart broken lover, and a man of undeniable verbal skills. Vidal, by the time so deep in love with Mary, repairs to Dijon at once to conciliate with her. Their wedding receives approbation from everyone except Leonie. Mary leaves in search of a respectable position. But her being unescorted lays her in the open to an excess of disrespect.

At this precise moment, she stumbles upon a gentleman in whom she discerns a familiarity, pours her desolation into him. Vidal who had followed her into the inn is equally shocked to see his father (Avon) beside Mary.

Her tenacity and intrepidity prepares her for all the personal risks involved and only the selfless Mary could commit herself to this task. She remains perspicacious all through the story exhibiting prudence at stopping a duel by pouring water over the combatants and also running a thick cloth through the swords. Her profound knowledge and perceptivity empowers her role in the plot and proves beyond doubt the she is the predilection for Vidal.

Dominique captivates every heart by being a crack shot, a notable whip and a gamester and his performance is at its best even when he is disguised; although his being a little callous casts a shadow on his perfections. He is as nonchalant as his mother before and there is a want of acuity in most of the affairs.

There is no scrape in which his ire has not publicly landed him in trouble. It is also Avon’s smartness that pulls him out of his recent blunder. His behavior is that of a 4 year old than a 24yr old and the need to tame him becomes apparent inasmuch as the job becomes Mary. Electrified by her charm, Vidal falls in love with her intensely enough to make his existence empty without her.

The appearance of Leonie, Avon and Rupert enliven the picture with old memories. Passing years has reduced Avon’s balefulness by no more than alleviating his rakishness. The relationship between the father and son is again so mysterious, yet a thorough understanding is there between them; every conversation has its irony.

Devil’s cub is an impelling paperback with outstanding blend of persona intermingled with humor and romance in favor of irrefutable magnetism towards its fans.

“Desolation might make a man fiendish” applies to the count when he makes life for both himself and his family all the more miserable and the mere contemplation that his only daughter is in employment with the duke whom he had reviled all his life is beyond forbearance. If death could only placate the public disgrace… 
 

The first in the series of the Alastair trilogy is the taster of romance, comedy, action and adventure encompassed in one course. TOS is a picture perfect comedy set against the backdrop of pre-regency and post-Jacobite rebellion. The entr’acte of the story spectacles with Leonie dissembling as Justin’s (Avon) page, giving an opportunity for Avon to reprise his arch enemy, the comte de saint vire. It is unbeknownst to the world that comte is Leonie’s father and on unearthing this singularly significant information, Justin manipulates a strategy that would result in the acquaintance of the truth with the society and also right Leonie in the eyes of the world.
 

Sinsyne, from a page she ameliorates to a position of a ward where she gets launched into the society with a great deal of success. In the mean while, the Comte taking desperate attempts in shielding the truth, in one situation, intimidates Leonie to a situation accentuating debase and infamy; that in cognizance of which she is driven to the folly of leaving the duke’s shelter. This being rendered fallow, his predicament leaves him with no option but to kidnap her. Nevertheless, Leonie’s intellect should not be underestimated; no sooner than being said she slips out of his hold and returns to her monsignor. The Comte envisages a stiff counter in Avon who has expedited obtaining of the proof than the former had expected. A society gathering is what Avon needs to hyperventilate the already disheveled Comte constraining him to shoot himself at the countess’s outburst of the truth. Leonie is righted, but the only missing piece in the wholesome happiness is her fallacy to have fallen below Avon’s standards; in the belief of their union being unbefitting ,her confusion is only momentary to last long, ends in their nuptials.
 

TOS is a hilarious and a pre-eminent fiction portraying the best of the hero and heroine along with a laudable supporting cast. Justin (aka devil, as Tracy belmonair  from TBM) essays the role of an outlandish hero with a shady past and an evil smirched reputation (satanas); whose thoughts and principles are practically outside the comprehensions and capability of any normal person. From the start till the end he remains to be on dictating terms, unfathomable and versatile and acts a sculpture lacking emotion and expression. He is quite composed until he sets eyes on Leonie, his complete opposite. The counterpart of Avon, she is quick-tempered, pertinacious, and unruly and to top it, tongue lashing, but the way she twists Avon around her little finger, as Rupert puts it, is pretty on her part. She has a childlike reverence for Avon that purges him of all his flagitiousness. She seems to be the one person Justin would die to please, love and laugh with. Thus the notorious rake redeems in the passionate love making of Leonie. Their love is quite subtle while it expels his one time fascination for Jennifer (Diana Beuleigh). 
 

The incorrigible Rupert (Andrew), the fussy Fanny (Lavinia) and the convivial Merrivales ( supposedly to be jack carstares of TBM) who assist in the plan also add to the story though the best is the Comte who is bad enough to swap his daughter for the sake of the title and his death serves the good purpose of restoring what he impounded from her. His mania for title mists up his vision over the honorable where it shatters his whole family for nothing. His conscience suffers no pang over the unjustifiable sin he had committed and he isn’t anxious to reconcile Leonie even during the last few minutes before he chooses death. Sardonically, it is ignominy and not remorse that drives him to such measures. 

TOS is purported to be the resurrection of TBM from the villain's part. The characters of her first novel reappear under different names and enchant us with more humor. Tracy (Justin in TOS), duc of andover falls in love with Diana Beuleigh (jennifer), but is unsuccessful in winning her heart which is already lost to jack. 

In an attempt to force her hand, he kidnaps her from under Jack’s(lover of Diana, merrivale in TOS) nose.This gives a likely explanation for the unspoken understanding between jenny and Avon in TOS. He knows he has lost her to jack/merrivale, but not until he meets the titian hair beauty(leonie) that he realises he is not entirely vanished in fate. I especially like Heyer's concern in setting up Tracy in some way or another so that victory appears on both sides.  By bringing Leonie, she has brought life not only to tracy/avon but also to those who deeply felt for Tracy's ill fortune (like I did).

TOS is one of my evergreen favorites as no one but Heyer could cook up a story as sweet and exciting as this.