His beef with Colleen Hoover over the years is so effective that I've never subjected herself to one of her books despite the barrage of praise from most camps bc his criticisms helped me realize I wouldn't like her work and it wasn't worth the energy. Being a hater is so valuable and I love him for it 😭
Colleen scares me ☹️ her views on relationships are weird and she cannot for the life of her write a book without turning it into some annoying implicit love triangle absolutely nobody asked for
That's why I will never read the third novel or even watch the movie. I just can't bear to see that scene and Four's pain 😢 For me, the finale was Insurgent.
@@Cozygamingcornerr actually, in the movie she doesn't die, because the last movie was supposed to have part 1 and part 2, but they never made the second part. So, the Allegiant movie actually ends in a more positive way than the book lmao
I feel so seen. This was me getting ahold of Twilight a month before anyone else in my school did because my sister came to visit from the US and brought me the hardcover. I looked down on the Harry Potter girlies despite being one myself
my embarrassing Divergent memory was dragging my entire family to watch the Allegiant movie and sitting through 2 hours of their judgement of my taste while FourTris floated around in orange cgi bubbles
I had a FAT crush on Shailene Woodley as a lil thirteen year old so that’s what made it worth it for me. 😂 I don’t think I could watch it now just for the plot.
I mean this in the *most parasocial, insane way* possible: I'm genuinely happy whenever a video of yours pops up, because I've always had such a good and calming time whenever I watched your rants or reviews. Girl, you could talk about the way you stubbed your toe and I would still watch it. 💖💖💖💖
this whole video is exactly how i feel about the twilight saga. i really hate the racism, religious and abusive undertones, and every single problematic idea written that stephanie endorses. but i’m so obsessed with the series, because of characters like alice, the amazing soundtrack, the vampire lore, and the loneliness/insecurity/depression i felt at the time of reading the series - which made me “relate” so much to bella. nostalgia has warped my mind.
Okay me literally right now lol. I'm reading the books bc the movies were my childhood and though I hate all the crazy problematic shit S.Meyer wrote in those books...I still enjoy it ngl. It's entertaining and nostalgic I can't help it.
My sister used to read the books out loud to me when she was like 16 and I was 10. They were her favorite books and I’ve always been a sucker for a paranormal romance. I still can’t hear the words “Chagrin” or “Infinitesimal” without those memories popping up.
@@niviovo Well... no, it was worse. She hit me 4 days before my birthday. She became aware of that fact because I allowed her to visit me in the hospital after confirming multiple times with medical staff because I felt sorry for her since she pissed herself and panicked at the scene. She said she'd never forgive herself, and I learned that her 7(?) year old daughter witnessed the whole thing. What's more bizarre is how she gave the book to me. She was a nanny going through clown college, and she asked me what animal I liked. I chose bear... and so she sent me a bear clown that gave me the book and sang to me on my birthday (and probably was simultaneously checking us out to see if we had enough money to sue her.) I was so mortified that I told my husband to delete the video he made of it because I immediately wanted to forget the whole thing. Here's the kicker. I asked for two things for my birthday. A Kindle and a Unicycle. Guess which one was more appreciated while recovering from a broken hip? I never used the unicycle.
@@americanbookdragonthis is the most random shit I have ever read……I hope you recovered fully but omg I hope you tell this story often because this is what I wanna hear when people share fun facts 😂 this is so bizarre
That ending segment really hit me. Very poignant, funny, while still being so true. Recently, I have been rereading my favorite YA series from childhood, The Lunar Chronicles. We can argue about the lasting quality about certain books, especially YA ones, but what really lasts is the importance of them to each of us, as corny as it is to say. Adulthood is so scary and sometimes the thing you need to reel you back into a sense of comfort and familiarity is that silly YA series your younger self was so obsessed with. I'm happy that you've been able to find that magic and joy again through something that meant so much to you as a young teen. The fact many of these YA novels are over a decade old now says a lot about how many of us have aged. Still, that doesn't mean you need to forget what your younger self loved. Thank you for voicing that sentiment in this video.
i felt the same way! i reread the lunar chronicles every couple of years and it's always interesting to see how my perspective on the characters and the plot changes the older i get. it was basically the only YA series i was ever FULLY devoted to and 100% into, and i'm glad i was! i think it still holds up decently to this day and it has a very special place in my heart. i think it's really important to go back into the stuff that your younger self connected with. rereading old books or watching movies/shows that i was obsessed with when i was little has helped me understand where a lot of my own creativity stems from and helps me to incorporate story elements i've always loved into my own writing.
1) Marissa Meyers slaps and 2) I thought you were talking about the actual ending segment about him spoiling books for no reason other than to be a menace 😅
I've spent the last few years re-reading some of the YA stuff I loved as a child and what shocks me is how well-written and thematically deep some of it is. Especially the Mortal Engines series. (Not the Mortal Instruments, I never read those.)
I’m definitely gonna go back and reread my preteen/teen faves and see which ones I still enjoy. I know for a fact the hunger games will still hold up for me because it was always my favorite and imo it always had the sttongest plot. But the maze runner, delirium, the pretties, acotar, all that stuff I’m interested to see how my perspective changed because I ate that shit UP 😂 at worst I’ll get to laugh at my child self and at best I’ll get to regain my love of reading because once I went to college I definitely stopped reading as much and I haven’t gained it back
Divergent books were my mom and I’s THING. My mom and I were so excited to read the last book that we downloaded it for a long car ride. We got to our hotel room and kept listening together on complete silence. It finished, and my mom looks up at me as goes, “huh. I really didn’t like that.” I said, “yeah, me either.” And we have never said a word about it since.
My mother-in-law just read Divergent for the first time and loved it. I recommended Hunger Games and Maze Runner so she can experience my teen year's YA dystopia craze. I'm so proud of her.
@@roastedsardinesno cause SAME oh my god, all these years later it still hurts my soul. I used to roleplay TMR on Google+... I wonder where everyone from that community ended up
3:32 I had a similar book signing situation when i was 13 but instead of not speaking to my favorite author i did speak to him but in FRENCH. It was so embarrassing and no matter what my parents said or how confused he looked i would not speak English. I remember crying in the car afterwards. 😭
I think it is just the anxiety of meeting someone who made something really important to you. I got my book signed by my favorite author as an adult, and he asked me what my favorite character was and I just listed all of them. I was so embarrassed afterwards because as a kid the books he wrote literally got me through middleschool and I couldn't form a coherent thought.
Girl I told Nicola Yoon to her face they should have made nick robinson jump around the room (everything everything), like what!? nobody wishes that!! that would have been AWFUL
The day the internet understands that you can like cringy, objectively bad stuff withouth being ironic about it and constantly dragging it is the day I'll know peace
Post-college was hard for me too! Turning 30 now, and I’d say, don’t worry about being qualified. Literally no one is qualified, everyone is faking it. Just be yourself, and chase your own priorities in life, not anyone else’s. Nice to see a new vid from you!
I remember in middle school when the first movie came out everyone’s book report was on divergent. Our teacher actually banned it from book report’s after that lol
I really appreciate you being transparent about where you are at in life right now because I’m also right there: early 20s, fresh out of college, living in an expensive apartment in a new city, and unemployed because the job market is a dumpster fire. It’s so lonely living like this while assuming everyone around you has their lives together, so seriously, thank you for talking about it. I’m so relieved to know that I’m not alone.
Also, I’ve been rereading warrior cats and percy jackson and school for good and evil and all these childhood faves of mine just to feel some comfort and normalcy in life, so I 100% understand what you’re saying about divergent. Thank you again for saying it. It’s so important. 🤍
Also in a similar spot. ❤Good internship but pay is crap, still living at home with my parents while everyone else seems wildly much more independent, unsure about next steps. People love to act like they have it all together but really we’re all just faking it till we make it. 🩷
I used to bully this kid in elementary school by finding out what book he was reading and telling him how it ended. Everyone thought I was so nice but I was secretly the villain for that poor kid. I feel terrible now I am an adult. I hope he is doing okay.
i connect to this so much, i'm in a very similar place to you in my life right now. i'm alone in a new apartment that i can't afford, pretending like i know what i'm doing at my new job, and then going home every day and watching and reading the same media i found comfort in a decade ago. who cares if divergent sucks!! it still serves a purpose and ngl, sometimes nothing hits quite like those 2010s dystopian books.
There is one thing I have to give the Divergent series: it was an experience. It was possibly the first time as a young reader where I felt genuine frustration towards a protagonist. I remember nothing about Insurgent other than feeling entirely confused and frustrated with Triss. Then my sister told me the ending for Allegiant and I still haven't read it to this day. Also, Four kinda sucks. I'd be rather be Team Gale.
I think Allegiant was the first book that ever truly disappointed me. I had books (okay, one book) that I read before that I hated, but Allegiant was different. I bought the expensive ass hardcover book when it came out because I was desperate to find out how it ended and then it sucked and my poor middle schooler heart was just destroyed
I saw the movie before reading, then the same person who got me into the series spoiled the ending of Allegiant lmao. Playing the long game😂 Its ok though, because I agree with Caleb that Divergent is good after all but I still think Allegiant sucked. And don't get me started on the movie.
I got to meet Christopher Paolini when i was 14. I was an aspiring writer but i was so socially awkward. Thankfully, he saw my name, loved it, asked what it meant, and then asked if he could use it for a character someday. I don't think he ever did, but he was so nice and it really saved this awkward introvert from trying to say something remarkable.
It's really refreshing seeing the embrace of childhood cringe rather than it's rejection. Doing that for myself helps me be more emphathetic of the kid that I was and it makes me understand the current 12-18 year olds with their niche obessions. Like just do you boo, there's plenty of room for growth in the future.
I remember I read divergent in the 6th grade, and my teacher had us take like a personality quiz of which faction we were. I wanted to be amity so bad, but I got abnegation (bc I was a pushover), and so did my bully and during the reading we were forced to sit with others in my faction. I was so salty, but I also hated the book soo... but I love the meaning books can have to us all. For me despite me reading RedWall in my Junior year and making an essay about it, it was a cute lil book and it made me feel so happy. I am so picky with sci-fi books its wacky, my favorite one I read was Scythe and I'm on a journey to find another sci-fi book that made me feel the way I did with scythe.
I read the entire trilogy in less than 24 hours when I was young, and not everything is perfect about it--but I honestly can't complain about something that was so engaging I *literally* couldn't put it down. Especially when it showed a strong woman trying to understand herself and the world, and told you to be brave.
If it makes you feel better, I bet Veronica probably realized you were just feeling really shy. I’m sure other people there did the same thing. If that was me, I’d have been flattered honestly that someone was so nervous to meet me, so don’t be too hard on yourself!!! ❤
Yeah, I feel like we all have a tendency to harshly criticize books we've read when we were just kids, but it's very true that we're not judging those books as the kids that we were but the adults we've become. It's important to remember that those books, no matter how cringy they might be, are the ones that shaped us to become who we are today. I read Divergent during a time in my life when I needed a lot of bravery and courage, and looking back, I can see that Tris did actually help me get through those times. So no matter how much I hate what the franchise became, it still does hold a special place in my heart.
I was an adult when I read Divergent. I thought it was cliche and derivative and not as well written as many other books. It wasn’t terrible, just mediocre. I don’t think my opinion will change. Edit: I am happy for people who enjoy it. Like what you like.
I'm a strong believer in unapologetically loving the things that give you joy and comfort, even if other people don't get it. We should all just embrace it!
i clicked on your channel in my subscriptions list on accident and saw this video when it wasnt even a minute old lmao super hyped!! i always love ripping into someone's trauma
I love that you still love Divergent. I was 15 when I read the series and at that time my father was passing. I remember wanting to be brave like Dauntless too which still inspires me. So I understand why it was so important to you :). Long live Divergent!
As someone who never got into divergent my only passing fancy was why everyone was okay with the eugenics plot line and the protagonist being the savior but also being the build up of what the eugenics project wanted
I read Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent 6 years ago or so. I didn't like any of them. One of the few times l'm not a contratian about stuff I dislike.
Never change, Caleb. I appreciate your deep dives into both your own viewpoints and others, your insight is so funny and intelligent. You and Jenny Nicholson are two of the few youtubers whose videos I can just watch on repeat and never get tired of. Keep up the great work!
I guess my mistake with the Hunger Games is i watched the movie before reading the books...and im not a big fan of the movie that much. And once Divergent came into theatres, i literally was obsessed. i could watch it and still can watch that movie all the time and replay it over and over its that good.
Love what you said in the end. Twilight in the series that for me is "Its shit but its my shit" cause when I read it for the first time I was going thru some stuff and it became a comfort
ngl i thought divergent was hot garbage from the beginning and i stand by that, but your interpretation/viewpoint on how it applied to your life then and now is so beautiful. I'm also moving to a new city and getting a new job and it requires a lot of bravery to accept change. Best of luck in this phase of your life, dauntless king 👑
Love the things you love!! Though your cringe memories are funny, I hope you still feel lots of love for that kid wearing the same damn shirt over and over. It shows how passionate you've been about reading all this time🙌
The coincidence! I was just watching your videos like a minute ago, thinking I had missed some of the new ones during uni. Can't wait to watch the whole video :D Btw had a huge crush on Tobias as an 11 year old.
I remember eating the books up when I was like 10. I sat down, and read half of the first book in like an hour and a half. Those books really aided in making my middle school years less miserable.
You rereading the book and loving it reminds me of when media I loved as a kid got shit on and suddenly I hated it I think it becoming a trend to hate certain series really is to blame for many of us hating things we love and it sucks
this video resonated it's so real to have series that might not be "good" but that are so insanely special. whether it's because of nostalgia, or it came to you when you needed it, etc, it's just. great to have things like that 😭😭i'm crying over this video
Im surprised but actually so happy that you enjoyed the reread 😂 It was my favorite book from my childhood and seeing all the videos hating on the series scared me so I’ve been wanting to reread it too just to make sure I wasn’t crazy back then
omg im so happy you're back!! and you're not alone king. my anxiety disorder was coming in strong during middle school and YA novels centered around bravery were truly empowering to me, no matter how dumb the stories were. like i know the whole premise of the divergent story is extremely stupid but i still find it fun to re-read.
Divergent will always be close to my heart . I saw the movie before i read the book 📖 the movie is way better than the hunger games Divergent will always be one of my fav movies . Shailene Woodley played Tris so amazing as well as Adrift. Y'all need to have discernment.
Caleb, our experience with Divergent is so similar it’s scary😅 to the book cover on the wall, to my mom taking me to meet Veronica Roth (I was awkward af and I did take a pic with her). I didn’t have a shirt thank god, but I had a ton of dauntless shit. Though I do still think at least the first book is very good and it’s special to me bc I also found those books at a similar point in my life. Be brave, my dude
I remember watching the red carpet premiere live. Like girl, that was too much. It’s not like they were gonna show the movie after the carpet walk lmao.
Not gonna lie, this video came to me at the perfect time. In middle school, Divergent was my favorite. I was going through home neglect and the idea of leaving and becoming brave was so enticing. I wanted to jump onto moving trains parkour down the streets. Divergent had a great way of showcasing freedom in a way other books hadn’t. I think this is also why I became obsessed with Assassin’s Creed later on as well. It gave me a glimpse of hope. Now I’m 21 and am about to move as well. I’m originally from Columbus, OH but have been living in northeast Indianapolis for over two years. Most of my friends are still in Ohio but I’ve made a few here. Now I’m moving to the south side of Indy and am terrified. I am also applying for jobs that I’m under qualified for and am about to live with people I have never met. I feel out of control and lonely. And for some reason, Divergent and AC have been finding their way back into my mind and I wasn’t sure why. I feel like you explained it perfectly. Thank you for this video:)
I can totally relate to you moving somewhere new and feeling overwhelmed, terrified and lonely, I've been in this situation plenty of times. Just know that even though the first few weeks will undoubtedly be difficult, it will pass and as soon as you've made some friends, your new place/job/housing situation will feel much more welcoming and before you know it, it will have become your new home. Remember why you started! Surely there was a reason why you decided to move, stick to that when things are rough. I wish you all the best, stay strong! ❤
as someone who randomly found your channel a month and a half ago and promptly dove in and watched everything you’ve ever done, this new upload really excited me
when allegiant came out i spoiled the ending to myself by flipping to the back of the book and i cried for 5 hours straight and almost didn’t go to school the next day because i was so distraught and hysterical over tris’s death. from that point forward i was determined to BOYCOTT all things divergent (including the movie which was about to come out) because i was so mad at veronica roth. didnt read or buy any of her new books or watch any of the movies even though i was the biggest fan prior to this. i definitely sent her hate mail at some point as well. im still mad at her to this day for killing her off and if i ever see her irl its ON SIGHT.
The nostalgia tied to books is *real*. There's just such a specific feeling you get from reading books you first read in elementary or middle school and it does something to you.
I read divergent when I was 13 too! I went on a camping trip with my family and while we were there for two days I read Divergent on day one and I read The Fault In Our Stars on day two- What an ERA!
Divergent was the first book i bought when my dad gifted me a Kindle and I just remember blasting through that shit. I recently rewatched the movie and it just brought back so many memories.
This was honestly very wholesome and nice to hear you speak about how you felt when reading the book. I think many people lose sight of that aspect of media. Your emotions make a difference, your feelings can be intertwined with a story and it makes a big impact on you, and that is just as important as a "good" story, plot, or character. I know it can be fun to criticize something and we shouldn't just let stuff slide, but we should all take a minute to appreciate how these stories can make us feel and know that it's ok to get happiness from that even if it's not perfect.
I have something similar with The School for Good and Evil series. I read the first one in seventh grade when my dad was in the hospital. I finished it within a day or two and quickly read the other two. I have reread all of them several times after that. Even though my thoughts change every time, I can't bring myself to hate it. I love this series, no matter how many flaws I can find
"I was the person that was beefing with Coleen Hoover"
I love how that's your legacy 😭
✨Iconic✨ dare I say. He was fighting in the trenches for a long ass time before other girlies caught on
he’s THE hoover hater
His beef with Colleen Hoover over the years is so effective that I've never subjected herself to one of her books despite the barrage of praise from most camps bc his criticisms helped me realize I wouldn't like her work and it wasn't worth the energy. Being a hater is so valuable and I love him for it 😭
His beef with Colleen Hoover reminds me of Cindy and her beef with Sarah J. Maas 😂
@@Lyn_n_these 2 are legends😂😂👏👏
I knew Colleen couldn’t keep you down there forever 🙌
💀
Im now imagining Sia in Beyoncé’s basement joke with Caleb in Colleen’s basement instead 😂
Colleen scares me ☹️ her views on relationships are weird and she cannot for the life of her write a book without turning it into some annoying implicit love triangle absolutely nobody asked for
the "in theaters March 2014" part of your shirt is absolutely killing me
So good so camp
The icing on the cake
caleb finding out he is actually a divergent fan in 2023 is a bigger plot twist than tris's death
LMAOO
SHE DIED???
@@kat7275Someone somewhere will spoil it for you 😢
That's why I will never read the third novel or even watch the movie. I just can't bear to see that scene and Four's pain 😢 For me, the finale was Insurgent.
@@Cozygamingcornerr actually, in the movie she doesn't die, because the last movie was supposed to have part 1 and part 2, but they never made the second part. So, the Allegiant movie actually ends in a more positive way than the book lmao
Caleb honestly was so ahead of his time
Return of the King
And my axe!
i appreciate you coming out as a wannabe different kinda girlie, we stand strong untied ✊
I feel so seen. This was me getting ahold of Twilight a month before anyone else in my school did because my sister came to visit from the US and brought me the hardcover. I looked down on the Harry Potter girlies despite being one myself
What does that mean?
my embarrassing Divergent memory was dragging my entire family to watch the Allegiant movie and sitting through 2 hours of their judgement of my taste while FourTris floated around in orange cgi bubbles
💀
☠️ I'm out
Oh my god.... same ;-;
I like that the faction selection is functionally the same as tinker bell picking her talent in the 2010’s movies
wait ur right omfg
I never realized that but you’re right
being a fourtris warrior at the age of 11 altered my brain chemistry in a bad way and i feel like we deserve financial compensation for this
atleast the ship name is kind of cool
@@FTMdoomi think Peenis takes the prize for that
@@mushi251I FORGOT ABOUT THE SHIP NAME OMG ☠️☠️
@@foonnotspork your welcome babes
I can't believe there was a time I thought the Divergent movie was better than first Hunger Games movie 😅
You were wrong and you should shame that former you and be proud of your growth as a wise person
@@nailinthefashion And I actually thought I was better than everyone else for liking Divergent 😂
I had a FAT crush on Shailene Woodley as a lil thirteen year old so that’s what made it worth it for me. 😂 I don’t think I could watch it now just for the plot.
I was the one who watched both and didn’t like either 😭💀
I mean this in the *most parasocial, insane way* possible: I'm genuinely happy whenever a video of yours pops up, because I've always had such a good and calming time whenever I watched your rants or reviews. Girl, you could talk about the way you stubbed your toe and I would still watch it. 💖💖💖💖
He’s so engaging like I have never touched a divergent book or movie in my LIFE but I am hooked on his videos
Same!
Sameee
It's peak parasocial cuz it feels like I'm just listening to a friend rant about something they're passionate about and I love that
Agree honestly
Caleb I could never be like "who the hell is this" I will always remember your bad boy romance reviews
Same, I'm still waiting for that "A cowboy for Christmas" reading 😩💕
this whole video is exactly how i feel about the twilight saga. i really hate the racism, religious and abusive undertones, and every single problematic idea written that stephanie endorses. but i’m so obsessed with the series, because of characters like alice, the amazing soundtrack, the vampire lore, and the loneliness/insecurity/depression i felt at the time of reading the series - which made me “relate” so much to bella. nostalgia has warped my mind.
Okay me literally right now lol. I'm reading the books bc the movies were my childhood and though I hate all the crazy problematic shit S.Meyer wrote in those books...I still enjoy it ngl. It's entertaining and nostalgic I can't help it.
My sister used to read the books out loud to me when she was like 16 and I was 10. They were her favorite books and I’ve always been a sucker for a paranormal romance. I still can’t hear the words “Chagrin” or “Infinitesimal” without those memories popping up.
@@dezs.5202 There is a really good Twilight podcast called "To my chagrin" because of Smeyer's love for this word
I never read the series. Because the first book was a birthday gift by the person that hit me with her minivan when I was walking on a crosswalk. 😅
This is the most random yet reasonable thing to have beef with a book series
OMFGGG???? 💀💀💀
@@niviovo Well... no, it was worse. She hit me 4 days before my birthday. She became aware of that fact because I allowed her to visit me in the hospital after confirming multiple times with medical staff because I felt sorry for her since she pissed herself and panicked at the scene. She said she'd never forgive herself, and I learned that her 7(?) year old daughter witnessed the whole thing. What's more bizarre is how she gave the book to me. She was a nanny going through clown college, and she asked me what animal I liked. I chose bear... and so she sent me a bear clown that gave me the book and sang to me on my birthday (and probably was simultaneously checking us out to see if we had enough money to sue her.) I was so mortified that I told my husband to delete the video he made of it because I immediately wanted to forget the whole thing. Here's the kicker. I asked for two things for my birthday. A Kindle and a Unicycle. Guess which one was more appreciated while recovering from a broken hip? I never used the unicycle.
@@americanbookdragonthis is the most random shit I have ever read……I hope you recovered fully but omg I hope you tell this story often because this is what I wanna hear when people share fun facts 😂 this is so bizarre
@@ayannabranchcomb7535 I don't tell this story often. It gets buried in my memory until the next person talks about the Divergent series.
truly a “booktube” revolutionist
That ending segment really hit me. Very poignant, funny, while still being so true. Recently, I have been rereading my favorite YA series from childhood, The Lunar Chronicles. We can argue about the lasting quality about certain books, especially YA ones, but what really lasts is the importance of them to each of us, as corny as it is to say. Adulthood is so scary and sometimes the thing you need to reel you back into a sense of comfort and familiarity is that silly YA series your younger self was so obsessed with. I'm happy that you've been able to find that magic and joy again through something that meant so much to you as a young teen. The fact many of these YA novels are over a decade old now says a lot about how many of us have aged. Still, that doesn't mean you need to forget what your younger self loved. Thank you for voicing that sentiment in this video.
i felt the same way! i reread the lunar chronicles every couple of years and it's always interesting to see how my perspective on the characters and the plot changes the older i get. it was basically the only YA series i was ever FULLY devoted to and 100% into, and i'm glad i was! i think it still holds up decently to this day and it has a very special place in my heart. i think it's really important to go back into the stuff that your younger self connected with. rereading old books or watching movies/shows that i was obsessed with when i was little has helped me understand where a lot of my own creativity stems from and helps me to incorporate story elements i've always loved into my own writing.
1) Marissa Meyers slaps and 2) I thought you were talking about the actual ending segment about him spoiling books for no reason other than to be a menace 😅
yes but also a side note, Marissa Meyer goes SO HARD. Like she had no right to make a series that had 14 year old me SO INVESTED 😭
I've spent the last few years re-reading some of the YA stuff I loved as a child and what shocks me is how well-written and thematically deep some of it is. Especially the Mortal Engines series. (Not the Mortal Instruments, I never read those.)
I’m definitely gonna go back and reread my preteen/teen faves and see which ones I still enjoy. I know for a fact the hunger games will still hold up for me because it was always my favorite and imo it always had the sttongest plot. But the maze runner, delirium, the pretties, acotar, all that stuff I’m interested to see how my perspective changed because I ate that shit UP 😂 at worst I’ll get to laugh at my child self and at best I’ll get to regain my love of reading because once I went to college I definitely stopped reading as much and I haven’t gained it back
Divergent books were my mom and I’s THING. My mom and I were so excited to read the last book that we downloaded it for a long car ride. We got to our hotel room and kept listening together on complete silence. It finished, and my mom looks up at me as goes, “huh. I really didn’t like that.” I said, “yeah, me either.” And we have never said a word about it since.
All I remember about the series was finishing Allegiant, crying, and falling in my pool fully clothed within the same day
you should write a memoir
My mother-in-law just read Divergent for the first time and loved it. I recommended Hunger Games and Maze Runner so she can experience my teen year's YA dystopia craze. I'm so proud of her.
Has she watched twilight? She'll love it
@@andrear6566 No idea, she recently watched pitch perfect for the first time. She's living my high school life, it's amazing
The words "Maze Runner" suddenly gave me page 250 flashbacks 😭
@@roastedsardinesno cause SAME oh my god, all these years later it still hurts my soul. I used to roleplay TMR on Google+... I wonder where everyone from that community ended up
@@roastedsardinesYOU BROUGHT ME BACK TO TMR DEPRESSION ERA 😭
3:32 I had a similar book signing situation when i was 13 but instead of not speaking to my favorite author i did speak to him but in FRENCH. It was so embarrassing and no matter what my parents said or how confused he looked i would not speak English. I remember crying in the car afterwards. 😭
I think it is just the anxiety of meeting someone who made something really important to you. I got my book signed by my favorite author as an adult, and he asked me what my favorite character was and I just listed all of them. I was so embarrassed afterwards because as a kid the books he wrote literally got me through middleschool and I couldn't form a coherent thought.
Girl I told Nicola Yoon to her face they should have made nick robinson jump around the room (everything everything), like what!? nobody wishes that!! that would have been AWFUL
I met Marissa Meyer and spoke to her in spanish 🤡. She just smiled and said thanks but I really don’t know if she understood a word I said 😭😭😭
Oh...
@@Simon-ih5ev the same thing basically happend to me he just nodded and smiled
“-Wow. You had such interesting results because you, like, didn’t choose anything and you just stood there.” That was hilarious. Best line!!
You have so much compassion for your younger self, and aren't afraid to be seen growing and changing over time??? and its honestly so impressive
The day the internet understands that you can like cringy, objectively bad stuff withouth being ironic about it and constantly dragging it is the day I'll know peace
Man's disappears for months and comes back w a full tattoo sleeve
The visceral laugh i let out when i saw "I SHIT MY PANTS IN FRONT OF VERONICA ROTH" is something i wish i could re-experience. Oh my god
caleb wanting so badly to be *# not like the other girls* by saying divergent was better than thg is kind of hilarious ngl 🤣
We’ve come full circle and I’ve never been more proud of my gay son step brother
Post-college was hard for me too! Turning 30 now, and I’d say, don’t worry about being qualified. Literally no one is qualified, everyone is faking it. Just be yourself, and chase your own priorities in life, not anyone else’s. Nice to see a new vid from you!
I remember in middle school when the first movie came out everyone’s book report was on divergent. Our teacher actually banned it from book report’s after that lol
I really appreciate you being transparent about where you are at in life right now because I’m also right there: early 20s, fresh out of college, living in an expensive apartment in a new city, and unemployed because the job market is a dumpster fire. It’s so lonely living like this while assuming everyone around you has their lives together, so seriously, thank you for talking about it. I’m so relieved to know that I’m not alone.
Also, I’ve been rereading warrior cats and percy jackson and school for good and evil and all these childhood faves of mine just to feel some comfort and normalcy in life, so I 100% understand what you’re saying about divergent. Thank you again for saying it. It’s so important. 🤍
Also in a similar spot. ❤Good internship but pay is crap, still living at home with my parents while everyone else seems wildly much more independent, unsure about next steps. People love to act like they have it all together but really we’re all just faking it till we make it. 🩷
Every time someone mentions that Colleen Hoover is awful I think of you. A true trend setter 👏 can't wait to see how this also becomes the norm
Your meeting with Veronica Roth is exactly what happened to me when I met Holly Black. I just literally stared at her. asdfghkgklfgklkld
I used to bully this kid in elementary school by finding out what book he was reading and telling him how it ended. Everyone thought I was so nice but I was secretly the villain for that poor kid. I feel terrible now I am an adult. I hope he is doing okay.
Oh you’re truly a different type of evil. I love you.
😢 😢😢
most evil thing you can do to someone. 😆
I’ve heard of bullies kicking people, punching them, verbally berating them, but now this…this is TRUE evil right here 😂
You should track them down and apologise
i connect to this so much, i'm in a very similar place to you in my life right now. i'm alone in a new apartment that i can't afford, pretending like i know what i'm doing at my new job, and then going home every day and watching and reading the same media i found comfort in a decade ago. who cares if divergent sucks!! it still serves a purpose and ngl, sometimes nothing hits quite like those 2010s dystopian books.
There is one thing I have to give the Divergent series: it was an experience. It was possibly the first time as a young reader where I felt genuine frustration towards a protagonist. I remember nothing about Insurgent other than feeling entirely confused and frustrated with Triss. Then my sister told me the ending for Allegiant and I still haven't read it to this day.
Also, Four kinda sucks. I'd be rather be Team Gale.
I think Allegiant was the first book that ever truly disappointed me. I had books (okay, one book) that I read before that I hated, but Allegiant was different. I bought the expensive ass hardcover book when it came out because I was desperate to find out how it ended and then it sucked and my poor middle schooler heart was just destroyed
I saw the movie before reading, then the same person who got me into the series spoiled the ending of Allegiant lmao. Playing the long game😂 Its ok though, because I agree with Caleb that Divergent is good after all but I still think Allegiant sucked. And don't get me started on the movie.
Our neuroDivergent daddy reminding us why our Divergent daddy is problematic, bless our hearts
Oh my god. He’s back. You legitimately shaped my teen years. I hope you’re doing well. 💜
Caleb spoiling who died in each series is chaotic energy. I love it. 😂
I got to meet Christopher Paolini when i was 14. I was an aspiring writer but i was so socially awkward. Thankfully, he saw my name, loved it, asked what it meant, and then asked if he could use it for a character someday.
I don't think he ever did, but he was so nice and it really saved this awkward introvert from trying to say something remarkable.
It's really refreshing seeing the embrace of childhood cringe rather than it's rejection. Doing that for myself helps me be more emphathetic of the kid that I was and it makes me understand the current 12-18 year olds with their niche obessions. Like just do you boo, there's plenty of room for growth in the future.
absolutely love your videos! i was on a spree rewatching them all again and it seems so lucky that you posted now
Ikr! I was doing the same
I was just about to comment the same thing
FR
lol me too
I remember I read divergent in the 6th grade, and my teacher had us take like a personality quiz of which faction we were. I wanted to be amity so bad, but I got abnegation (bc I was a pushover), and so did my bully and during the reading we were forced to sit with others in my faction. I was so salty, but I also hated the book soo... but I love the meaning books can have to us all. For me despite me reading RedWall in my Junior year and making an essay about it, it was a cute lil book and it made me feel so happy. I am so picky with sci-fi books its wacky, my favorite one I read was Scythe and I'm on a journey to find another sci-fi book that made me feel the way I did with scythe.
When the world needed him most, he returned
back and better lets gooo!!
the video segment transition music 💀💀💀
I read the entire trilogy in less than 24 hours when I was young, and not everything is perfect about it--but I honestly can't complain about something that was so engaging I *literally* couldn't put it down. Especially when it showed a strong woman trying to understand herself and the world, and told you to be brave.
If it makes you feel better, I bet Veronica probably realized you were just feeling really shy. I’m sure other people there did the same thing. If that was me, I’d have been flattered honestly that someone was so nervous to meet me, so don’t be too hard on yourself!!! ❤
Yeah, I feel like we all have a tendency to harshly criticize books we've read when we were just kids, but it's very true that we're not judging those books as the kids that we were but the adults we've become. It's important to remember that those books, no matter how cringy they might be, are the ones that shaped us to become who we are today. I read Divergent during a time in my life when I needed a lot of bravery and courage, and looking back, I can see that Tris did actually help me get through those times. So no matter how much I hate what the franchise became, it still does hold a special place in my heart.
I was an adult when I read Divergent. I thought it was cliche and derivative and not as well written as many other books. It wasn’t terrible, just mediocre. I don’t think my opinion will change.
Edit: I am happy for people who enjoy it. Like what you like.
I'm a strong believer in unapologetically loving the things that give you joy and comfort, even if other people don't get it. We should all just embrace it!
Things can't be secretly bad - one can just be in denial about how bad it is.
i clicked on your channel in my subscriptions list on accident and saw this video when it wasnt even a minute old lmao
super hyped!! i always love ripping into someone's trauma
Dayum serendipity really snapped with this one
I love that you still love Divergent. I was 15 when I read the series and at that time my father was passing. I remember wanting to be brave like Dauntless too which still inspires me. So I understand why it was so important to you :). Long live Divergent!
Admitting that we actually love the things we used to love as a kid despite it being shitty is bravery in itself. ❤
Clicked so fast! You’re videos are always a slay
As someone who never got into divergent my only passing fancy was why everyone was okay with the eugenics plot line and the protagonist being the savior but also being the build up of what the eugenics project wanted
i will always hold 12 y/o me close to me bc she said “nah i dont wanna read this” and she was so right for that.
I read Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent 6 years ago or so. I didn't like any of them. One of the few times l'm not a contratian about stuff I dislike.
i like the part where you said that everyone else liked the Hunger Games and so you didn't want to be basic so you became a Divergent fan.
Never change, Caleb. I appreciate your deep dives into both your own viewpoints and others, your insight is so funny and intelligent. You and Jenny Nicholson are two of the few youtubers whose videos I can just watch on repeat and never get tired of. Keep up the great work!
My faves are also Caleb and Jenny
I guess my mistake with the Hunger Games is i watched the movie before reading the books...and im not a big fan of the movie that much. And once Divergent came into theatres, i literally was obsessed. i could watch it and still can watch that movie all the time and replay it over and over its that good.
Love what you said in the end. Twilight in the series that for me is "Its shit but its my shit" cause when I read it for the first time I was going thru some stuff and it became a comfort
Caleb May not always be around 24/7, but he’s here when we need him most and when it matters most 💪💜
omg caleb i'm literally so happy you posted
ngl i thought divergent was hot garbage from the beginning and i stand by that, but your interpretation/viewpoint on how it applied to your life then and now is so beautiful. I'm also moving to a new city and getting a new job and it requires a lot of bravery to accept change. Best of luck in this phase of your life, dauntless king 👑
Graduated college, WHAT????? Feels like you just started. CONGRATS!!!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Love the things you love!! Though your cringe memories are funny, I hope you still feel lots of love for that kid wearing the same damn shirt over and over. It shows how passionate you've been about reading all this time🙌
“Oh my gosh….yes” I’m so happy to see you back here again. Always a happy surprise
The coincidence! I was just watching your videos like a minute ago, thinking I had missed some of the new ones during uni. Can't wait to watch the whole video :D
Btw had a huge crush on Tobias as an 11 year old.
Woah!!! Why does it always happen when we’re binging them lol
I remember eating the books up when I was like 10. I sat down, and read half of the first book in like an hour and a half. Those books really aided in making my middle school years less miserable.
always a treat to see an upload from you, no matter long they're spread apart.
You rereading the book and loving it reminds me of when media I loved as a kid got shit on and suddenly I hated it I think it becoming a trend to hate certain series really is to blame for many of us hating things we love and it sucks
this video resonated it's so real to have series that might not be "good" but that are so insanely special. whether it's because of nostalgia, or it came to you when you needed it, etc, it's just. great to have things like that 😭😭i'm crying over this video
I’m exactly 16 seconds in and you remind me of the “please put on contacts meme”. Your eyes are amazingly blue, it just popped into my head
CALEB IS BACK oh this is better than when jesus came back to life in that bible book omgggg
this comment is taking me out 😭😭😭
Im surprised but actually so happy that you enjoyed the reread 😂 It was my favorite book from my childhood and seeing all the videos hating on the series scared me so I’ve been wanting to reread it too just to make sure I wasn’t crazy back then
omg im so happy you're back!! and you're not alone king. my anxiety disorder was coming in strong during middle school and YA novels centered around bravery were truly empowering to me, no matter how dumb the stories were. like i know the whole premise of the divergent story is extremely stupid but i still find it fun to re-read.
Divergent will always be close to my heart .
I saw the movie before i read the book 📖 the movie is way better than the hunger games
Divergent will always be one of my fav movies .
Shailene Woodley played Tris so amazing as well as Adrift. Y'all need to have discernment.
Caleb, our experience with Divergent is so similar it’s scary😅 to the book cover on the wall, to my mom taking me to meet Veronica Roth (I was awkward af and I did take a pic with her). I didn’t have a shirt thank god, but I had a ton of dauntless shit. Though I do still think at least the first book is very good and it’s special to me bc I also found those books at a similar point in my life. Be brave, my dude
I remember watching the red carpet premiere live. Like girl, that was too much. It’s not like they were gonna show the movie after the carpet walk lmao.
Not gonna lie, this video came to me at the perfect time. In middle school, Divergent was my favorite. I was going through home neglect and the idea of leaving and becoming brave was so enticing. I wanted to jump onto moving trains parkour down the streets. Divergent had a great way of showcasing freedom in a way other books hadn’t. I think this is also why I became obsessed with Assassin’s Creed later on as well. It gave me a glimpse of hope.
Now I’m 21 and am about to move as well. I’m originally from Columbus, OH but have been living in northeast Indianapolis for over two years. Most of my friends are still in Ohio but I’ve made a few here. Now I’m moving to the south side of Indy and am terrified. I am also applying for jobs that I’m under qualified for and am about to live with people I have never met. I feel out of control and lonely. And for some reason, Divergent and AC have been finding their way back into my mind and I wasn’t sure why. I feel like you explained it perfectly. Thank you for this video:)
I can totally relate to you moving somewhere new and feeling overwhelmed, terrified and lonely, I've been in this situation plenty of times. Just know that even though the first few weeks will undoubtedly be difficult, it will pass and as soon as you've made some friends, your new place/job/housing situation will feel much more welcoming and before you know it, it will have become your new home. Remember why you started! Surely there was a reason why you decided to move, stick to that when things are rough. I wish you all the best, stay strong! ❤
3:28 "i wonder what could go wrooooong?" paired with the card and music actually had me rolling around what the hell youre so funny
Caleb coming back in 2023 to declare his love for divergent was not on my bucket list
I was literally just on your twitter like when is there going to be a new video, This just made my day
as someone who randomly found your channel a month and a half ago and promptly dove in and watched everything you’ve ever done, this new upload really excited me
when allegiant came out i spoiled the ending to myself by flipping to the back of the book and i cried for 5 hours straight and almost didn’t go to school the next day because i was so distraught and hysterical over tris’s death. from that point forward i was determined to BOYCOTT all things divergent (including the movie which was about to come out) because i was so mad at veronica roth. didnt read or buy any of her new books or watch any of the movies even though i was the biggest fan prior to this. i definitely sent her hate mail at some point as well. im still mad at her to this day for killing her off and if i ever see her irl its ON SIGHT.
I’ve been counting the days until Caleb comes back,
This is a blessing
The nostalgia tied to books is *real*. There's just such a specific feeling you get from reading books you first read in elementary or middle school and it does something to you.
caleb not a day goes by that i don’t wait for an upload of yours. you will never be a stranger to me.
I’ve missed you!!! 💛💛
I found your channel because of the calleen Hoover drama and j have since almost all your vids. I really love your humor!!
ive been binge watching your videos all weekend i manifested this
Baby- Calebs love for this series is so wholsome 🥺🥰 Thank you for taking us with you to memory lane
I read divergent when I was 13 too! I went on a camping trip with my family and while we were there for two days I read Divergent on day one and I read The Fault In Our Stars on day two- What an ERA!
Please post more Caleb!! Love your channel
Divergent was the first book i bought when my dad gifted me a Kindle and I just remember blasting through that shit. I recently rewatched the movie and it just brought back so many memories.
I subscribed while you were on "hiatus" so I'd like to say... Welcome back! 👍🏼😊 Happy to be watching your video 17 minutes after you posted it. 😁
YOU'RE BACK! I'VE MISSED YOUR VIDEOS SO MUCH!!!
This was honestly very wholesome and nice to hear you speak about how you felt when reading the book. I think many people lose sight of that aspect of media. Your emotions make a difference, your feelings can be intertwined with a story and it makes a big impact on you, and that is just as important as a "good" story, plot, or character.
I know it can be fun to criticize something and we shouldn't just let stuff slide, but we should all take a minute to appreciate how these stories can make us feel and know that it's ok to get happiness from that even if it's not perfect.
WE MISSED YOU CALEB
I have something similar with The School for Good and Evil series. I read the first one in seventh grade when my dad was in the hospital. I finished it within a day or two and quickly read the other two. I have reread all of them several times after that. Even though my thoughts change every time, I can't bring myself to hate it. I love this series, no matter how many flaws I can find