Review: Divergent

Divergent
Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Rating: 4.5/5

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.



During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

First hearing about Divergent, I was a little concerned to start it. It looked good, but I was afraid it wouldn't meet my expectations.  Well, it went above and beyond what I thought it would be. It was an extremely addicting, very unique read.

The first tiny bit of the book was a little hard to follow. That would be my only complaint. But, once it got going, it never let up.

Tris went though an extreme transformation though the book. She started off as a quiet girl who never really fit in. But, once she started training for the Dauntless, she changed. As the book went on, it got to a point where Tris was almost malicious. But, she almost had to be, though, to get through training. But she never quite loses herself.

I couldn't put this book down. There wasn't that much mystery to it, but it was very suspenseful and had a few surprises.

Overall, I would recommend Divergent as a good Dystopian novel. Veronica Roth has contributed a fabulous debut. And the ending! I need the next one. Now.