Book Review: Divergent

Media Type: Print Book (ARC)
Title: Divergent
   *Series: Divergent #1
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: Hardcover; 487
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Source: Publisher
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Intended Reading Group: Young Adult
Content Screening: Mild Language; Violence
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HDB Rating: 5 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: EVERYONE

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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.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series–dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

I just had to re-read Divergent after I realized that I never reviewed it the first time. What can I say? When a book takes your breath away as easily as this one does, it’s hard to write a coherent review. Now that I’ve taken another shot at it, well it’s not going to be much easier but I’ll try to make sense! Let the fan girl reviewing commence!

Veronica Roth has built an entirely new dystopian society. One that relies on factions to keep things at peace. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that peace is only a superficial sham. What follows is a story that made me burn through these 400+ pages in a matter of hours. Divergent isn’t something that you should start to read before bed time. It’s the type of book that you’ll want to finish once you start, whether you currently have the time or not. The writing is gorgeous, the society is perfectly built. Let’s face it. There isn’t a single thing that I didn’t love about this book.

Which brings me to the characters. Seriously, the best part of this story. Tris and Four normal people. Realistic in their flaws and strengths. They are strong characters who are so easy to get behind. Tris isn’t a shrinking violet. She isn’t someone who sits around and waits for other people to take care of her. No, Tris can take care of anything that comes her way, even when she’s terrified while doing it. She may selfish and temperamental at times, but that just shows the reality of who she is. Pardon my French, but Tris is bad-ass!