Book Review: Divergent

Divergent
by Veronica Roth

Synopsis: (From Goodreads)

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. 

Why I Picked this Book:  I kept hearing crazy awesome ranting about this book.  Then the reviews came out, and the ones I read kept raving about its awesomeness.  So, it was bought.

My Thoughts:

Divergent is action packed and thought provoking.  It is almost hard to believe that Veronica Roth is a debut author with this piece.  She managed to create a world, make it her own, and drag me in willingly to experience every page of it.

I loved her take on this dystopian world.  Splitting the population by virtues.  It seems so simple.  Yet, at the same time, frightening.  Because once you choose your faction, you stay there.  No moving to another.  If you made the wrong decision, well, too bad for you.  You can choose to go Factionless, which everyone seems to see as worst than death.  I love it.

Beatrice/Tris was a great character.  Growing up in Abnegation (imagine futuristic passive Amish folk), she turns sixteen and must declare her Faction choice.  Normally, children choose the faction they were born and raised in.  Oh, but Tris chooses the Dauntless.  They are nuts.  They jump of trains, off buildings, beat the living daylights out of each other.  And that is just the beginning.

Divergent had a slightly slow start, but I was pulled in easily and wanted to turn each page.  My only complaints would be the slightly loose ends left about certain topics.  I know this is book one in a trilogy, so of course everything couldn't be settled in one bound copy.   Still, I felt a bit more could have been touched on to leave me slightly happier with the total package.  That is just me nitpicking though.

Roth does a fantastic job of world building.  So much is happening, so many characters are alive and breathing with their own sub-stories, that I felt I was actually there.  And Four.  Yeah.  I think I have a character crush on Four. *Blush*

And might I just add.  Fear landscapes.  Scaaaarrry.  I really don't think I could ever have the guts to face all my fears, face on, in a simulation as real as reality.  

All in all, I don't know what else I can say about Divergent.  It is full of a little of everything: Action (ok, alot of that), love (and not too much, thank goodness), betrayal, loyalty, humor...  Roth, if this is your debut novel, I cannot wait to read what else you have to come.
 

My Rating:

(5 out of 5 stars)