Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: Dystopian
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
I dove into this book with relatively low expectations-something I do with a book that has so much hype surrounding it. I was pleasantly surprised when I finished the book, more surprised that it took me about a day to finish. Maybe the book absorbed me in more than I thought it did.
I don't know how to review this book without listing the positives and negatives of this book. There were definitely both.
Negative first. I didn't enjoy the writing style of the book. I'm very picky about writing, and Veronica Roth's style, including first person, turned me off somewhat. I just can't stand first person writing. Ugh. Second, the dystopian setting, including the five factions, seemed a little old to me. People being placed into a certain faction based on personality. Seemed a little Harry Potter to me. And everyone is trying to write the next Harry Potter book.
Even though those few things bothered me, the book was excellent. I thought that the main character, Tris, was a complete and total badass. A sword-wielding, gun-slinging, punch-throwing badass. At times the character did annoy me though, but I thought she had some depth to her.
My favorite part: ROMANCE WASN'T THE MAIN PLOT. I enjoy romance as a side thing, but I'm always turned off if I read a novel for something other than romance, and it turns out to be the main focus. So I was very happy with this book.
Last thing, the action. HOLY CRAP I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT. I love that feeling, when a book can actually make my heart start pounding away as I flip through the pages, unable to put the book down. I love action, and the action in this book seemed never ending. Loved it.
Rating: Four out of Five stars
2 comments:
I'm glad you liked the book! I really loved it and Tris is indeed a kick-ass protagonist:) I can't wait to see the movie of Divergent!
I'm definitely interested in seeing how they adapt the book into the film!
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