Random Reviews: Divergent

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.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


LOVE this book so hard. Not gonna lie, I stayed up until 2 in the morning on a school/work night to finish. I hit page 420 or so and couldn't stop.

I enjoyed that the MC, Tris, was different from the usual "I'm an uber-badass girl, mwahaha." We were given reasons for her toughness. There were consequences if she was not tough. There were consequences BECAUSE she was so tough. She made mistakes and did bad things, and did not always have goody-two-shoes regret over it.

I liked that. I didn't always like "her," but the story is addictive enough, and you have enough attachment to her voice that I felt like that was a good thing. It made her feel real. Because let's face it, in real life, we don't always agree with other people or their choices. But we can still care about them.

There were a couple parts near the very end where I lost some of the character motivation... I wasn't sure exactly "why" she did certain things (won't say what, so as not to spoil!), especially when it seemed like there were other, less extreme options available.

But in the end, I found this a fast-paced, well-plotted, addictive read. Definitely recommend it to any dystopian fans!



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