Divergent by Veronica Roth
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: May 3, 2011
Pages: 487
Source: purchased
Buy It: Amazon | The Book Depository | Barnes & Noble
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.Who needs TV, when you have books like Divergent? Divergent is a new twist on the dystopian genre. A 16 year old girl, Beatrice, discovers that she is Divergent and must choose which faction she belongs in (Amity, Erudite, Abnegation, Candor, and Dauntless). But being Divergent is dangerous and she must watch how she conducts herself around the faction leaders. In other news, a war is upon the Abnegation faction and there may not be a way to stop the Erudite from doing anything to get what they want. This fast-paced, adventurous novel, Divergent will leave you on the edge of your seat, daydreaming about this dystopian society, and thirsting for the next installment (Insurgent, published May 2012).
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.-- Goodreads
I know. I know. Please stop looking at the screen like I am crazy. I know you are probably like, “Wow, Gina is just reading this novel now.” I realize that there was a huge hype about it last spring when it released. That was when I bought the novel (I cried a little bit when I took the Borders sticker off of it). Then there seemed to be a whole lot of hype for Insurgent and everyone was reading it. My only regret about this book was not reading it sooner because this book is the highlight of my summer so far (yes, I am behind in my reviews). It has easily become one of my favorites and for those of you still on edge because it is getting so much hype, pick Divergent up because you will devour it!
I didn’t like the cover, at first. It is kind of simple and not really my style,
but the more I got into the book, the more I found myself liking it. I thought the cover gave me a glimpse of this
world and its factions.
Divergent is the
second series that I have read in the dystopian genre (the other being The Hunger Games). I tend not to read it because it seems
closely tied with that of the science fiction genre, which I don’t read at
all. But I found myself enjoying Divergent much more than I
anticipated. The plot would just roll
off the page. Oh, and the twists! Veronica Roth knows how to set the scene. Some of the twists were predictable, but
others had me standing in a crowded room of silent people and screaming,
“What? She did not just do that!”
I have always loved books with strong female
characters. Some of my favorites go out
to The Hunger Games, Maximum Ride, and Vampire Academy: Divergent
has earned a spot among these as well.
Beatrice was one of the bravest characters I have ever read about. Sure, Rose from Vampire Academy could kill every vampire in the room, but could she
survive the Fear Landscape? Beatrice was
very strong, but also very relatable.
She had feelings and, as much as she would deny, she was vulnerable and
it was moments like that that I saw her as a character that I could relate to. Four stole my heart from the first glance
that he shared with Tris (Beatrice). His
character was the most predictable but I was still surprised with what happened
to him at the end. You can read more about Four HERE.
Divergent is a
2011 debut novel, so when I bought this, I did not have many expectations for
it. Veronica Roth blew me away; this
woman knows how to tell a great story.
However, as much as I loved the continuous action and awesome
characters, there was something that bothered me. The book sounds strange when I read it
aloud. When I told some friends about the
novel, they forced me to read them a chapter.
Still, with Roth’s present tense writing style and Tris’ short sentence
length, it does not flow well when it is read aloud.
The ending grabbed me in a way that I want to go and get the
second book, Insurgent, right
now. I want to know—no, I need to know
what happens next. The twists were just
piling up. There was even a point in
time, while reading the ending that I was yelling at my book about not reading
it fast enough.
Divergent is a
creative, heart-stopping, mind-blowing masterpiece. If you like strong female characters,
dystopian novels, and non-stop action then Divergent
is the book for you. If you haven’t read
it yet, go get a copy because you are missing out on a wild ride that will
leave you wanting more.
First Sentence:
“There is one mirror in my house.”-Divergent by Veronica Roth, p. 1
Rating:
Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual references, blood and gore, and nonstop action.
Cover: 4
Characters: 5
Plot: 5
Writing Style: 4
Ending: 5
Overall:
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