Book review....Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Flap copy description

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.


So I have to admit, I have never been drawn to "dystopian" stories. There's no magic, faeries or demon slaying and the thought of a dismal future in a post apocalyptic/anarchy setting has never been to my liking. But recently there seems to be a number of them popping out at me and an employee at my local Borders recommended it. I originally bought Divergent from Audible to listen to on my iPhone. I love it. In fact I love it so much I went back to Borders and bought the book to add to my collection of favorites.  I am reading it now to make sure I didn't miss anything and wanted to recommend it as soon as possible.

This book is written in first person, present tense which is something I have not come across a lot. Coming from that point of view really gets you deep into the characters head and in the "now". I think it helps add an urgency to the events as they happen.

Tris is a  great character. She is strong and independent (I love strong female leads!) and very likable. I found myself cheering for her from beginning to end. Coming from a person who is afraid of everything, it was fun reading of her daring feats and bravery. I would not say this is a love story but there is a romantic story line weaved through the chapters in which I enjoyed. Parts of the story were a little hard core and the romance gave it a good balance.

Now be warned, there are a few violent scenes, nothing offensive according to my standards, but there was one thing that I found unnecessary. There is also a scene toward the end that contradicts a couple of previous scene's that are pretty major. I don't know if I just missed something but it left me a tad confused. But I enjoyed the story so much it was easy for me to over look.

Over all, I love this book and Veronica Roth has spun a tale to be proud of. The character growth and pace of the story are spot on. Pay attention to her folks, I have a feeling she's going to have a lot to offer.