Friday, December 21, 2012

Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth



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.

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.




Language: Mild
Violence: Heavy
Sexual: Mild

Take a journey through the future, where everyone is able to choose a category they fit best in at age sixteen; a place where you will stay and follow the rules, or else you will be factionless and tossed into the streets, with few to help you get by.

Let me just get this fact out there in the open: I fell in love with Divergent.

Basically we are all Divergent. Our attitudes and actions are mixed together between all the factions. In this time, Divergence is normal. It’s what everyone is. But in this novel, Divergent may as well be a demon sent from hell. It’s unusual and yet not unexpected to not make it into any of the “normal” factions, but you will either be factionless or executed. You can act like you fit in, follow the rules, or you can take charge and fight for what’s right, with the high possibility of making it through the battle.

Many deaths were in this book, a whole lot of action and suspense that’ll make you chew on your nails in nervousness and almost fall right off the edge of your seat, and a romance that wasn’t over the top, which I was happy about. It’s awful when a gushy romance is too much for the story and it coats it in gooey insta-love, which also wasn’t the case here.

This book left me thinking long after I pried my eyes away from the intriguing story. How would you handle being brought up to be someone you aren’t? What would you do if you didn’t fit in any of the factions, if you didn’t want to follow the rules, and if you knew this world you lived in wasn’t fair and you would be willing to follow Tris and risk your life and others’ lives?

Cover: I love the cover! It’s very fitting, in my opinion, and original. Simple covers do not mean the story isn’t amazing.

Setting: A Dystopian world where everything is chosen for you.

Characters: Four: the man who is basically the assistant trainer in Divergent. He’s cruel, stubborn, and will push anyone their hardest. But deep down, he has a kind heart and will do anything to protect those he loves.
-Tris: the willful girl who is strong, fierce, and is still human enough that she is compassionate and tries to protect everyone, no matter the cost. Whether it’s putting her own life on the line or training in battle, Tris will win you over. And hopefully she will win the battle for the truth as well.
-Al: the betrayer. That’s all I have to say.
-Christina and Will: they were some of my favorite characters as well. Even though it seems more time than not that Christina should just shut her mouth and keep quiet, she was a great secondary character and won me over, along with the accompaniment of Will, who actually wasn’t in the book as much, but I loved him just the same and was extremely sad when… well, I can’t say…
-Peter, Molly, and Derek: I hate them. Sure, they’re Dauntless, but I wouldn’t call them brave. Brave people wouldn’t hurt others for the sake of winning the game or for their own benefit. That’s just cruel.
-Eric and others: most others were ones I had a strong dislike for, especially Eric. There were a few others that I do like, whose names have oddly escaped my mind at the moment…

Storyline: The beginning of this novel starts off as the usual Dystopian tale, which made me somewhat hesitant to continue if I hadn’t been sucked right into the story. But rest assured that this book is nothing like the usual ones out there. Just read it and you will understand.

Writing: It was so easy for me to lose myself in Tris’s voice. It’s right between simple and elaborate, but exceptionally enthralling and intriguing. It makes me feel as though I’m actually walking through this Dystopian world, following the rules and then breaking them, going through dangers and risking my life for those I love, right along with Tris, instead of making me feel like I’m just reading it.

Surprises: There were so many things in this book that I never saw coming, but I find I can’t state these surprises unless I want to spoil it for all of you. Which is tempting, but not my thing.

Overall: 5 stars! This book is one of the best that I’ve read in 2012. Even if you’re not a fan of the particular genre, there is everything in here that I can guarantee you will love if you give it a chance.

Recommended: I would recommend this book for years thirteen and over and for all of those who love unique Dystopian stories.


-         -“I might be in love with you.” He smiles a little. “I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though.”

-         -“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”

-         - “Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing.'

“Well,” he says, “I would only go if there was cake.”

-         - “Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” 

-         -“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.” 

-          -“I am selfish. I am brave.” 

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