Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Page Count: 487
Publication Date: January 1^st 2011
Obtained: Purchased

Synopsis:

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, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

What I Thought:

So although I’m kind of over the whole dystopian future thing, I thought I’d give this book a shot since everyone says it’s really good. I think the plot is okay and the writing is decent, I’ll just say that to start. I’m sure this has been said before but what I first noticed were the similarities to the Hunger Games so for example, the ‘factions’ were like ‘districts’.

The whole faction thing was kind of weird because I didn’t really know what each one did. What is the purpose of splitting them up into groups? In THG the districts have a purpose. In this book it seemed unnecessary. I get that each one has a specific personality trait so for example, Dauntless are brave and Candor are honest. But I keep reminding myself that the characters in the book are human and therefore probably would, in real life, fall into multiple factions so I can’t help but think realistically, wouldn’t everyone be divergent?

Now onto my next problem: I didn’t like Tris. I read different books because I want different stories with different characters. It’s boring when protagonists just follow the same style. Everyone is a tough-chick. Everyone is special and is good at everything. And there is always a love interest. I don’t understand Tris and Four as a couple. Why would they be interested in each other? Am I asking too many questions?

On a positive note there were no love triangles! Roth scores a few points here because it seems like every book has to a have love triangle, and that’s one trope that she decided to leave out.

This will probably be my last dystopian YA (probably). I don’t think I can handle any more of them to be honest.

Rating: 2/5