Review: Divergent

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Published: 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Obtained: Bought

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.

I bought this purely because of all the hype surrounding it. And let me tell you, I was not let down. Let this be a lesson to you, when every book reviewer is clamoring to say how amazing a book is, it sounds interesting, and some people are saying it’s better than The Hunger Games, walk to a bookstore and buy it. Because seriously, this book is stinkin’ amazing.

I can’t begin to express my feelings towards this book in typed form, because there’s too much to say. However, I do not want to say too much because a lot of the joy I had reading this book was from the fact that I knew nothing about it aside from the above synopsis (which I have to say, does a fantastic job at being interesting and yet not revealing too much).

Everyone who knows me knows I LOVE The Hunger Games. All three are my top favorite books (in order). Okay so, Divergent, made fourth place. Or maybe even third. Basically, it’s right up there, not quite surpassing, but almost being equal with, The Hunger Games.
The problem with all these dystopian books lately is that many are similar. Divergent has some similarities to The Hunger Games, but it’s also very opposite. I don’t want to explain all the details about this society, but they are split up (like the districts) but the rebellion (all dystopian books have rebellion) is sort of opposite. In a way.

Tris is similar to Katniss in many ways, but she is also incredibly different. While Katniss restrains her emotions so often it’s aggravating, Tris relates her emotions and knows them, but fears them at the same time. Blargh, I just tried to explain more of this, but deleted it all. I can’t really explain it.

And Four…is simply amazing. :)

Ending words: Go. Read. This. Now.

Thanks.

Rating: 10/10

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Content Warning: Kissing, mild language