Title: Divergent
Series: Divergent Book 1
Author(s): Veronica Roth
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Publisher/Year: HarperTeen/2011
-Webpage: Veronica Roth Webpage
-Blog: Veronica Roth Blog

Synopsis:  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

Rating:
 

Review:  Wow.  This is one of the more hyped books in the blog-o-sphere right now, which hasn't worked out so well for me recently, but DIVERGENT lives up to the promise.  Part of this might be because the concept appeals to me greatly.  The idea of the Factions, like-minded individuals all living and working together as a community, pleases me.  You know your place in the world then.  No worrying about finding it.

The narrative style suited the book very well.  Beatrice (Tris after the Choosing ceremony) has a very straight forward way of describing her surroundings.  Her descriptions are detailed, but efficient.  She doesn't dwell on unimportant details, though she does repeat herself (in regards to how she feels about certain people) a lot.

Roth treats all sides of the equation equally.  She doesn't present one Faction as better than the others, nor does she condemn any one Faction.  Nor does she give broadstrokes to all the characters.  Even the despicable ones, like Peter or Eric, are given depth and understanding.  Doesn't make them better people, but it goes a long way from merely pointing at them and saying 'See? See? They do bad things!' and just leaving it at that.

Tris admires something from each Faction, maybe because of who she is (a 'Divergent') she's able to SEE that all sides have something to offer.  This is important to the storyline, especially later in the book, and something I'm anticipating Roth going into more details for.

Despite some things working out, or at least coming to a conclusion, this was a bleak book.  Not depressing exactly, but it left me feeling dismayed.  After everything that happens things just seem to get WORSE.  As the first book in a planned trilogy this is a clever way to hook me for the next book, but it doesn't mean I'm still not crossing my eyes in vexation.  



Buy Links
// Indiebound // Book Depository // Barnes and Noble