Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth


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, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her (goodreads).

1/2

To be honest, I didn't know if this book was my cup of tea, but man did the ending impress me!

Before I begin this review, CHICAGO CHICAGO, CHICAGO, CHICAGO! I must devour ANYTHING that acknowledges my city! Now moving on!

Like I stated earlier, I wasn't that impressed when I first cracked open this book. I think it was because I didn't like the Dauntless. People who willing to kill themselves to showcase their bravery and spend their days jumping off of moving trains because hey, that's what's cool. Needless to say, I would never choose Dauntless if I was in Tris's shoes but that has nothing to do with this novel. The ending of the book was a roller coaster of emotions and I definitely loved the great reveal and implications of future problems in the second novel. 

Tris is an interesting character. She wants to  be selfish once in a while, and she wants to recreate her identity. Basically any teenage girl can relate to Tris's desire to find her place in post-apocalyptic Chicago. I was really intrigued by all of Roth's characters, they weren't always nice, they all definitely had their own agendas, but they also meshed together really well. Especially the elusive Four whose back story made me giddy with excitement. 

The world was also something incredible. I think it was more special for me because I had to completely re imagine my home in this horrific world and it made me uneasy. It was entirely way too easy to imagine Lake Michigan as a swamp and Navy Pier an abandoned death trap. 

The story was told from Tris's point of view, and while I didn't agree with all of her thoughts, I loved how real she was. Tris is definitely not your infalliable female protagnist, she has weakness, she she strengths and she definitely has fears. 

This is an excellent book and I'm almost positive that it can  be recreated into a phenomenal movie




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