Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Source: Purchased
Genre: Dystopian YA
Buy: Amazon ~*~ Barnes & Noble
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Caution: May contain spoilers

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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.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

This book. THIS BOOK. Was probably. The greatest thing since I read The Hunger Games.

I adored everything about it. Dystopian novels are becoming an absolute favorite of mine. Tris is so strong, and you can empathize with get in her thoughts and her views of society (the society she lives in and the society of people). The society has good ideas, valuing the different aspects a person can have. When they all work together in harmony, they can achieve anything. Yet, no matter what, corruption happens. People think they can control it but one person can set off the worse events, exploiting the worse qualities in others.

Let me tell ya… Four is my favorite book boyfriend now. FAVORITE. He is amazing. The way he treated Tris and helped her out in so many ways. He knew her strength, and eventually she knew it too. I pretty much fell in love with him. I kept looking forward to the next moment she would be in his presence.

Her mom was, wow, the BEST mom. It makes you think about your own parents, where they stand and how they live their lives to protect you. How there are so many thing we never know of our parents until we are adults and can look back on it.

The end was epic and perfect. Enough of a cliffhanger to make you want more. And enough of an end to make you sigh with a little relief and walk away happy and not overly anxious.

All in all, Divergent has this quality that pulls out your own sense of self and of justice. You are right there in the midst of it all and you never want to leave. You want to fall in love and go fight for what it right alongside Tris (or, you just want to BE Tris, I know I did). There were so many quotes I loved. I ended up tweeting a couple of them. They reminded me of myself and my thoughts on life. All the words jump off the page and into your heart forever to cherish them. Veronica Roth is outstanding. I am SO glad the second book, Insurgent, is coming out VERY soon (May 1st). Can’t. Freaking. Wait.

My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM