Divergent

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Type: YA novel
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Action
Pages: 487 pages
Year of Release: 2011
Main Characters: 
Tobias (Four) 
Beatrice (Tris)
Stars (out of 5): 4.3
Publisher: Harper Collins


Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtues 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 threatens to unravel her seemingly-perfect society, she also learns that her secret might be what helps her save those she loves . . . or it might be what destroys her. 

Review: Divergent is as it's name claims it to be: Divergent. In other words, this book is different from any other. One of the many differences is that this story actually has a moral buried in all the action; being your true self in a world that gives you little options for what you can be. The moral makes it seem more like an adult novel rather than a young adult science fiction novel that it is. It's also different because like the Harry Potter series, this story has 5 different factions (like Harry Potter houses) and they make you wonder what faction you're in. They are the Abnegation, Amity, Dauntless, Erudite and Candor but unlike Harry Potter, you choose for yourself which faction you want to be in. That's the first challenge that Beatrice has to go through, pick a faction: either stay with her family and face a life that doesn't suit her or abandon her family. As we all knew she would, she left her family, like they say in the book: faction before blood. What we didn't expect was that she would pick *Beware of Spoilers* Dauntless of all factions!! That was one of my favorite parts of the book, it was sooo interesting  reading all the conflicts in her mind. In mean what's a really good book without a really good conflict?? What was also really interesting about this book was the way the Dauntless lived. (violent and action packed) Veronica Roth described everything so well that we could see the change in Beatrice (Tris) from a small unnoticed girl to a brave courageous woman. (thoroughly Dauntless!!) The twisted romance with her mentor was also pretty interesting to read about: not too little romance, not too much romance, it was just the right amount, and it didn't hurt to learn how Four (a name for a person) is actually connected with her past. (*wink, wink*) The one thing that I didn't like was how the antagonist was always pretty clear, even at the beginning . There were no surprises, and that was pretty disappointing. But overall, Veronica Roth epic dystopian world was a blast to read. If you're not afraid of a little bit of blood, violence and action, be sure to read Divergent.