Krystle's review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent
Veronica Roth
487 pages

Blurb-

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, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

 

 

I love, love, LOVE this book! Divergent is basically my first read in the dystopian young-adult genre. Honestly hearing about the movie a year or so ago in my Entertainment Weekly magazine is what sparked my interest, and having my TBR so stockpiled I'm ashamed to say that it's taken me this long to read it *sadface*. I wanted to hurry up and read the book before I saw the movie, and I'm so glad I did!!

The book is set up in dystopian Chicago, so different from how we live now, I'd probably be scared to death, ha! Everyone is split up into 5 different factions – Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, or Dauntless.

Abnegation are selfless, Candor are trustworthy, Erudite are intelligent, Amity are nurturers, and the Dauntless are fearless.

Whatever faction you're born into, that's all you know for the first 16 years of your life, then, you're considered an adult, and you take an aptitude test. It suggests what faction you would best belong in. Of course, this is just a suggestion and you don't have to choose to stay in the faction it recommends for you, you do still have the right to choose for yourself. However, if you do choose to leave the faction you've lived in your whole life, where your family resides, you basically shunn your family and leave to start a whole new life with people you don't know.

Which is exactly what Beatrice “Tris” Prior does.

I love the faction that she chooses, it fits her so well. The initiation process is a little rough to say the least, but that's what she gets for choosing them. Tris will face many challenges, make new friends, and even more enemies. She'll find romance when she was least expecting it, ultimately to end up on the brink of a revolution nobody saw coming. A revolt of the factions, I would have really liked a chance to slug the woman in charge of all of this turmoil myself!

I'm not one for spoiling the fun, so you'll have to take my word and read this outstanding book for yourselves. I Can't wait to see the movie version!

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Some things I enjoyed, without spoilers, I hope!

The capture the flag activity, was a blast, I've always wanted to do something like this with paint-balls. It sounded like so much fun. There's a scene where they're in an old dilapidated fairground, and they talk about the Ferris wheel.

“A Dauntless Ferris wheel wouldn't have cars. You would just hang on tight with your hands, and good luck to you.” Christina to Tris. - I died laughing, ha!!!

This thought that Tris had about holding hands has stuck with me since I read it.

“I never used to understand why people bothered to hold hands as they walked, but then he runs one of his fingertips down my palm, and I shiver and understand it completely.” - Love that!