Review: Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Dystopian fiction
Four stars

Tris Prior lives in a society divided into five factions: Candor the honest, Abnegation the selfless, Dauntless the brave, Amity the peaceful, and Erudite the intelligent. Turning sixteen means choosing which virtue you will dedicate the rest of your life to. Growing up in Abnegation, Tris has always felt out of place, and the decision she makes at the choosing ceremony shocks those around her. She is soon thrown into an intense initiation period which will push her to the edge and challenge her beliefs. Surrounded by threats, secrets, and betrayal, she manages to find friends and even romance in a society that is not everything it seems.

So the book starts off pretty slow, but believe me, it speeds up. I think I had about seven heart attacks while reading this. I know teen dystopias are getting rather old, but Roth manages to bring some life to the genre - the factions, the characters, and just the focus of the novel are so refreshing. And the writing itself pulls you in. There's no fluff, just raw actions and emotions, which can be really intense at times. We're reading the story from Tris' perspective, so the reader really experiences the events right with her. This is great, except as a character she can often be unpredictable and hard to follow. I felt like I never quite understood her or fully got in her head, which created a bit of a disconnect. But it definitely kept me interested, because I had no idea how she would react to things. What I really enjoyed was her character, the trials she goes through, and her struggle with identity. That is the focus of the novel, and the romance almost becomes secondary. Her relationship is intense and dark and real, but it's not the whole picture. The book isn't about Tris finding herself through love, it's about courage and corruption and how far we can push ourselves before we break.

“Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.”

Finish the series: Insurgent and Allegiant, the third book coming out this year by Veronica Roth