Veronica Roth
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books
Release Date: May 3rd 2011
Pages: 487
Pages: 487
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.
Chicago, Illinois. The town is divided into 5 factions: Abnegation for the selfless, Dauntless for the brave, Erudite for the knowledge-cravers, Candor for the honest and Amity for the peaceful. At 16, every boy and girl is submitted to an aptitude test, and according to the result, the boy or girl must choose a faction, for he will be a part of it for the rest of his life, or will be (God-forbid-it) factionless.
However, for Beatrice Prior, an Abnegation 16 years-old girl, things didn’t go according to the plan, because the truth is, she’s not like the others, she’s Divergent. And she has to keep the secret or the government will chase her and she won’t get out of it alive. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book made me want to create a special shelf: “Why didn’t I read this sooner?” I knew it had to be something big if it was nominated best fantasy and sci-fi book of the year 2011, it took me all this time to grab it and when I finally did, boy was I blown away!
The events just flew one after another, I didn’t get tired or bored, there was non-stop action and built excitement, and the writing was sharp and good: the scenes were described in detail; I mean I flinched each time someone got their ribs, nose, jaw or any other bones broken! It was full of surprises, but the timing was perfect, every event came smoothly, unpredictably; I was kept on edge the whole time.
Plus point: character depth . Each character was real, likable, with a story-background and that way I could emotionally connect with them. They were put through a lot and it affected them. Witnessing Beatrice’s transformation into Tris was fascinating and engrossing, she was somehow weak and a good little girl, afraid to act the way she always wanted: selfish and then she becomes fierce, fearless, strong, cold-eyed and brave. I’d like to see more heroines like that: not super kickass born and definitely not TSTL and useless ones; but a girl who blossoms into an Amazonian woman by her own.
The romance was paced and unplanned, there were some hints but very faint. Then: Boom! It just happened and it was natural and sweet and swoon-worthy just like Four.
By the end my heart broke so many times I lost count, it was my favorite part when everything escalated into a frenzy and the real deal started, I couldn’t drop the book or shift my eyes away for even a second.
My problem with dystopian novels is their lack of explanations on the reasons the world as we know it had come to this situation. What happened? Was it an apocalypse, a war, a revolution, an invasion? Or is it a parallel world? Life on another planet? Explain it to me damn it! And that ending wasn't satisfying; I hope I will get all my answers (or at least half of them) in book 2.
Rating: 4.75/5
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