Tuesday 17 May 2011

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Source: Purchased
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper Collins)
Format: Hardcover
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.

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.
Divergent is an explosive thrill ride of pure awesome that I am unlikely to forget for a very, very long time.
The whole book was just... intense. My eyes were glued to the page and I refused to put it down. It kept me up late into the night and even after I finished it, I couldn't get it out of my head. I still can't get it out of my head.

Tris was an amazing main character. She's tough as nails but has also been shaped a lot by her past, building her into a strong character with a more compassionate side as well. I absolutely loved the relationship she had with Four. They challenged each other constantly, and I feel that in doing that, the best was really brought out in them both. When Tris needed a push in the right direction, Four was there. When she needed someone to let out her frustrations on, he was there. Together, they just formed a very strong bond that I sincerely enjoyed reading about.

I'll admit it - this is a pretty big book. It's close to 500 pages but I read it in less than a day. The action is non-stop and there wasn't a second that I felt was boring. Divergent is a dystopian that I had no trouble understanding - I understand the inner workings of the society, which is something I've sometimes struggled with in others of the same genre.

Overall, Divergent is one of those books that you should all go read. It was a heart-stopping, nail-biting adventure and I can't wait to delve back into the world Veronica Roth has created in the next book! Amazing.

Cover Comments: It's cool! Whenever I see the circle of fire, I think "RING OF SAURON!" Anything that can make me think of Lord of the Rings passes the test.

Additional Comment: By the way, I am 100% Amity. Who wants to jump off a building when you can lounge in the back of a truck, strumming a banjo? I sure don't.

13 comments:

  1. I'm glad you enjoyed this! I loved it also. Don't be a stranger; stop by my blog and say hi! I'm not sure if we're fellow followers, but I follow you!

    Looking forward to hearing back from you,
    Cory @ Anti-Drug Reads

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to read this book SO bad, I have yet to see a single bad review for it. Yours has just reinforced the idea that it HAS to be the next book I buy. :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes! Divergent was absolutely mind blowing! Tris is one of my favourite main characters because she's strong and tough, but she really has a great heart. Her relationship with Four has exactly what I look for in a relationship: trust, honesty, and support. They lean on each other when they need to but they're not dependent on each other to the point of insanity. The plot was action packed and always kept me on my toes. Can't wait for the sequel!

    & I went to the Dystopian Tour today at Indigo Yorkdale. Veronica and Oliver are so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I too have not heard one bad thing about this one. Thinkin' I might have to buy this one...and soon! :0)

    ReplyDelete
  5. GOOD. You should all be reading this one ;)

    Uh, Honey, can I just have you write my reviews from now on? LOL. That is exactly it! I can't wait for the sequel.

    Yaaaay! :D I'm going to the Brampton one tomorrow (IS EXCITED).

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm hearing good things about this one in several places. I'll add it to my TBR list. Thanks. I love the cover too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Divergent was amazing! I totally agree about the relationship between Four and Tris. I thought that it was done very well, and I can't wait to see even more of the two of them. Tris reminds me of Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, but that's just me. Haha, I'm not sure what faction I'd choose. Probably Dauntless or Candor. Great review!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow, a 500 page book in one day; you aren't kidding when you say it kept you glued to the pages, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Michelle - I hope you enjoy it!

    T.B. - Just you? Nah, I've heard it from plenty of people - I see what you mean. I'm always fascinated by the people that say Dauntless. I envy your bravery, roof jumper! Thanks :)

    TheBookGirl - I know, right? It was crazy. I didn't even realize how late it was until someone yelled at me to go to sleep.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Haha, love the Amity comment. I'm not sure what I would pick... I love the idea of Dauntless, the ideals it's supposed to rest upon. But getting beat up and jumping off trains and roofs and such? Yah, not so much my speed. :/

    This book is just AMAZING, I swear everyone loves it. I loved it so much I still read reviews and get happy when I see other people flailing over it, haha.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just find it so interesting how twisted and warped ALL the factions got (Veronica Roth told me I might change my mind about Amity at the signing - NOO!). I mean, the values each of them were built upon were great. Yeah, I'm way too lame to be dauntless, LOL.

    I know what you mean! I kind of obsessed over this book for a while and it's still on my mind. Seeing more people love it is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  12. LOVE your review! "Divergent" is one of my favorite books of all time now and I also cannot wait to read more about Tris and Four's adventure... I also stayed up late reading and was done in less than a day! And, I'm recommending this at my bookstore, too - "staff pick" sign is already up - to anyone and everyone who enjoys a thrilling story (not just for the YA crowd).

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks! :) I'm really excited to see what Insurgent will bring as well. I'm looking forward to learning more about the different factions. I love seeing the staff picks you guys have in your stores! Good taste ;)

    ReplyDelete