Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Release Date – May 3, 2011
Publisher – Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Pages - 487
My Rating- 10/10

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

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.

I enjoy dystopian, especially when it is done right. Veronica Roth’s Divergent is how I like my dystopian.

The characters were the driving force of this novel. These are characters I cared about, rooted for, loved to hate, and just plain fell for. I adore Tris. She’s brave, tough, and is able to take care of herself. I love that she isn’t perfect. She is willing to lie, fight and manipulate to help the people she cares about (or herself when needed). I also love that the author did not make her gorgeous, or start her out as “plain” and have her revealed as gorgeous later. I think of Tris as being cute - she’s small and skinny. I like that she seems like an average girl. She is definitely someone I will be including on my next “Girls Who Rock” post.

The other character that I ended up LOVING is Four. He is my new book boy crush. The author completely gets it right with this character. He is the perfect mix of bad boy with a soft side that makes us fall for him. I could not help but be affected by his story and am looking forward to hearing more about him in the next two books.

The other characters that we meet are just as well written and developed. The people involved with Tris - her family, her fellow initiates - are all people I came to care about (or dislike depending on their role). It’s this that makes the novel so wonderful. It’s nice when you can feel like you’re experiencing the story along with the characters.

The dystopian aspect of the novel really made me think. I tried to think about which faction I would pick if I were in that position. I still don’t think I could choose just one faction that would represent me. I also thought about if I would be able to survive what Tris survives during this novel. I honestly don’t think I could. The initiation process provided a few situations that made me flinch. I was shocked at quite a few of the things she and the fellow initiates go through, and some of scenes will stay with me for a long time.

The romance in the book was exactly what I like out of my romance - sexy, but sweet at the same time. I liked that it developed on the slower side and was not rushed or instant. I almost like that I caught on before the characters did that they liked each other.

The last 50 pages or so is an intense fast paced ending that came much too quickly. I kept wanting there to be more so I could keep reading.

The pacing, the writing style, and the way the author is able to make you feel are all stand outs from the novel. It results in a taunt, page turning read that left me aching for the second book. Veronica Roth is a fantastic writer who is a welcome addition to my library. Pick this one up, you won’t be disappointed.