Book Review: Divergent, Veronica Roth

Reading Level:      Young Adult 

Hardcover:           496 Pages 

Publisher:             HarperTeen 5/1/11

Parasols:                  5        

    

From Goodreads:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. 

The wonderful thing about this story was the execution.  It was brilliantly plotted, you weren't left dangling and you had a great story.  Tris is a character like Katniss and Katsa.  She's strong, she's willing to take chances and she refuses to be bullied around.  I like that Tris and her brother have broken free from the faction that they grew up in -- Abnegation.  Where they just belong and don't do.  Her brother chooses Erudite and Tris chooses Dauntless which is the faction that is causing the problems for the society.   


There is a bit of a love story here, but it's not the main focus, Four, as he is known finds himself drawn to Tris, but he knew her in a different lifetime ago.  She doesn't recognize him from her past.  


As someone who knows the Chicago landscape somewhat, the landscape became a character in its own right.  The El that goes through the city is the train that Tris and the other dauntless much jump on and off, is terrifying!  Take it from someone who is afraid of heights!


I devoured this book when it first came out and I thing everyone should at least give this book a read, you'll be pleasantly surprised with how tight it is.