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.
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Young Adult Fiction
Divergent (Divergent #1)
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Genre(s)
Age Range
14+
Release Date
May 03, 2011
ISBN
978-0062024022
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Editor reviews
Average editor rating from: 2 user(s)
Divergent catapults the reader into future where society has taken a dramatic shift. The reader is thrust into the dystopian future of Chicago, Illinois. Veronica Roth keeps the reader spellbound from the very first chapter. Each page increases the anticipation to find out what will happen next.
In this dystopian future, Beatrice Prior is sixteen years old and the time has come for her to choose her faction, her future. Her family belongs to Abnegation, a selfless faction, that serves as the city governing force. Throughout her childhood, Beatrice never felt that she belonged. But leaving her faction means she can't see her family anymore. Once she finally decides which faction is for her, nobody thinks she is capable. Breatice, has to prove to everyone that she's strong and capable of anything. But there is one thing she can't tell or show anyone. Beatrice has a secret, a very dangerous secret. If the leaders of the factions discover what she is hiding; it could cost her her life.
Divergent is a thrill ride you never want to stop. I read this book in two days. I just couldn't put it down. I know I found myself deeply invested in the characters and Veronica Roth's plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. My only reservation is that the book, while handling very important themes, has a few graphic and mature scenes. Although I believe these scenes are necessary for plot, character, and theme development, Divergent may not be for younger readers. I would recommend this book for mature readers 13 and older.
In this dystopian future, Beatrice Prior is sixteen years old and the time has come for her to choose her faction, her future. Her family belongs to Abnegation, a selfless faction, that serves as the city governing force. Throughout her childhood, Beatrice never felt that she belonged. But leaving her faction means she can't see her family anymore. Once she finally decides which faction is for her, nobody thinks she is capable. Breatice, has to prove to everyone that she's strong and capable of anything. But there is one thing she can't tell or show anyone. Beatrice has a secret, a very dangerous secret. If the leaders of the factions discover what she is hiding; it could cost her her life.
Divergent is a thrill ride you never want to stop. I read this book in two days. I just couldn't put it down. I know I found myself deeply invested in the characters and Veronica Roth's plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. My only reservation is that the book, while handling very important themes, has a few graphic and mature scenes. Although I believe these scenes are necessary for plot, character, and theme development, Divergent may not be for younger readers. I would recommend this book for mature readers 13 and older.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Hunger Games left you craving more? Try Divergent
Divergent catapults the reader into future where society has taken a dramatic shift. The reader is thrust into the dystopian future of Chicago, Illinois. Veronica Roth keeps the reader spellbound from the very first chapter. Each page increases the anticipation to find out what will happen next.
In this dystopian future, Beatrice Prior is sixteen years old and the time has come for her to choose her faction, her future. Her family belongs to Abnegation, a selfless faction, that serves as the city governing force. Throughout her childhood, Beatrice never felt that she belonged. But leaving her faction means she can't see her family anymore. Once she finally decides which faction is for her, nobody thinks she is capable. Breatice, has to prove to everyone that she's strong and capable of anything. But there is one thing she can't tell or show anyone. Beatrice has a secret, a very dangerous secret. If the leaders of the factions discover what she is hiding; it could cost her her life.
Divergent is a thrill ride you never want to stop. I read this book in two days. I just couldn't put it down. I know I found myself deeply invested in the characters and Veronica Roth's plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat. My only reservation is that the book, while handling very important themes, has a few graphic and mature scenes. Although I believe these scenes are necessary for plot, character, and theme development, Divergent may not be for younger readers. I would recommend this book for mature readers 13 and older.
Good Points
Suspense-Keeps you on the edge of your seat. A book you can't put down.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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First, let's start with the characters. I cared for each and everyone of Ms. Roth's characters. That is not to say that I wanted good things for them, but I cared. I cared about what happened to them, I cared about what they said, where they went and how they acted. That is unusual in a book, at least for me. All of the characters hold a place in my heart, even the 'evil' ones. I just want to hit a few of the main characters because they deserve the extra attention.
Beatrice/Tris; What a strong role model for girls everywhere. She loves her family, but has to be true to herself as well. She makes a tough decision and then when things get tough, she sticks behind her decision. She doesn't give up. I honestly felt like I could feel what she was feeling.
Four; He had me captivated from the first page he was on. He is myserious (I mean, come on, his name is Four), tough, but there is also a soft part of him that comes out and I wanted more. I really enjoyed reading about his weaknesses and how vunerable he is.
Eric; With every story there has to be some sort of antagonist. Someone we love to hate. Eric is that person. He is ruthless, evil, mean to the core, has no sympathy and you never know what he is going to do. Even though I despised Eric, his character was so well written and I could not wait to find out what he was going to do next.
Second, the story. I was hooked from page 1. I was horrified at what Beatrice had to go through in order to become a true member of her faction. I cannot imagine having to make that sort of choice when only sixteen. Ms. Roth writes so well, I could really "see" this futuristic Chicago. With great action, heart breaking scenes, loving moments and edge of your seat writing, this is one of my favorite stories of the year by far.
I just really enjoyed the story overall. I could not put this book down. I was captivated on page 1. I really liked how the 5 factions were based on a Biblical virtue. And honestly, those virtues are all important in our everyday lives. I was on the edge of my seat when Beatrice made her faction decision, and I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book. I am now salivating for book two, which will not come out for awhile. I will refuse to wait patiently. If you enjoy dystopians, you NEED to read this book. I highly recommend it. I think I will read it again...and again...and again. 5/5 stars
Reviewed by
Jillian Van Leer, Editor
July 27, 2011
Last updated: July 29, 2011
Top 50 Reviewer - View all my reviews (236)
Beatrice/Tris; What a strong role model for girls everywhere. She loves her family, but has to be true to herself as well. She makes a tough decision and then when things get tough, she sticks behind her decision. She doesn't give up. I honestly felt like I could feel what she was feeling.
Four; He had me captivated from the first page he was on. He is myserious (I mean, come on, his name is Four), tough, but there is also a soft part of him that comes out and I wanted more. I really enjoyed reading about his weaknesses and how vunerable he is.
Eric; With every story there has to be some sort of antagonist. Someone we love to hate. Eric is that person. He is ruthless, evil, mean to the core, has no sympathy and you never know what he is going to do. Even though I despised Eric, his character was so well written and I could not wait to find out what he was going to do next.
Second, the story. I was hooked from page 1. I was horrified at what Beatrice had to go through in order to become a true member of her faction. I cannot imagine having to make that sort of choice when only sixteen. Ms. Roth writes so well, I could really "see" this futuristic Chicago. With great action, heart breaking scenes, loving moments and edge of your seat writing, this is one of my favorite stories of the year by far.
I just really enjoyed the story overall. I could not put this book down. I was captivated on page 1. I really liked how the 5 factions were based on a Biblical virtue. And honestly, those virtues are all important in our everyday lives. I was on the edge of my seat when Beatrice made her faction decision, and I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book. I am now salivating for book two, which will not come out for awhile. I will refuse to wait patiently. If you enjoy dystopians, you NEED to read this book. I highly recommend it. I think I will read it again...and again...and again. 5/5 stars
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Reviewed by
Jillian Van Leer, Editor
July 27, 2011
Last updated: July 29, 2011
Top 50 Reviewer - View all my reviews (236)
Best dystopian since 'The Hunger Games'
First, let's start with the characters. I cared for each and everyone of Ms. Roth's characters. That is not to say that I wanted good things for them, but I cared. I cared about what happened to them, I cared about what they said, where they went and how they acted. That is unusual in a book, at least for me. All of the characters hold a place in my heart, even the 'evil' ones. I just want to hit a few of the main characters because they deserve the extra attention.
Beatrice/Tris; What a strong role model for girls everywhere. She loves her family, but has to be true to herself as well. She makes a tough decision and then when things get tough, she sticks behind her decision. She doesn't give up. I honestly felt like I could feel what she was feeling.
Four; He had me captivated from the first page he was on. He is myserious (I mean, come on, his name is Four), tough, but there is also a soft part of him that comes out and I wanted more. I really enjoyed reading about his weaknesses and how vunerable he is.
Eric; With every story there has to be some sort of antagonist. Someone we love to hate. Eric is that person. He is ruthless, evil, mean to the core, has no sympathy and you never know what he is going to do. Even though I despised Eric, his character was so well written and I could not wait to find out what he was going to do next.
Second, the story. I was hooked from page 1. I was horrified at what Beatrice had to go through in order to become a true member of her faction. I cannot imagine having to make that sort of choice when only sixteen. Ms. Roth writes so well, I could really "see" this futuristic Chicago. With great action, heart breaking scenes, loving moments and edge of your seat writing, this is one of my favorite stories of the year by far.
I just really enjoyed the story overall. I could not put this book down. I was captivated on page 1. I really liked how the 5 factions were based on a Biblical virtue. And honestly, those virtues are all important in our everyday lives. I was on the edge of my seat when Beatrice made her faction decision, and I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book. I am now salivating for book two, which will not come out for awhile. I will refuse to wait patiently. If you enjoy dystopians, you NEED to read this book. I highly recommend it. I think I will read it again...and again...and again. 5/5 stars
Good Points
This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Beatrice is a giving, strong character, she is a great role model.
The characters have lots of depth and I cared for all of them.
Beatrice is a giving, strong character, she is a great role model.
The characters have lots of depth and I cared for all of them.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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User reviews View all user reviews
Average user rating from: 46 user(s)
I absolutely loved the idea of factions! It seems like something likely to happen after a major event to put everyone in nice little boxes, and keep order. However, I felt like the factions were just over-exaggerated stereotypes. I had a hard time believing that people would behave that way without brainwashing. For example what does having 37 piercings and jumping out of a speeding train have to do with bravery? Nothing, it’s just reckless. If they’re the ones who are suppose to protect the people, why are they behaving in a way that’s likely to get them maimed and killed? Also, how is self defensive and eating hamburgers self indulgent or selfish? It just doesn’t make any sense to me. And I’m pretty sure you don’t need hipster glasses to pursue knowledge, especially if you have perfect vision.
Sure bravery and selflessness are great qualities to value, but the level of exaggeration of their actions (or inaction) bothered me. This one-mindedness was briefly acknowledged towards the end, but the explanation just wasn’t good enough. I never was able to accept this world and it hindered my enjoyment of the novel.
I did like Tris though. She had her own thoughts and opinions, and didn’t follow the one-track mindedness of the factions. But I suppose there wouldn’t be a story if she was just another faction member. She was something known as “divergent” but what that means, no one knows, but it might get her killed if anyone finds out. It’s a super interesting concept, but we don’t get many answers about what exactly divergence is or why it happens. Perhaps in future books?
Divergent does end on a cliffhanger, which is the only reason why I’ll probably read the second book. Maybe there will be some more world building that can explain more of why things are the way they are. Plus I’d like to see more of the Amity faction, which seems like it will be a bigger part of the next book.
Sure bravery and selflessness are great qualities to value, but the level of exaggeration of their actions (or inaction) bothered me. This one-mindedness was briefly acknowledged towards the end, but the explanation just wasn’t good enough. I never was able to accept this world and it hindered my enjoyment of the novel.
I did like Tris though. She had her own thoughts and opinions, and didn’t follow the one-track mindedness of the factions. But I suppose there wouldn’t be a story if she was just another faction member. She was something known as “divergent” but what that means, no one knows, but it might get her killed if anyone finds out. It’s a super interesting concept, but we don’t get many answers about what exactly divergence is or why it happens. Perhaps in future books?
Divergent does end on a cliffhanger, which is the only reason why I’ll probably read the second book. Maybe there will be some more world building that can explain more of why things are the way they are. Plus I’d like to see more of the Amity faction, which seems like it will be a bigger part of the next book.
| Overall rating | 2.3 | |
| Plot | 1.0 | |
| Characters | 3.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
Divergent
I absolutely loved the idea of factions! It seems like something likely to happen after a major event to put everyone in nice little boxes, and keep order. However, I felt like the factions were just over-exaggerated stereotypes. I had a hard time believing that people would behave that way without brainwashing. For example what does having 37 piercings and jumping out of a speeding train have to do with bravery? Nothing, it’s just reckless. If they’re the ones who are suppose to protect the people, why are they behaving in a way that’s likely to get them maimed and killed? Also, how is self defensive and eating hamburgers self indulgent or selfish? It just doesn’t make any sense to me. And I’m pretty sure you don’t need hipster glasses to pursue knowledge, especially if you have perfect vision.
Sure bravery and selflessness are great qualities to value, but the level of exaggeration of their actions (or inaction) bothered me. This one-mindedness was briefly acknowledged towards the end, but the explanation just wasn’t good enough. I never was able to accept this world and it hindered my enjoyment of the novel.
I did like Tris though. She had her own thoughts and opinions, and didn’t follow the one-track mindedness of the factions. But I suppose there wouldn’t be a story if she was just another faction member. She was something known as “divergent” but what that means, no one knows, but it might get her killed if anyone finds out. It’s a super interesting concept, but we don’t get many answers about what exactly divergence is or why it happens. Perhaps in future books?
Divergent does end on a cliffhanger, which is the only reason why I’ll probably read the second book. Maybe there will be some more world building that can explain more of why things are the way they are. Plus I’d like to see more of the Amity faction, which seems like it will be a bigger part of the next book.
Do You Recommend?
No
Was this review helpful to you?
I just did not like this book.
| Overall rating | 2.0 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 1.0 | |
| Writing Style | 1.0 |
Not a recommend by me
I just did not like this book.
Bad Points
What was all the hype for I couldn't even make it to the end! No way sorry Divergent fans I will save my money on the 2nd book. Maybe I will give to a friend, to see how they feel. If I'm the only one who didn't like this book I am ok with that.
These are my finally thoughts
WHAT?
WHAT? and more WHAT?
I guess you either loved it or like me totally disliked it:(
These are my finally thoughts
WHAT?
WHAT? and more WHAT?
I guess you either loved it or like me totally disliked it:(
Do You Recommend?
No
Was this review helpful to you?
this was the best book I have ever read that was distopian. When I started i could not stop. I was hooked.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!
this was the best book I have ever read that was distopian. When I started i could not stop. I was hooked.
Good Points
it was entertaining
lots of OMG moments
keeps you reading it till the end.
very discriptive
and of course it awesome!!!!!!!
lots of OMG moments
keeps you reading it till the end.
very discriptive
and of course it awesome!!!!!!!
Bad Points
NOTHING!!!!!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
This is a really really great book.
Beatrice Prior is living in a dystopian world where her 'country' is split into 5 'factions' that each value one moral (peacefulness, braveness, intelligence...) and on your sixteenth birthday you take this test (the aptitude test) which sorts you into one of the five factions, and then the next day you choose which faction you wish to go in.
But Beatrice has aptitude for 3 factions.
Which is unheard of, and is called being Divergent.
Other Divergents have been shot and killed.
And so all hell breaks loose.
It was action packed, romancey, and philosophical. Such a great novel from a really talented new voice.
Beatrice Prior is living in a dystopian world where her 'country' is split into 5 'factions' that each value one moral (peacefulness, braveness, intelligence...) and on your sixteenth birthday you take this test (the aptitude test) which sorts you into one of the five factions, and then the next day you choose which faction you wish to go in.
But Beatrice has aptitude for 3 factions.
Which is unheard of, and is called being Divergent.
Other Divergents have been shot and killed.
And so all hell breaks loose.
It was action packed, romancey, and philosophical. Such a great novel from a really talented new voice.
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 4.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Literally one of the best dystopians out there.
This is a really really great book.
Beatrice Prior is living in a dystopian world where her 'country' is split into 5 'factions' that each value one moral (peacefulness, braveness, intelligence...) and on your sixteenth birthday you take this test (the aptitude test) which sorts you into one of the five factions, and then the next day you choose which faction you wish to go in.
But Beatrice has aptitude for 3 factions.
Which is unheard of, and is called being Divergent.
Other Divergents have been shot and killed.
And so all hell breaks loose.
It was action packed, romancey, and philosophical. Such a great novel from a really talented new voice.
Good Points
The premise/world building, and action.
Bad Points
Tris is somewhat unlikeable but she gets better towards the end of the book.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
It didn't take me long to get immersed in Beatrice's story. I felt for her that she didn't exactly fit in and felt she was on the edge of her faction, the people that her family belonged to, the ones that she grew up with. When she takes the test to help her determine her faction, she realizes why. When she chose to leave her faction, I felt for her, but also admired her bravery. I don't know that I could leave everything I knew, and my family for the unknown.
Beatrice, or Tris is kick-butt and I liked watching her really determine what she thought was right and learn to stand up for it. With each trial in front of her, she realized more of her motivations and that she couldn't be boiled down to just one word, one character trait.
I appreciated getting to know Christina, another transfer and watch them learn about the faction and face challenges together.
I was kinda shocked at some of the betrayals and decisions that a few of the characters made. I was left in this position of almost seeing where they were coming from, but never being able to justify it. Then there were the actions of certain members in leadership that I don't think I will ever be able to forgive.
Four was a constant mystery to me, I wasn't sure where his motives lay and especially at first, couldn't get a good read on him.
Divergent was definitely entertaining, and I will be reading the next one. I liked it, but I do have to say that I have read other dystopias that I liked better. It was good, but not mind blowing to me. I think that I wanted more information than this book gave me about exactly what being a divergent meant and why it was such a secret. We see clues, and I guess that I understand why we don't see the whole picture, but it was just too clouded in secrecy and I didn't understand why. I also needed a bit more world building. I felt like I knew the qualities of the factions oh so well, because they were explained over and over, but not so much why they were there or how they worked in the world that is different from ours, and I am not really sure why.
This is a very gritty book, it has violence, a bit of gore, and hard issues. It was hard to read about the characters I'd come to care about fighting each other, getting beat up, and going through other trials. It was also hard knowing that not all of them would make it until the end. Every time something happened, I wanted to halfway close my eyes because I didn't want one of the characters I'd just started liking, or had respected from the beginning become an outcast.
Bottom line: Enjoyable start to a trilogy. I liked it but it did not live up to the hype for me. While I really liked Beatrice and the characters, something didn't completely click with me.
Beatrice, or Tris is kick-butt and I liked watching her really determine what she thought was right and learn to stand up for it. With each trial in front of her, she realized more of her motivations and that she couldn't be boiled down to just one word, one character trait.
I appreciated getting to know Christina, another transfer and watch them learn about the faction and face challenges together.
I was kinda shocked at some of the betrayals and decisions that a few of the characters made. I was left in this position of almost seeing where they were coming from, but never being able to justify it. Then there were the actions of certain members in leadership that I don't think I will ever be able to forgive.
Four was a constant mystery to me, I wasn't sure where his motives lay and especially at first, couldn't get a good read on him.
Divergent was definitely entertaining, and I will be reading the next one. I liked it, but I do have to say that I have read other dystopias that I liked better. It was good, but not mind blowing to me. I think that I wanted more information than this book gave me about exactly what being a divergent meant and why it was such a secret. We see clues, and I guess that I understand why we don't see the whole picture, but it was just too clouded in secrecy and I didn't understand why. I also needed a bit more world building. I felt like I knew the qualities of the factions oh so well, because they were explained over and over, but not so much why they were there or how they worked in the world that is different from ours, and I am not really sure why.
This is a very gritty book, it has violence, a bit of gore, and hard issues. It was hard to read about the characters I'd come to care about fighting each other, getting beat up, and going through other trials. It was also hard knowing that not all of them would make it until the end. Every time something happened, I wanted to halfway close my eyes because I didn't want one of the characters I'd just started liking, or had respected from the beginning become an outcast.
Bottom line: Enjoyable start to a trilogy. I liked it but it did not live up to the hype for me. While I really liked Beatrice and the characters, something didn't completely click with me.
| Overall rating | 4.0 | |
| Plot | 3.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | N/A |
Enjoyable start to a trilogy. I liked it but it did not live up to the hype for me. ]
It didn't take me long to get immersed in Beatrice's story. I felt for her that she didn't exactly fit in and felt she was on the edge of her faction, the people that her family belonged to, the ones that she grew up with. When she takes the test to help her determine her faction, she realizes why. When she chose to leave her faction, I felt for her, but also admired her bravery. I don't know that I could leave everything I knew, and my family for the unknown.
Beatrice, or Tris is kick-butt and I liked watching her really determine what she thought was right and learn to stand up for it. With each trial in front of her, she realized more of her motivations and that she couldn't be boiled down to just one word, one character trait.
I appreciated getting to know Christina, another transfer and watch them learn about the faction and face challenges together.
I was kinda shocked at some of the betrayals and decisions that a few of the characters made. I was left in this position of almost seeing where they were coming from, but never being able to justify it. Then there were the actions of certain members in leadership that I don't think I will ever be able to forgive.
Four was a constant mystery to me, I wasn't sure where his motives lay and especially at first, couldn't get a good read on him.
Divergent was definitely entertaining, and I will be reading the next one. I liked it, but I do have to say that I have read other dystopias that I liked better. It was good, but not mind blowing to me. I think that I wanted more information than this book gave me about exactly what being a divergent meant and why it was such a secret. We see clues, and I guess that I understand why we don't see the whole picture, but it was just too clouded in secrecy and I didn't understand why. I also needed a bit more world building. I felt like I knew the qualities of the factions oh so well, because they were explained over and over, but not so much why they were there or how they worked in the world that is different from ours, and I am not really sure why.
This is a very gritty book, it has violence, a bit of gore, and hard issues. It was hard to read about the characters I'd come to care about fighting each other, getting beat up, and going through other trials. It was also hard knowing that not all of them would make it until the end. Every time something happened, I wanted to halfway close my eyes because I didn't want one of the characters I'd just started liking, or had respected from the beginning become an outcast.
Bottom line: Enjoyable start to a trilogy. I liked it but it did not live up to the hype for me. While I really liked Beatrice and the characters, something didn't completely click with me.
Was this review helpful to you?
I like big books, y’all. Big, thick hardbacks or paperbacks with lots of adjectives and page turning twists. So how could I pass up Divergent?
Divergent is chockablock full of excitement. Everything is constantly a rush of anticipation at what Tris/Beatrice would get herself into next. Or where Four/Tobias would lead her. Or if and when the factions would revolt.
I’ve grown to love Dystopian books. Especially ones where the community is set up into smaller communities run by some deranged government. It’s the factions that pulled me in here. Each equipped with its own special trait of choice. I’m very interested to see where the next books take us.
Now, Four. I’m finding it hard to find any fault in him. He was simply charming. Equal parts kick ass hero and delightfully adorable normal guy.
Just about every other supporting character was great. All with their own quirks. Interested to see what Christina will do in the next one!
Divergent is chockablock full of excitement. Everything is constantly a rush of anticipation at what Tris/Beatrice would get herself into next. Or where Four/Tobias would lead her. Or if and when the factions would revolt.
I’ve grown to love Dystopian books. Especially ones where the community is set up into smaller communities run by some deranged government. It’s the factions that pulled me in here. Each equipped with its own special trait of choice. I’m very interested to see where the next books take us.
Now, Four. I’m finding it hard to find any fault in him. He was simply charming. Equal parts kick ass hero and delightfully adorable normal guy.
Just about every other supporting character was great. All with their own quirks. Interested to see what Christina will do in the next one!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Divergent
I like big books, y’all. Big, thick hardbacks or paperbacks with lots of adjectives and page turning twists. So how could I pass up Divergent?
Divergent is chockablock full of excitement. Everything is constantly a rush of anticipation at what Tris/Beatrice would get herself into next. Or where Four/Tobias would lead her. Or if and when the factions would revolt.
I’ve grown to love Dystopian books. Especially ones where the community is set up into smaller communities run by some deranged government. It’s the factions that pulled me in here. Each equipped with its own special trait of choice. I’m very interested to see where the next books take us.
Now, Four. I’m finding it hard to find any fault in him. He was simply charming. Equal parts kick ass hero and delightfully adorable normal guy.
Just about every other supporting character was great. All with their own quirks. Interested to see what Christina will do in the next one!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
First off, I have to commend Veronica Roth on going as intense and as dark as she did. Often times, I feel like authors want to write a truly gripping novel, but often back down from fully committing out of fear of retaliation from the readers. However, Roth sticks you on this roller-coaster from the very beginning, straps you in, sets the speed to keep-your-heart-lodged-in-your-throat-and-your-stomach-at-your-toes, and you just pray you make it to the finish line unscathed.
Beatrice (Tris) Prior is a sixteen year old girl on the cusp of making the biggest decision of her life. In a dystopian setting, what we now know is Chicago has been divided into five factions. These sectors are divided into the cultivation of certain virtues- Abnegation(the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the fearless), and Amity (the peaceful). Brought up in the faction of her parents, Abnegation, Tris can either choose to stay there or risk never seeing her loved ones again and pick another place and lifestyle to call her own.
The thing that I truly loved about this book is the right of choice. In most books of this particular genre, it always seems like the main character's life has been predetermined for them. The adversary tells them what to wear, who to love, where to live, and how to live. This isn't the case in "Divergent." Each sixteen year old is given an aptitude test to help them understand which faction is better suited to their personality, but the ultimate decision is up to them. Just as Beatrice says, "The tests don't have to change our choices."
This story is basically the grueling initiation process of where Tris decides she wants to be. It's the growth of her character as her mind, body, and spirit are put to the test time and time again. I felt invested in her storyline, her life, and her survival as well as those around her. Her overall characterization was refreshing and likable. I adored her sarcasm and strength, as well as her determination to prove to herself that she may look weak, but she's not.
As far as the secondary characters, I loved many and loathed a few. I actually really appreciated the diversity because at least I had an opinion of them at all. All the characters felt necessary and three-dimensional, thus adding to the depth of the plot and my investment in the story. Then, there's Four. He's the mysterious, swoon-inducing yet often times frustrating and indifferent male lead. There's not much I can say without spoilage, but just know that he made me weak in the knees and every single touch made me a shivering, flailing mess.
This is one that I would buy and reread multiple times. I absolutely can not wait to read the rest in the series, and I have good faith that they'll be just as good, if not better.
Veronica Roth, you rock my socks!
Beatrice (Tris) Prior is a sixteen year old girl on the cusp of making the biggest decision of her life. In a dystopian setting, what we now know is Chicago has been divided into five factions. These sectors are divided into the cultivation of certain virtues- Abnegation(the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the fearless), and Amity (the peaceful). Brought up in the faction of her parents, Abnegation, Tris can either choose to stay there or risk never seeing her loved ones again and pick another place and lifestyle to call her own.
The thing that I truly loved about this book is the right of choice. In most books of this particular genre, it always seems like the main character's life has been predetermined for them. The adversary tells them what to wear, who to love, where to live, and how to live. This isn't the case in "Divergent." Each sixteen year old is given an aptitude test to help them understand which faction is better suited to their personality, but the ultimate decision is up to them. Just as Beatrice says, "The tests don't have to change our choices."
This story is basically the grueling initiation process of where Tris decides she wants to be. It's the growth of her character as her mind, body, and spirit are put to the test time and time again. I felt invested in her storyline, her life, and her survival as well as those around her. Her overall characterization was refreshing and likable. I adored her sarcasm and strength, as well as her determination to prove to herself that she may look weak, but she's not.
As far as the secondary characters, I loved many and loathed a few. I actually really appreciated the diversity because at least I had an opinion of them at all. All the characters felt necessary and three-dimensional, thus adding to the depth of the plot and my investment in the story. Then, there's Four. He's the mysterious, swoon-inducing yet often times frustrating and indifferent male lead. There's not much I can say without spoilage, but just know that he made me weak in the knees and every single touch made me a shivering, flailing mess.
This is one that I would buy and reread multiple times. I absolutely can not wait to read the rest in the series, and I have good faith that they'll be just as good, if not better.
Veronica Roth, you rock my socks!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Utterly gripping and wildly intense!
First off, I have to commend Veronica Roth on going as intense and as dark as she did. Often times, I feel like authors want to write a truly gripping novel, but often back down from fully committing out of fear of retaliation from the readers. However, Roth sticks you on this roller-coaster from the very beginning, straps you in, sets the speed to keep-your-heart-lodged-in-your-throat-and-your-stomach-at-your-toes, and you just pray you make it to the finish line unscathed.
Beatrice (Tris) Prior is a sixteen year old girl on the cusp of making the biggest decision of her life. In a dystopian setting, what we now know is Chicago has been divided into five factions. These sectors are divided into the cultivation of certain virtues- Abnegation(the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the fearless), and Amity (the peaceful). Brought up in the faction of her parents, Abnegation, Tris can either choose to stay there or risk never seeing her loved ones again and pick another place and lifestyle to call her own.
The thing that I truly loved about this book is the right of choice. In most books of this particular genre, it always seems like the main character's life has been predetermined for them. The adversary tells them what to wear, who to love, where to live, and how to live. This isn't the case in "Divergent." Each sixteen year old is given an aptitude test to help them understand which faction is better suited to their personality, but the ultimate decision is up to them. Just as Beatrice says, "The tests don't have to change our choices."
This story is basically the grueling initiation process of where Tris decides she wants to be. It's the growth of her character as her mind, body, and spirit are put to the test time and time again. I felt invested in her storyline, her life, and her survival as well as those around her. Her overall characterization was refreshing and likable. I adored her sarcasm and strength, as well as her determination to prove to herself that she may look weak, but she's not.
As far as the secondary characters, I loved many and loathed a few. I actually really appreciated the diversity because at least I had an opinion of them at all. All the characters felt necessary and three-dimensional, thus adding to the depth of the plot and my investment in the story. Then, there's Four. He's the mysterious, swoon-inducing yet often times frustrating and indifferent male lead. There's not much I can say without spoilage, but just know that he made me weak in the knees and every single touch made me a shivering, flailing mess.
This is one that I would buy and reread multiple times. I absolutely can not wait to read the rest in the series, and I have good faith that they'll be just as good, if not better.
Veronica Roth, you rock my socks!
Good Points
Four, that is all!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
Loved this book, could not and did not want to put it down. Tris is a great heroine and look forward to reading the next book. Loved Tris strength, determination and passion to follow her own path.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Wow
Loved this book, could not and did not want to put it down. Tris is a great heroine and look forward to reading the next book. Loved Tris strength, determination and passion to follow her own path.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
This is definitely the next big series!! I would not, could not put this book down!!!! It's got the action of Hunger Games, the love story of The Mortal Instruments, which in my book, makes it absolutely perfect!
Tris is an amazing heroine--not fearless, but ambitious and determined. She does not let anyone push her around. Yet, she is still vulnerable. In fact, those moments where we see failure, tears, and bruises are the moments that make me relate to her the most. She's not a superhero which makes Divergent believable. I felt like I was watching the future unfold before my eyes! And I can't wait for the future of this series to be revealed!
AND THEN THERE WAS FOUR!
Oh gosh, I don't even know where to start. One of my absolute favorite hunky guys! He's dark, mysterious, and quite fierce on the outside--just the way I like my men. But then take a closer look. I love the way Veronica Roth lets us peer into his head and see what frightens him, what frustrates him, and what entices him!
This is a must read. If you haven't read it, I demand you go straight to the bookstore and purchase it! You won't be let down!
Tris is an amazing heroine--not fearless, but ambitious and determined. She does not let anyone push her around. Yet, she is still vulnerable. In fact, those moments where we see failure, tears, and bruises are the moments that make me relate to her the most. She's not a superhero which makes Divergent believable. I felt like I was watching the future unfold before my eyes! And I can't wait for the future of this series to be revealed!
AND THEN THERE WAS FOUR!
Oh gosh, I don't even know where to start. One of my absolute favorite hunky guys! He's dark, mysterious, and quite fierce on the outside--just the way I like my men. But then take a closer look. I love the way Veronica Roth lets us peer into his head and see what frightens him, what frustrates him, and what entices him!
This is a must read. If you haven't read it, I demand you go straight to the bookstore and purchase it! You won't be let down!
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Amazing
This is definitely the next big series!! I would not, could not put this book down!!!! It's got the action of Hunger Games, the love story of The Mortal Instruments, which in my book, makes it absolutely perfect!
Tris is an amazing heroine--not fearless, but ambitious and determined. She does not let anyone push her around. Yet, she is still vulnerable. In fact, those moments where we see failure, tears, and bruises are the moments that make me relate to her the most. She's not a superhero which makes Divergent believable. I felt like I was watching the future unfold before my eyes! And I can't wait for the future of this series to be revealed!
AND THEN THERE WAS FOUR!
Oh gosh, I don't even know where to start. One of my absolute favorite hunky guys! He's dark, mysterious, and quite fierce on the outside--just the way I like my men. But then take a closer look. I love the way Veronica Roth lets us peer into his head and see what frightens him, what frustrates him, and what entices him!
This is a must read. If you haven't read it, I demand you go straight to the bookstore and purchase it! You won't be let down!
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
I just had to re-read Divergent after I realized that I never reviewed it the first time. What can I say? When a book takes your breath away as easily as this one does, it's hard to write a coherent review. Now that I've taken another shot at it, well it's not going to be much easier but I'll try to make sense! Let the fan girl reviewing commence!
Veronica Roth has built an entirely new dystopian society. One that relies on factions to keep things at peace. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that peace is only a superficial sham. What follows is a story that made me burn through these 400+ pages in a matter of hours. Divergent isn't something that you should start to read before bed time. It's the type of book that you'll want to finish once you start, whether you currently have the time or not. The writing is gorgeous, the society is perfectly built. Let's face it. There isn't a single thing that I didn't love about this book.
Which brings me to the characters. Seriously, the best part of this story. Tris and Four normal people. Realistic in their flaws and strengths. They are strong characters who are so easy to get behind. Tris isn't a shrinking violet. She isn't someone who sits around and waits for other people to take care of her. No, Tris can take care of anything that comes her way, even when she's terrified while doing it. She may selfish and temperamental at times, but that just shows the reality of who she is. Pardon my French, but Tris is bad-ass!
Then there is Four. Tris' equal and opposite all rolled into one. Strong willed, and yet with a heart. I loved how he didn't treat Tris as a weak-willed girl. He treated her as someone who was worth his time. Oh, and the best part? No love triangle! Do you know how refreshing that is? It's just Tris and Four, two people who are stubborn, strong-willed and care for one another despite all odds. This was a huge part of why I loved Divergent so much.
I've been looking for a series to fill the hole that The Hunger Games series left behind. Something with a driven plot and a kick-ass heroine. This book? Completely filled that void. I finished reading Divergent with my mouth wide open. All I know now is that I need to get my hands on the next book in the series as soon as possible. This is book addiction at its finest, and I'm more than willing to give in to it.
Veronica Roth has built an entirely new dystopian society. One that relies on factions to keep things at peace. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that peace is only a superficial sham. What follows is a story that made me burn through these 400+ pages in a matter of hours. Divergent isn't something that you should start to read before bed time. It's the type of book that you'll want to finish once you start, whether you currently have the time or not. The writing is gorgeous, the society is perfectly built. Let's face it. There isn't a single thing that I didn't love about this book.
Which brings me to the characters. Seriously, the best part of this story. Tris and Four normal people. Realistic in their flaws and strengths. They are strong characters who are so easy to get behind. Tris isn't a shrinking violet. She isn't someone who sits around and waits for other people to take care of her. No, Tris can take care of anything that comes her way, even when she's terrified while doing it. She may selfish and temperamental at times, but that just shows the reality of who she is. Pardon my French, but Tris is bad-ass!
Then there is Four. Tris' equal and opposite all rolled into one. Strong willed, and yet with a heart. I loved how he didn't treat Tris as a weak-willed girl. He treated her as someone who was worth his time. Oh, and the best part? No love triangle! Do you know how refreshing that is? It's just Tris and Four, two people who are stubborn, strong-willed and care for one another despite all odds. This was a huge part of why I loved Divergent so much.
I've been looking for a series to fill the hole that The Hunger Games series left behind. Something with a driven plot and a kick-ass heroine. This book? Completely filled that void. I finished reading Divergent with my mouth wide open. All I know now is that I need to get my hands on the next book in the series as soon as possible. This is book addiction at its finest, and I'm more than willing to give in to it.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Compulsively Readable, Trust Me.
I just had to re-read Divergent after I realized that I never reviewed it the first time. What can I say? When a book takes your breath away as easily as this one does, it's hard to write a coherent review. Now that I've taken another shot at it, well it's not going to be much easier but I'll try to make sense! Let the fan girl reviewing commence!
Veronica Roth has built an entirely new dystopian society. One that relies on factions to keep things at peace. Unfortunately for everyone involved, that peace is only a superficial sham. What follows is a story that made me burn through these 400+ pages in a matter of hours. Divergent isn't something that you should start to read before bed time. It's the type of book that you'll want to finish once you start, whether you currently have the time or not. The writing is gorgeous, the society is perfectly built. Let's face it. There isn't a single thing that I didn't love about this book.
Which brings me to the characters. Seriously, the best part of this story. Tris and Four normal people. Realistic in their flaws and strengths. They are strong characters who are so easy to get behind. Tris isn't a shrinking violet. She isn't someone who sits around and waits for other people to take care of her. No, Tris can take care of anything that comes her way, even when she's terrified while doing it. She may selfish and temperamental at times, but that just shows the reality of who she is. Pardon my French, but Tris is bad-ass!
Then there is Four. Tris' equal and opposite all rolled into one. Strong willed, and yet with a heart. I loved how he didn't treat Tris as a weak-willed girl. He treated her as someone who was worth his time. Oh, and the best part? No love triangle! Do you know how refreshing that is? It's just Tris and Four, two people who are stubborn, strong-willed and care for one another despite all odds. This was a huge part of why I loved Divergent so much.
I've been looking for a series to fill the hole that The Hunger Games series left behind. Something with a driven plot and a kick-ass heroine. This book? Completely filled that void. I finished reading Divergent with my mouth wide open. All I know now is that I need to get my hands on the next book in the series as soon as possible. This is book addiction at its finest, and I'm more than willing to give in to it.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
Was this review helpful to you?
I set out on this review carefully, and in hopes that people will not hate me too much for it. I did not love Divergent; in fact, I wavered between a rating of 2.5 and 3. Part of the problem, I suspect, is likely the hype. The fandom did such a good job of convincing me that this dystopia was flipping awesome that I bought it at full price without having read it, something I pretty much never do...for good reason, apparently. To my mind, Divergent does not deserve the crazy amounts of hype, and definitely is not one of the better dystopias I've read.
My problems, though, are much more widespread than just expectations set to high because of the blogosphere's immense love for this book. Let's just go in order as I experienced my big three issues, shall we? First off, there's the writing. I realized on the first page that Roth writes in the stereotypical YA style that I loathe: short sentences that are rarely compound, mostly simple words, and lots of dashes. The writing in Divergent is only marginally better than the writing in Twilight. I make this comparison not because it's common to compare every YA book to Twilight, but because that really is the book Roth's writing reminded me of.
Next up is the world-building. Maybe it's just me but this society does not make one lick of sense. You probably know, if you follow YA fiction at all, that this world is divided up into five factions based on a personality trait: Erudite (intelligence), Dauntless (bravery), Abnegation (selflessness), Candor (honesty), and Amity (kindness). Lol whut, right? How did this happen?
"‘Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determines that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind’s inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world’s disarray.’"
Right. Because the obvious way to remove disarray and prevent people from fighting is to break them up into groups. They'll be separate but equal. In fact, each faction is responsible for a different aspect of making the society run. Abnegation, since they're so selfless, run the government and mete out resources. Amity farms. The Erudite think things and make technology. Candor run the judicial system. The Dauntless defend from any possible external threats. Am I the only one who thinks this is the worst idea ever? Who would ever have agreed to this plan?
Not only that, but a big part of being in a faction seems to be hatred of certain other factions. How is that healthy? To eliminate evil, we will separate into groups and resent one another. This is supposed to come off as a recent development, I think, but I really can't see how it could ever be any other way, since certain personality types just won't necessarily mesh well. If this were the real world, the Dauntless would probably have overthrown everyone as soon as they were unhappy with a governmental decision, since they're THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THE GUNS.
Oh, and I need to say a little bit more about those factions they developed. I've heard the factions in Divergent compared to the houses in Harry Potter, but that's not what I thought of as I read about them. I like to think of the factions as 'fratorities,' a word I made up to describe a gender neutral fraternity or sorority. At the age of 16, the kids of this world have to essentially rush a faction/fratority. Then they go through initiation, and if they don't pass they can be kicked out. Just like the fraternities and sororities on my college campus, each of these has a different mentality: the friendly ones, the partiers, the smart ones, the trustworthy ones, the ones that do community service for their job applications. Perhaps it was because we so few older individuals in the book, except for some parents, but there was a very childish, fratority feel to the whole thing.
The other nigh insurmountable issue with Divergent to my mind is Tris. At the best of times, I just could not believe that she's particularly special. At the worst, I wanted to throw her off the cliff more than Peter did. Since she was divergent, she was supposed to basically fit into each faction equally, but I just didn't see that. She did not strike me as especially brave, honest, kind, intelligent or selfless, despite all the attempts to prove her so. She struck me, in fact, as very average. This is fine and could have been a good thing, except that I was constantly told how unique and amazing she was. I feel like is she's divergent, than probably about half the population should be.
The other thing that really bothered me about her was her inability to be a good friend, and how incredibly mean she was. The perfect example of this is in her treatment of Al. On the very first night in Dauntless, she's in her cot, trying to sleep and resisting the urge to cry. Then she hears Al crying and thinks: "I should comfort him---I should want to comfort him, because I was raised that way. Instead I feel disgust. Someone who looks so strong shouldn't act so weak." Wow, really, bitch? It would be okay if he was an itty bitty girl like you, but big, masculine men aren't allowed to cry? This just makes me so incredibly angry. She later befriends Al, but always secretly thinks of him as a wussy baby. This is not okay.
However, you may notice that I went with a 3 rating, so I didn't hate it, even if I did flirt with a meh. Well, the 3 is because I think I will be reading the next book, because I would like to know what happens next. I do kind of like Four, and I hope he'll have more of a personality in the next book. I also liked Christina and Will and, assuming their both alive, might enjoy Insurgent more if they had a larger role.
To conclude, I think this book has been vastly over-rated. I recommend it in the same way I would recommend The Selection: with caution and to people looking for a fun, fluffy read. This one has more darkness and violence, but is ultimately satisfying to me in precisely the same unhealthy way.
Reviewed by
Christina Franke, Editor
August 28, 2012
Last updated: August 28, 2012
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews (427)
My problems, though, are much more widespread than just expectations set to high because of the blogosphere's immense love for this book. Let's just go in order as I experienced my big three issues, shall we? First off, there's the writing. I realized on the first page that Roth writes in the stereotypical YA style that I loathe: short sentences that are rarely compound, mostly simple words, and lots of dashes. The writing in Divergent is only marginally better than the writing in Twilight. I make this comparison not because it's common to compare every YA book to Twilight, but because that really is the book Roth's writing reminded me of.
Next up is the world-building. Maybe it's just me but this society does not make one lick of sense. You probably know, if you follow YA fiction at all, that this world is divided up into five factions based on a personality trait: Erudite (intelligence), Dauntless (bravery), Abnegation (selflessness), Candor (honesty), and Amity (kindness). Lol whut, right? How did this happen?
"‘Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determines that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind’s inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world’s disarray.’"
Right. Because the obvious way to remove disarray and prevent people from fighting is to break them up into groups. They'll be separate but equal. In fact, each faction is responsible for a different aspect of making the society run. Abnegation, since they're so selfless, run the government and mete out resources. Amity farms. The Erudite think things and make technology. Candor run the judicial system. The Dauntless defend from any possible external threats. Am I the only one who thinks this is the worst idea ever? Who would ever have agreed to this plan?
Not only that, but a big part of being in a faction seems to be hatred of certain other factions. How is that healthy? To eliminate evil, we will separate into groups and resent one another. This is supposed to come off as a recent development, I think, but I really can't see how it could ever be any other way, since certain personality types just won't necessarily mesh well. If this were the real world, the Dauntless would probably have overthrown everyone as soon as they were unhappy with a governmental decision, since they're THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THE GUNS.
Oh, and I need to say a little bit more about those factions they developed. I've heard the factions in Divergent compared to the houses in Harry Potter, but that's not what I thought of as I read about them. I like to think of the factions as 'fratorities,' a word I made up to describe a gender neutral fraternity or sorority. At the age of 16, the kids of this world have to essentially rush a faction/fratority. Then they go through initiation, and if they don't pass they can be kicked out. Just like the fraternities and sororities on my college campus, each of these has a different mentality: the friendly ones, the partiers, the smart ones, the trustworthy ones, the ones that do community service for their job applications. Perhaps it was because we so few older individuals in the book, except for some parents, but there was a very childish, fratority feel to the whole thing.
The other nigh insurmountable issue with Divergent to my mind is Tris. At the best of times, I just could not believe that she's particularly special. At the worst, I wanted to throw her off the cliff more than Peter did. Since she was divergent, she was supposed to basically fit into each faction equally, but I just didn't see that. She did not strike me as especially brave, honest, kind, intelligent or selfless, despite all the attempts to prove her so. She struck me, in fact, as very average. This is fine and could have been a good thing, except that I was constantly told how unique and amazing she was. I feel like is she's divergent, than probably about half the population should be.
The other thing that really bothered me about her was her inability to be a good friend, and how incredibly mean she was. The perfect example of this is in her treatment of Al. On the very first night in Dauntless, she's in her cot, trying to sleep and resisting the urge to cry. Then she hears Al crying and thinks: "I should comfort him---I should want to comfort him, because I was raised that way. Instead I feel disgust. Someone who looks so strong shouldn't act so weak." Wow, really, bitch? It would be okay if he was an itty bitty girl like you, but big, masculine men aren't allowed to cry? This just makes me so incredibly angry. She later befriends Al, but always secretly thinks of him as a wussy baby. This is not okay.
However, you may notice that I went with a 3 rating, so I didn't hate it, even if I did flirt with a meh. Well, the 3 is because I think I will be reading the next book, because I would like to know what happens next. I do kind of like Four, and I hope he'll have more of a personality in the next book. I also liked Christina and Will and, assuming their both alive, might enjoy Insurgent more if they had a larger role.
To conclude, I think this book has been vastly over-rated. I recommend it in the same way I would recommend The Selection: with caution and to people looking for a fun, fluffy read. This one has more darkness and violence, but is ultimately satisfying to me in precisely the same unhealthy way.
| Overall rating | 2.7 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 2.0 | |
| Writing Style | 2.0 |
Reviewed by
Christina Franke, Editor
August 28, 2012
Last updated: August 28, 2012
Top 10 Reviewer - View all my reviews (427)
A Divergent Opinion
I set out on this review carefully, and in hopes that people will not hate me too much for it. I did not love Divergent; in fact, I wavered between a rating of 2.5 and 3. Part of the problem, I suspect, is likely the hype. The fandom did such a good job of convincing me that this dystopia was flipping awesome that I bought it at full price without having read it, something I pretty much never do...for good reason, apparently. To my mind, Divergent does not deserve the crazy amounts of hype, and definitely is not one of the better dystopias I've read.
My problems, though, are much more widespread than just expectations set to high because of the blogosphere's immense love for this book. Let's just go in order as I experienced my big three issues, shall we? First off, there's the writing. I realized on the first page that Roth writes in the stereotypical YA style that I loathe: short sentences that are rarely compound, mostly simple words, and lots of dashes. The writing in Divergent is only marginally better than the writing in Twilight. I make this comparison not because it's common to compare every YA book to Twilight, but because that really is the book Roth's writing reminded me of.
Next up is the world-building. Maybe it's just me but this society does not make one lick of sense. You probably know, if you follow YA fiction at all, that this world is divided up into five factions based on a personality trait: Erudite (intelligence), Dauntless (bravery), Abnegation (selflessness), Candor (honesty), and Amity (kindness). Lol whut, right? How did this happen?
"‘Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determines that it was the fault of human personality—of humankind’s inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the world’s disarray.’"
Right. Because the obvious way to remove disarray and prevent people from fighting is to break them up into groups. They'll be separate but equal. In fact, each faction is responsible for a different aspect of making the society run. Abnegation, since they're so selfless, run the government and mete out resources. Amity farms. The Erudite think things and make technology. Candor run the judicial system. The Dauntless defend from any possible external threats. Am I the only one who thinks this is the worst idea ever? Who would ever have agreed to this plan?
Not only that, but a big part of being in a faction seems to be hatred of certain other factions. How is that healthy? To eliminate evil, we will separate into groups and resent one another. This is supposed to come off as a recent development, I think, but I really can't see how it could ever be any other way, since certain personality types just won't necessarily mesh well. If this were the real world, the Dauntless would probably have overthrown everyone as soon as they were unhappy with a governmental decision, since they're THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW HOW TO FIGHT AND THEY HAVE ALL OF THE GUNS.
Oh, and I need to say a little bit more about those factions they developed. I've heard the factions in Divergent compared to the houses in Harry Potter, but that's not what I thought of as I read about them. I like to think of the factions as 'fratorities,' a word I made up to describe a gender neutral fraternity or sorority. At the age of 16, the kids of this world have to essentially rush a faction/fratority. Then they go through initiation, and if they don't pass they can be kicked out. Just like the fraternities and sororities on my college campus, each of these has a different mentality: the friendly ones, the partiers, the smart ones, the trustworthy ones, the ones that do community service for their job applications. Perhaps it was because we so few older individuals in the book, except for some parents, but there was a very childish, fratority feel to the whole thing.
The other nigh insurmountable issue with Divergent to my mind is Tris. At the best of times, I just could not believe that she's particularly special. At the worst, I wanted to throw her off the cliff more than Peter did. Since she was divergent, she was supposed to basically fit into each faction equally, but I just didn't see that. She did not strike me as especially brave, honest, kind, intelligent or selfless, despite all the attempts to prove her so. She struck me, in fact, as very average. This is fine and could have been a good thing, except that I was constantly told how unique and amazing she was. I feel like is she's divergent, than probably about half the population should be.
The other thing that really bothered me about her was her inability to be a good friend, and how incredibly mean she was. The perfect example of this is in her treatment of Al. On the very first night in Dauntless, she's in her cot, trying to sleep and resisting the urge to cry. Then she hears Al crying and thinks: "I should comfort him---I should want to comfort him, because I was raised that way. Instead I feel disgust. Someone who looks so strong shouldn't act so weak." Wow, really, bitch? It would be okay if he was an itty bitty girl like you, but big, masculine men aren't allowed to cry? This just makes me so incredibly angry. She later befriends Al, but always secretly thinks of him as a wussy baby. This is not okay.
However, you may notice that I went with a 3 rating, so I didn't hate it, even if I did flirt with a meh. Well, the 3 is because I think I will be reading the next book, because I would like to know what happens next. I do kind of like Four, and I hope he'll have more of a personality in the next book. I also liked Christina and Will and, assuming their both alive, might enjoy Insurgent more if they had a larger role.
To conclude, I think this book has been vastly over-rated. I recommend it in the same way I would recommend The Selection: with caution and to people looking for a fun, fluffy read. This one has more darkness and violence, but is ultimately satisfying to me in precisely the same unhealthy way.
Do You Recommend?
Maybe
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I love this series, I love the Roth is a new, vibrant face in the YA fiction world. I love that she is herself young and reaches out to her fans in a way that is relatable. I want to be her best friend!
| Overall rating | 4.3 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 3.0 |
Divergent Love
I love this series, I love the Roth is a new, vibrant face in the YA fiction world. I love that she is herself young and reaches out to her fans in a way that is relatable. I want to be her best friend!
Good Points
If you are suffering for a Hunger Games hangover, this is the cure. Veronica's characters are multi-faceted, and Tris is one BA chick. Her inner commentary really moves the story and Roth is great at not giving too much away at first glance, keeping you guessing until the very last page. The chemistry between Tris and Four is palpable and for a YA novel really sends shivers up your spine. Her dystopian world is realistic and believable and really speaks to government control and brainwashing.
Bad Points
Roth is a new, young writer, and as this is her first novel, there are some weak points as far as the mechanics of the story.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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You guys, this book was amazing and fantastic and awesome and every other adjective for "great" that you could possibly think. As I tweeted during my reading, books like Divergent are the reason I fell head over heels in love with dystopian.
I really loved all the characters, even if it didn't happen until near the end for some. Tris has the perfect rate of growth throughout the story. I could totally understand her thought process, but I don't think I could ever be half the awesome kick-a** character she is. If I were to make a team of super-tough and awesome main characters, so would definitely make the cut.
It took me a little while to warm up to Four, but I finally did. I may have even fell in love with him a bit ;P At first I just thought he was okay, you know, not horribly mean but not exactly the kind of guy I'd go for either. But then, somewhere along the lines he became one of those dreamy YA boys you just want all to yourself.
The side characters were great too. Christina and Will were fun and kept things interesting.
The story itself was fantastic, but once again I was left wondering about the dystopian world history. I suppose that never really happens in the first book of a series though. It still worked fantastically. I doubt I'd miss the history if it wasn't one of my favorite aspects of dystopian.
The whole story was great, but that ending! I was up until 3 having myself a little sob fest (I don't consider this a spoiler since I didn't actually tell you anything) finishing it up.
Final Thoughts: Divergent was an amazing start to what is sure to be one of my favorite series. This book has the whole package: awesome characters, fantastic setting/world building, lots of action (but not too much), and just a hint of romance. In short, you should go out and buy this book (because you will love it) and then proceed to tell everyone you know how awesome it is.
I really loved all the characters, even if it didn't happen until near the end for some. Tris has the perfect rate of growth throughout the story. I could totally understand her thought process, but I don't think I could ever be half the awesome kick-a** character she is. If I were to make a team of super-tough and awesome main characters, so would definitely make the cut.
It took me a little while to warm up to Four, but I finally did. I may have even fell in love with him a bit ;P At first I just thought he was okay, you know, not horribly mean but not exactly the kind of guy I'd go for either. But then, somewhere along the lines he became one of those dreamy YA boys you just want all to yourself.
The side characters were great too. Christina and Will were fun and kept things interesting.
The story itself was fantastic, but once again I was left wondering about the dystopian world history. I suppose that never really happens in the first book of a series though. It still worked fantastically. I doubt I'd miss the history if it wasn't one of my favorite aspects of dystopian.
The whole story was great, but that ending! I was up until 3 having myself a little sob fest (I don't consider this a spoiler since I didn't actually tell you anything) finishing it up.
Final Thoughts: Divergent was an amazing start to what is sure to be one of my favorite series. This book has the whole package: awesome characters, fantastic setting/world building, lots of action (but not too much), and just a hint of romance. In short, you should go out and buy this book (because you will love it) and then proceed to tell everyone you know how awesome it is.
| Overall rating | 5.0 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Divergent (A Room with Books review)
You guys, this book was amazing and fantastic and awesome and every other adjective for "great" that you could possibly think. As I tweeted during my reading, books like Divergent are the reason I fell head over heels in love with dystopian.
I really loved all the characters, even if it didn't happen until near the end for some. Tris has the perfect rate of growth throughout the story. I could totally understand her thought process, but I don't think I could ever be half the awesome kick-a** character she is. If I were to make a team of super-tough and awesome main characters, so would definitely make the cut.
It took me a little while to warm up to Four, but I finally did. I may have even fell in love with him a bit ;P At first I just thought he was okay, you know, not horribly mean but not exactly the kind of guy I'd go for either. But then, somewhere along the lines he became one of those dreamy YA boys you just want all to yourself.
The side characters were great too. Christina and Will were fun and kept things interesting.
The story itself was fantastic, but once again I was left wondering about the dystopian world history. I suppose that never really happens in the first book of a series though. It still worked fantastically. I doubt I'd miss the history if it wasn't one of my favorite aspects of dystopian.
The whole story was great, but that ending! I was up until 3 having myself a little sob fest (I don't consider this a spoiler since I didn't actually tell you anything) finishing it up.
Final Thoughts: Divergent was an amazing start to what is sure to be one of my favorite series. This book has the whole package: awesome characters, fantastic setting/world building, lots of action (but not too much), and just a hint of romance. In short, you should go out and buy this book (because you will love it) and then proceed to tell everyone you know how awesome it is.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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If you like this, read Insurgent and wait at the edge of your seat for Veronica Roth’s third book.
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 4.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 5.0 |
Plain amazing
If you like this, read Insurgent and wait at the edge of your seat for Veronica Roth’s third book.
Good Points
I’ve read countless dystopian novels, but I find that this was probably my favourite. Divergent not only had a great plot, but is jam packed with emotion; sometimes it’s so sweet that I wanted to cry, while other times I’d feel like screaming, “Don’t you dare do that, Tris. It’s positively the most stupid idea ever!” The characters are perfectly flawed, selfish, and that’s what I love about it. Veronica Roth doesn’t just write about perfect people, instead making them painfully realistic so that the reader may not necessarily sympathize with them but treat them like normal people rather than characters in a book. It’s very liberating to read from a protagonist who would actually admit her mistakes, take it for all it’s worth, and just get on with life instead of thinking of any other thing she probably could do better in that situation. Life has no rewind button, life gives you no second chances. The character of Four was great; he was mean, pushy, a pain in the butt, but in the end it shows that he cared a whole awful lot. He doesn’t meet the typical boyfriend stereotype because he’s not the sweet guy who’d give you flowers and jewelry. (Tris would probably think they’re impractical.) He would instead compliment Tris by making her as tough as she could be, instead of a ‘shrinking violet,’ because he knows that Tris isn’t delicate and fragile. The entire idea of the book was unbelievably original; from the five factors to the simulations to the entire world that we could not begin to understand.
Bad Points
Although I have to say that Tris leaving her family felt like a let down, I felt like I had to understand what Tris did it because the society in which she grew up in was very different from our own, and that it was a glimpse into a life that’s not all bubblegum and charm.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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This book is by far one of my favorites. After this was recommended to me by my librarian, I didn't know what to expect. I quickly realized how amazing this book really was. I walked to school whilst reading (almost running into things in the process).
As soon as I met Beatrice I felt empathy towards her. I really got how hard the choosing ceremony must have been for her. The writer really shows you that. After she made her decision, I was beyond engrossed.
When she met Four I felt like I needed to get to know him as well. As their relationship progressed, I fell in love with him.
During the high part of the book, I needed to know more and keep reading (which is what I did).
When the story ended, I ran out and bought the next one, needing to read that one as well.
Over all, this book was amazing.
As soon as I met Beatrice I felt empathy towards her. I really got how hard the choosing ceremony must have been for her. The writer really shows you that. After she made her decision, I was beyond engrossed.
When she met Four I felt like I needed to get to know him as well. As their relationship progressed, I fell in love with him.
During the high part of the book, I needed to know more and keep reading (which is what I did).
When the story ended, I ran out and bought the next one, needing to read that one as well.
Over all, this book was amazing.
| Overall rating | 4.7 | |
| Plot | 5.0 | |
| Characters | 5.0 | |
| Writing Style | 4.0 |
Couldn't Stop Reading
This book is by far one of my favorites. After this was recommended to me by my librarian, I didn't know what to expect. I quickly realized how amazing this book really was. I walked to school whilst reading (almost running into things in the process).
As soon as I met Beatrice I felt empathy towards her. I really got how hard the choosing ceremony must have been for her. The writer really shows you that. After she made her decision, I was beyond engrossed.
When she met Four I felt like I needed to get to know him as well. As their relationship progressed, I fell in love with him.
During the high part of the book, I needed to know more and keep reading (which is what I did).
When the story ended, I ran out and bought the next one, needing to read that one as well.
Over all, this book was amazing.
Good Points
Characters, everything.
Bad Points
I don't recall anything bad about this book.
Do You Recommend?
Yes
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