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Sunday, January 6, 2013

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth Review

4/5 Stars
Details of the Book
Hardcover, 487 pages
Published by Katherine Tegen Books, 
an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 

Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

All lovers of The Hunger Games trilogy and especially lovers of Lauren Oliver's Delirium trilogy should definitely read this book. Months ago, I checked out this book from the library because I had just finished The Hunger Games and I wanted to read something that had a similar plot. Stupid me, I never got around to it and had to return the book before I got passed page two. For the holidays I received this novel along with it's sequel as a gift, giving me the push I needed to finally sit down and read it. This book literally made me laugh, cry, squeal and successfully put me on edge until the very last page. 

Weaknesses: 

1) It has a very slow start. The language is very detached and robotic sounding. Although it made sense to me later as to why it was that way, I always feel that a book should grab the reader's attention from the get go. This is one of the main reasons that I didn't push myself to read it when I checked it out from the library. 

2) Besides the main couple, I felt that there was not enough of an emotional connection in the side or less important relationships. For example, both of Tris' parents died for her, and yet she showed more emotion for the friend that she killed. This is the same friend that kept a distance from Tris when she was doing well in training. Also, I really didn't like how Tris has to pretend to be vulnerable around her "friends" in order for them to stand by her side. To me, that is just a weak relationship. 

Strengths:

1) The main protagonist--Beatrice--is very strong character. In general as I've said in a previous post, I'm tired of "weak" women. Just because she's in love, doesn't mean that she has to be completely dependent on other characters. Beatrice, although in love, is her own person and does not completely rely on those around her to get through her life.  

2) I love Tobias, period. He's mysterious, crafty, and just plain sexy. 

3) Since I started to write, one of my main credos that has been drilled into me is: SHOW DON'T TELL. This is something Veronica Roth is extremely successful at, in spite of her robotic and detached tone. Through many diverting scenes, dialogue, Roth shapes out the personalities of her characters without plainly providing the reader with information. 

One of my favorite quotes of the novel: "And when we rise, hand in hand, I realize that if we had both chosen differently, we might have ended up doing the same thing, in a safer place, in gray clothes instead of black ones" (Divergent 338).



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