Divergent, Veronica Roth

Book: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth Her Site

Series: Divergent (#1)

Genre: Dystopian/YA Fiction

Rating: 5/5
Moral: 4/5

(I have read Divergent twice, and the second time was a year ago. This review is a little late... Sorry)

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.

I am an extreme fan of Veronica Roth's compelling Divergent.  Infact, I enjoy boasting that I was a fan BEFORE all the fuss about her fantastic writing started up. I was mostly interested in her blog. As many of you know, Veronica has such a humorous and silly attitude. She is a very fun person, and that is reflected in her blog. Divergent  happens to be the opposite  It's serious and strong and openly defiant. I was absolutely stunned at the comparison.

The Plot:

The plot is run on a strong idea of independence. Tris want's to be strong and respected, and she is willing to do what it takes to be treated like she is. This leads her to make daring decisions for herself that truly set her future in motion. She had been raised in what she thought was a stable household, but bit by bit it's revealed that there was always a secret hidden beneath the surface. The story was moving and very inspiring. The undoubtedly original idea of Factions. I just love them. I mean, how often do you read about Factions? It's interesting how each faction was devoted to learning a strict set of values and living by them. Each of the different factions valued something different. So in the end, if they worked together, they could practically achieve anything. Then you have these few people who are Divergent. They don't have a certain set of values and they think differently then all the rest. They are considered dangerous and most often killed upon discovery. Drastic measures for a community of people who are so devoted to value. I think this represents a fear of change, and of power. We have all seen what happens with and without those fears in the real world, and I think that was reflected well in this dystopian. 

The Characters:

Veronica has designed for us, a most energetic and capable cast of characters. Tris was a strong main character. She was realistic and flawed. She understood what fear was and excepted it, but then learned how to work with it and to use it for her advantage  She spent most of the book transforming, into a more mature and developed person. I felt that everyone else seemed under developed compared to her. They were interesting and witty, but they didn't all have unique back stories and ideas. It was kind of like the 'follow the leader' type of set up. Except, each faction had a different leader. Four was fun. He had a cliche mysteriousness, and an unrealistic mood. His personal back-story was strong and realistic.

The Setting:

So the story takes place in the dystopian future where there are these different factions. The scenery is all falling apart, which gave the book this antique feeling. It was down to earth and placed in Chicago, (Where they happen to be filming the movie at this very moment). 

The Standout:

This book teaches strong morals. It talks about independence  How much is too much, and how much is too little. In it's own way, it discusses the idea of value. How values change with time and growth. As a Christian, I believe that people are more valuable than everything else, but that is also just my moral beliefs as well. I feel that Veronica has written well, that materiel things are useless to value. That it's the people you love who matter the most.

The Moral:
Veronica had an okay moral. It encouraged standing up for others and trusting yourself. It taught readers to work with their fears instead of avoiding them. The book didn't have lots of swearing or making out. So yes, I loved it!