Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Beatrice Prior lives in a dystopian Chicago society.  This society is divided into five different factions, all with specific ideas and purposes.  Beatrice’s family live among the Abnegation who are taught to always be selfless.  But at the age of sixteen, Beatrice, along with every other sixteen year old, is given a test.  This test determines which faction she is most compatible with.  Then she is allowed to choose to stay with her family and faction or abandon them for a faction more to her liking.  Beatrice has never felt like she belonged with the Abnegation, and when her test results show inconclusive, labeling her a Divergent, she is more confused than ever.  Her choice to accept the Dauntless as her new faction brings difficulty and fears she never thought possible and forces out a strength and courage she never realized she possessed.  Beatrice will need every bit of that strength and courage to live through the challenges and enemies that face her.   Her seemingly perfect society is unraveling and her label as Divergent is a death sentence.

This book is fast paced and full of action.  I know a book is well written when I can’t put it down and I can’t stop thinking about it.  Another sure sign is when I forget to review because I’m so caught up in the story and then I have to go back to make notes for the review.

(just as a cautionary note:  I'm going to use the word love way too much.  I can't help it.)  

I love Tris.  I love how she feels like a real person.  She battles with who she thinks she is and  where she thinks she fits in.  She wants to be loyal but she isn't sure who to trust.  Tris has never had to face fears outwardly, she has never had the opportunity to assert herself and I loved watching as she used the quiet strength she found with the Abnegation to develop strength with the Dauntless.

I love the way Tris comes to a knowledge of just how strong her mother is.  As teenagers, we think we know everything, but as we come to the experiences of adulthood, we start to see just how little we actually do know.  We generally find that our parents really were much smarter and stronger than we gave them credit for.  I also love the sacrifice of Tris's mother, how she loved her daughter so much she was willing to give her life.  The devotion of mother to child touched my heart strings.

And Four?  Wow, stud of a guy.  He is awesome.  Loved the focus on inner strength and using your head to overcome fears and weakness.  I felt like I was getting to know Four right along with Tris.  

I love the underlying messages in this book.  The idea of factions (segregation) where people focus on becoming only one thing, is so interesting.  It's found now, it was found all throughout history.  Yet really, being only peaceful, or only brave or only smart makes one so lop-sided.  We need a good balance of all attributes to really gain a stable society.  Segregation always brings people thinking they are better than others and then an eventual putting down of those considered weaker.  When in reality, it takes all kinds of people and ideas to make this world go round.

This was a book I wanted to talk to somebody about.  I still do!  The violence in this book is high, and at some times, uncomfortable for me.  I tend to be on the sensitive side when it comes to violence.  Overall though I found this book captivating, exciting and thought provoking.  

And, if you couldn't tell, I really did "LOVE" it.  tee hee  hee