Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Series: Divergent, Book 1
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult
Source: review copy provided by publisher
Published: May 3, 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books

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.

Why I Read this Book: I hadn’t heard of Divergent until I got the book in the mail. The first thing that caught my attention was the cover – it’s very eye-catching. I saw the word ‘dystopian’ on the back cover which made me anxious to read it. I’m on a YA Dystopian high right now and I just can’t get enough of this genre. I think it’s definitely here to stay for a while and as long as the good stuff keeps coming, I’m reading it.

What I Liked: Where do I start? Divergent is nothing short of A-MAZ-ING. And unfortunately, I don’t think my review could ever do this book the justice it deserves. I was thoroughly impressed that this book is the work of a 22-year old debut author. It’s extremely well-written and I was completely blown away.

Divergent is a heart-pounding, gripping read that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. It will leave you breathless. Literally. I actually found myself holding my breath at times. It’s a fascinating, unique tale in a post-apocalyptic world. Be ready for an adrenaline ride. There is incredible world-building in this book. The details were so visual, it just came to life right off the page. The author brought a cinematic feel to it all.

I wasn’t expecting this book to suck me in the way it did. Divergent is definitely a book you’ll think of long after you’ve read it. I just couldn’t put this book down. Cancel your plans. Call sick into work. Get a babysitter. There’s no putting this book down once you’ve started reading it. Divergent is a fast-paced, spellbinding read that will suck you in until you read the very last word. Then it just leaves you wanting more.

Summit has acquired the film rights for Divergent and all I can say to that is there better be a movie made, and pronto. This is definitely a movie I’ll be seeing.

What I Didn’t Like: There wasn’t much page time for one of the Factions (I won’t say which) but I am hoping we’ll see more of them in the next book. I’m kind of sad that we have to wait until next year for the next book and until 2013 for third book.

Overall Impression: Divergent is a MUST READ for fans of YA and Dystopian alike. Whether this is your 1st Dystopian read, or your 100th, just make sure you read it. This is a book that will forever have a space on my shelf and I can definitely see myself re-reading this. (And if you know me, you know I’m not a re-reader.) I’ll continue to pimp this book to the masses. Definitely one of my top picks for 2011.

Brianna’s Rating:

Add to Goodreads  |  Buy on Amazon