REVIEW: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent (#1)

Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: YA Dystopian Fiction
Publisher: Harper Collins

Release Date: October 3/2011

Acquired: Purchased

Goodreads: ADD

Purchase: Amazon/Indigo/Book Depository

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.

I'm going to make this review short and to the point. I'm not usually a fan of writing lengthy reviews for books that are surrounded by so much hype, and have already accumulated umpteen amounts of reviews.

I picked up this book pretty much knowing exactly what I was in for (the joy and curse of reviews!). I knew that I had to leave behind my intense love for the dystopian mastery that was The Hunger Games, and start the Divergent trilogy with a completely open mind. With that said, and with a mind completely open to all possibilities, I was disappointed not even halfway through.

Like many other reviews point out, the back story for this book was lacking and almost non-existent. I felt disconnected from Beatrice ("Tris") very early on in the book, and spent the remainder of the book trying to find something to relate  and redeeming. Her character just came across as very bland and whiny, which was ironic, since the entire book is spent trying to convince the reader that she has rid herself of these exact qualities. The reader was suppose to believe that she's actually "evolving"-I just didn't buy it. If I were to use an analogy, reading about her character felt like trying to remember a dream that I had, but it's quickly slipping away-she just wasn't memorable to me.

As for her relationship with Four-didn't care for it. The numerous descriptions of Tris having a severely under developed body just rubbed me the wrong way-and picturing her with Four's older character just bordered slightly on perverted.

The climax of the story seemed a little "toy soldier-ish" to me. Almost as if I were reading a play instead of a "thriller filled with electrifying decisions[...]". The motives were poorly explained, and that could be on account of, again, the entire book having almost zero back-story explanation.

Ok, so much for this review being short. I didn't completely dislike this book. It was quick-paced and entertaining-just not in a way that made much sense. I am definitely going to be reading the other books in this series. It has to get better from here right ? *fingers crossed*

Read if you like:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

Dystopia

Key Themes:

adventure, survival, friendship, romance, political divide