YA Friday: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Friday, July 06, 2012

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Genre: YA, dystopian
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011
Source: Library
Read for: Fun

Tris lives in a world of five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Your faction is more important than your family, and it determines your way of life -- what you know, who you marry, where you live. However, when Tris's placement test gives her some unexpected results, she must decide which faction she really belongs in, and in the process discovers an ugliness about the world that must be fought.

I had heard about Divergent for almost a year before I had the opportunity to read it and discover for myself what all the fuss was about. I'd heard it touted as the next Hunger Games, with very few dissenters saying they didn't enjoy it. While I can certainly see where the comparisons to The Hunger Games arose, Divergent is a very different but very enjoyable story.

While I greatly enjoyed Divergent, it took me several pages to really become invested in the story. I think the main reason for this was that the two factions I most related to, the Candor and the Erudite, were the two that Tris hated most. And I can definitely say that Dauntless, the faction that is most highlighted in this book, is one place I know I would never, ever choose. The brutality of Tris's training and the constant competition in The Hub were the aspects of the book that most reminded me of the Hunger Games, but they were very unappealing to me in this book at first, I think because I was picturing living an entire life in that setting. I simply couldn't see the appeal.

However, as I became better acquainted with the characters, I became more involved in Divergent. While Tris's decisions were at times alien to me, I loved getting to know her character. I loved the fact that she was tiny, with an upbringing that didn't prepare her at all for the life she was facing in Dauntless, and yet she still continued fighting and working to overcome the greatest odds. I loved seeing her past affecting the decisions she made in a positive way. I also loved -- loved -- Four. I frequently feel as if I can't really picture the love interests in YA novels. I feel as if the characters are so blinded by their emotions that the only picture I get of the love interest is an emotional one made up of the narrating character's reactions. However, Four was clearly painted, an individual apart from his and Tris's developing relationship. He was also deeply complex, revealing layers of himself slowly throughout the novel. I also absolutely loved the way he came to be called Four, although I'll leave that for you to discover in the novel.

While the training scenes (especially the First Stage) were distasteful to me at first, as the plot developed I became more and more involved in the novel. Much of Divergent is Tris's initiation into her new faction and the struggle that is, but the last several pages build into a climax that affects her entire world, setting up the next book excellently. I am hungry for more and excited to see the new paths the characters take.

For those who enjoy the dystopian genre, Divergent is a no-brainer must-read. Even those who are not die-hard fans may find something to love in this unique and exciting series.

4 stars

Warnings: Mild references to sexuality, violence

14 comments:

  1. I loved Four too. In fact when we learned his real name I didn't really want to call him that. He'll always be four to me that's funny that you would pick candor. Erudite I could see :). It just made me glad that we can live our lives in a more multifaceted way because we are all divergent really I could never pick just one way to be all the time

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    1. Yeah for a while in the book I thought it was going to turn out that everyone was divergent! I can't imagine picking just one.

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  2. I'm almost 100% sure I would end up in Erudite so it was hard for me to read some of that stuff and personally I don't find Divergent as emotionally powerful as THG (although I know others disagree) so while Divergent isn't a perfect read for me, it was very addictive. Will you be picking up Insurgent soon? Loved its ending!

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    1. I agree with you completely -- it didn't have the same hold for me as Hunger Games but it was definitely hard to put down. It'll probably be a little while before I get to Insurgent because I don't want to read it too soon before the final book comes out, but I definitely want to read it in the next few months.

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  3. I just got around to reading this book and was surprised to really enjoy it. I can't wait to read the next book! I can't decide which faction I'd choose, maybe Amity. I found it very confusing at the beginning when they mentioned all the different factions, but after a few chapters started getting a feel for the world. But I want to know how the factions started and what happened that made them decide to split up. I hope it's addressed in Insurgent.

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    1. I thought it was confusing for a while as well, and also hope they give a bit more history. They said something in the book about how each faction was formed by someone who thought the wars were a result of their specific quality missing, but it surprises me how easily those factions became a way of life. I would think there would be many more divergent people and that many people would refuse to be tied down to a faction.

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  4. I'm so glad you liked it! I love when my friends like the same books that I do. :) I completely agree about Four: I LOVE him!! He definitely goes on our list! haha

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    1. Yay for the list!! :) Have you read the second book yet?

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  5. I just finished Insurgent, the sequel to Divergent so it was fun to read your review to remind me of the first book again. I did enjoy this series and am also really glad it is different from The Hunger Games

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    1. I've heard great things about Insurgent so I should probably read it soon. I'm hesitant to read it too soon, though, because I don't want to forget everything about it when the third book comes out.

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  6. Oh, I just love Four! He's quite a wonderful love interest and fully developed. And yes! The reason behind is nickname is fascinating.

    I am really glad you liked Divergent. And now onto Insurgent :-D

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    1. I've heard Insurgent is even better, and I am definitely curious to see where the story goes!

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  7. I just read Divergent, too. I didn't read it for a long time because I was worried that it was Hunger Games 2.0 and I'm glad that wasn't true. I liked how independent Four is, too. I noticed his independence more in the second book. Great review! :)

    Jessica @ Books: A true story

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    1. Ooh, I am excited about reading book 2 then. :) Thanks!

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