Review: Divergent

Details:
Title: Divergent (Divergent #1)
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Date: May 2011
Genre: Dystopia

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.
-- Goodreads

My Thoughts:
I said a million times that I love dystopias, so of course I put Divergent on my to-read list, but I wasn't super excited about it. I don't know why; maybe I've been reading too many dystopias. Whatever the case, I wasn't dying to read it until I started hearing all sorts of really good things about it. And I'm so glad I listened to what some my fellow awesome bloggers were saying about Divergent.

Right from the very first page I was totally into the story (I read all 480 something pages in two sittings). Tris and her world are fascinating and you can't help but be sucked in. I loved the way Roth described the faction choosing ceremony and the initiation process. You can really picture the dystopian society and see Tris change and figure out who she really is.

Tris is an awesome female character; I really loved her and felt instantly connected to her. Her struggle and reactions to everyone around her seemed very realistic to me. Tris doesn't just fit in to her faction immediately and do well; she has to struggle and fight constantly to earn her place in her faction.

I don't think I can wait until next year for the next book. I need to know what happens next!

Rating: