Monday, April 4, 2011

Divergent by Veronica Roth

May 3rd, 2011
496 pages (hardcover)
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Source: Amazon Vine; Purchased
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.
DIVERGENT is without a doubt the next best thing in the YA dystopian genre, and perhaps even the best YA novel of 2011. Tris, our narrator, may appear to be a weak tiny girl, but she is one fierce, intelligent, and driven young woman who will inspire. The world Tris lives in is unique and described in the right amount of detail. I loved everything about the world in DIVERGENT, especially the separate factions present in Chicago and the fascinating technology. Roth's portrayal of this different world is compelling and makes you eager to know more. There were so many "wow" moments in this book that I was constantly being surprised. 

The edge-of-your-seat moments may be gripping and exciting, but it's the character relationships drew me in the most. Moments of romance, friendship, tests of loyalty and betrayal fill the pages. The overall storyline is thrilling, and the ending blew me away. This book is easily one of my top favorites now. DIVERGENT is electrifying and bursts to life with every word. Veronica Roth's writing will easily enchant you. 

Highlights: Tris’s voice was realistic. Not many stories capture my attention so completely, and Roth's words spoke to me like so few stories do. It has everything you can ask for, and so much more to surprise you. I look forward to more of Roth's work! Even Roth's villains never come across clichéd - they are normal people who think they're doing the right thing, which makes them more intimidating. The ending is shocking, emotional, and I wish I had book two because I need to know what happens next! 

Lowlights: I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the only "low" points I found are so minuscule that they aren't worth noting.  

Notes: If you like THE HUNGER GAMES, you'll love this book. I loved THG (despite having a few issues with it), but I love Divergent a bit more. Fighting and violence are largely featured parts of the story, but it's well-suited for the targeted audience (anyone 14+ is mature enough for this book and the content inside).

Update-Audiobook Notes: Emma Galvin is the perfect Tris. She has a nice tone and conveys the strength of Tris and excitement of the story wonderfully. Her "male" voices took a bit of getting used to, but I never had any trouble distinguishing between who was speaking in the story. All in all, this is an excellent audiobook that I would highly recommend. 

Rating:  


14 comments:

  1. You liked it even more than the Hunger Games? I HAVE to read it now! Glad to hear it lives up to the hype!

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  2. I really can't wait to read this. It sounds great. Thanks for a fantastic review.

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  3. I adored The Hunger Games so I'm looking forward to this one being released. I already have it pre-ordered for my Kindle :) Sounds so amazing. Thanks for a great review!

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  4. Wow, fantastic review! That is really saying something if you liked it more than The Hunger Games! I tried to get a copy through the Vine program but they were out-it is that popular. I guess the publishers were right when they touted it as the next Hunger Games.

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  5. Wow - I wasn't sure if I was going to pick this one up (dystopian isn't normally my thing), but you've convinced me. Thanks for the great review!

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  6. I've been looking forward to reading Divergent. I even get jealous whenever I see this in somebody's IMM! I also avoid reading reviews to prevent further envy, but wow. I knew that this was going to be good, but you liked it better than THG!! THG is my all time favorite dystopia so... I'm jealous. :( Anyway, thanks for the review! (from CEP)

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  7. Wow, now I'm super excited to pick this one up. I was interested before, but it seems like the world building is better than I thought it would be. Plus, hooray for interesting villains :)

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  8. Amazing review! I have to put this book on my wishlist right awaY!

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  9. wow! I was excited before and now I'm really excited! Best YA of the year! I sure hope so! I've already read so many good YA this year; it's a good year!!!

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  10. Arghhhh I love this book!!! So glad you did too missy :D

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  11. That's quite the recommendation! Thanks for the review! I'm SO jealous that you got an ARC of this one. It was my WoW last week and I'm so excited to read it!

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  12. I am so excited for this book! I just finished reading the excerpt on the website and it ended so abruptly I'm like "What happens next???"

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  13. I CANNOT wait to read this! It sounds amazing. Anything that can compete with The Hunger Games is right up my alley.

    Awesome review :)

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  14. I thought Daughter of Smoke and Bones might be my top read of 2011, then I read Divergent... I guess DoSaB will have to take a backseat to Divergent!

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