In the era of Young Adult dystopian literature, ushered in by Suzanne Collins and the Hunger Games trilogy, Divergent, by Veronica Roth does not disappoint. In fact, she provides readers with an exciting, fresh narrative that any teen, and even some older, will gobble up.
Divergent, set in post-apocalyptic Chicago, gives us the story of Beatrice Prior, a sixteen year old on the cusp of adulthood. In the world she lives in there are five factions, Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Each faction focuses on the qualities they feel will lead mankind to prosperity. Beatrice has grown up in Abnegation, a faction known for its selfless service of others. And Beatrice feels anything but selfless.
In order to help teens decide which faction to join, the school offers aptitude tests. During this test Beatrice learns she is divergent, an extremely dangerous label. Unsure what divergent means and unable to share this news with anyone, Beatrice struggles with which faction to join. In a last minute decision, she leaves her family and faction behind and joins Dauntless, the group that jumps off trains, pierces their noses and values fearlessness above all. Thrust into a completely new life and challenges, Tris, as she renames herself, embarks on a journey to find her place in a society that is not yet her own.
Divergent is an excellent mix of action, suspense, romance and intrigue. The world Roth builds is unique, lush and alive. Readers will be drawn in by Tris’s first person narration and find her hard to leave. Even though Divergent follows many of the rules of current young adult fiction, it does an excellent job at avoiding cliché. The romance is expected, but executed lightly without bogging down the story in too much teen groping. The friends are quirky, interesting and realistic. And the ending does not disappoint.
Overall, this is a fantastic breakout novel for Roth. I am dubbing it my first Top Pick and this reader, though usually picky with teen lit, will definitely scoop up the sequel. You can find Veronica Roth at veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com and order the book through any book seller.
Divergent, set in post-apocalyptic Chicago, gives us the story of Beatrice Prior, a sixteen year old on the cusp of adulthood. In the world she lives in there are five factions, Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Each faction focuses on the qualities they feel will lead mankind to prosperity. Beatrice has grown up in Abnegation, a faction known for its selfless service of others. And Beatrice feels anything but selfless.
In order to help teens decide which faction to join, the school offers aptitude tests. During this test Beatrice learns she is divergent, an extremely dangerous label. Unsure what divergent means and unable to share this news with anyone, Beatrice struggles with which faction to join. In a last minute decision, she leaves her family and faction behind and joins Dauntless, the group that jumps off trains, pierces their noses and values fearlessness above all. Thrust into a completely new life and challenges, Tris, as she renames herself, embarks on a journey to find her place in a society that is not yet her own.
Divergent is an excellent mix of action, suspense, romance and intrigue. The world Roth builds is unique, lush and alive. Readers will be drawn in by Tris’s first person narration and find her hard to leave. Even though Divergent follows many of the rules of current young adult fiction, it does an excellent job at avoiding cliché. The romance is expected, but executed lightly without bogging down the story in too much teen groping. The friends are quirky, interesting and realistic. And the ending does not disappoint.
Overall, this is a fantastic breakout novel for Roth. I am dubbing it my first Top Pick and this reader, though usually picky with teen lit, will definitely scoop up the sequel. You can find Veronica Roth at veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com and order the book through any book seller.
