Review: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Published: May 3, 2011

Pages: 487

Source: Bought

Rating: 5 Stars - Super Crazy Awesome!

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. 

In short: Just when you think there are no more original ideas left in dystopians, Divergent by Veronica Roth enters the scene with a fascinating new world and concept and a kick ass female lead character.

I just had to go back on my Book Buying Ban to purchase this book because of the intense hype it has received over the past few months, before and after its release. I was most definitely not disappointed! It was like this book was tailor-made for me. It included the most important things that I love in a great dystopian read: original and profound world building and a kick ass main character! I can't believe the author has written such an awesome book at only 22! I'm 22. Jeez, what am I doing with my life...

The initiation process into the Faction of Tris' choosing took up the majority of this almost 500 page book. Hearing about that fact, it does not sound terribly exciting or eventful, and yet I couldn't get enough! There was truly never a dull moment in the entire 500 pages. I would have gladly read on and on about Tris, her Faction, the new people, friends and enemies, that she meets. Divergent was simply addicting!

Tris, as the main character, was definitely one of the novel's strengths. Talk about a strong, independent female lead! Though she starts out as a meek member of Abnegation, she really came into her own throughout the novel and it was such a pleasure to be witness to this change. I really cannot wait to see  how she will further evolve in the next two installments. She has quite a challenge ahead of her.

Another strength of the novel was the concept and world building. Whereas some dystopians might reveal a bit too little or a bit too much about the world in the first book in the trilogy, in Divergent, we were given the perfect amount. Just enough to give us the background information we needed and yet still withholding several key pieces of information that have me dying to learn more about. Most importantly, how did it come to be that almost everyone in this new world can fit perfectly into one of 5 Factions, as most people in our world have combinations of the 5 Faction personalities?

Overall, Veronica Roth, at just 22, has delivered a thrilling new start to a dystopian trilogy that is nearly as good as The Hunger Games. Look out for the second book in the trilogy, as yet unnamed, coming 2012!

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*Read as part of the 2011 Debut Author Challenge