Divergent (Divergent, #1)

author: Veronica Roth

name: Wayne

average rating: 4.40

book published: 2011

rating: 4

read at: 2013/05/30

date added: 2013/05/30

shelves: young-adult

review:

In a dystopian future (a more than common theme in YA lit these days), humans are divided into factions based on dominant personality traits: Abnegation (selfless), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave), Amity (peaceful) and Erudite (intelligent). If you are not able to make it in a faction, you become factionless (a sort of poor class). If, for some reason, you have multiple dominant traits, you are considered to be Divergent, and likely to be hunted. At the point when you turn 16, you take a test to help you determine which trait you likely have, then you get to choose the faction you will join.



Our heroine, Beatrice, has to make a choice. Choosing a life in Abnegation means staying with her family, but living a life that doesn't ring true. Choosing a different faction means turning her back on her family with the likelihood of never seeing them again. The factions are fiercely loyal to themselves and stay apart from each other. Beatrice makes a choice that will test her to the breaking point. She will make friends and enemies and uncover a deadly plot along the way.



As far as YA dystopian goes, this was better than most. The factions is a good idea that works for the most part. There is the inevitable teenage angsty romance, and it gets tiring, but it's not as bad as others I could name (Twilight, I'm looking at you). Also, Beatrice is the master of her own destiny. She bravely makes her own decisions and stands up to her fears. She is not dependent on others for her strength, so that makes her a better female character than in some YA fiction (aka Twilight).



This is part of a series (trilogy?) and the second book is out. The book doesn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but there are plot points left open for further books. I liked it. Emma Galvin's narration wss good on the audiobook version I listened to.





via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/616147572?utm_medium=api&utm_source=rss