Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Young Adult, Dystopian Society
Author: Veronica Roth
Title: Divergent
First Impressions:
Oh- another Hunger Games. People living in a society that decides how they will live our their lives. A world surviving from a long ago post apocalyptic war. Instead of districts- like HG- there are factions. But despite the similarities, Divergent stood on its own plot.
Main Characters:
Tris Prior is the main character- a young girl of 16 deciding where she wants to fit in. The story opens with her on the day of her evaluation. Through a "simulation" she is presented in different fields that will help categorize her in the faction she belongs. The four factions are Amity, Candor, Abnegation (where Tris currently resides) and Dauntless. Apart from these are the factionless- people who failed initiation or decided to abandon their faction. They are pretty much the representation of the current day homeless and indigent. Four becomes the trainer assigned to the group of potential initiates when Tris decides to join the Dauntless faction. Eric is one of the Dauntless leaders whom has a subtle rivalry with Four. Among these are others such as Christina, Will, and Al, all initiates from different factions whom become Tris' friends.
In a Nutshell:
It's hard to step into Young Adult Dystopian territory without thinking of a few other movies and books. Personally, it reminded me of The Giver and Hunger Games. Tris, unlike Katniss, isn't a butt-kicking, independent powerhouse right out the gate. Instead, she evolves, she makes human mistakes, and gradually blossoms. I particularly liked the fact she shows moments of weakness- which is a reality for anyone. The conflict arises when Tris realizes something is stirring and her life may be in danger. Unlike most people, whom easily fall into a category, Tris displays multiple and conflicting passions, which make her a Divergent- an obvious target in a society that prides itself in uniformity. Before you know it, betrayal, ugly competition and even death hang in the air and at every bend.
Nina's Take:
I gotta say, there was something that kept me turning page after page of this book. I could tell where the romance was headed- the love story was pretty standard young adult cheese factory. But, the determination in Tris to survive, and her grappling inner conflict for identity were charming. Who hasn't been on that roller coaster at the age of 16? I enjoyed it, although in some parts I felt the story dragged a little. One thing that did annoy me was the overuse of the word "bile" by Roth. Every chapter, the word kept popping up three or four times. Other than that, the climax and resolution of the story were at expectation. I wasn't blown away- I suspected two of three surprises in the book. But then again, what was I expecting from a Young Adult trilogy? Will I read the other two? Well, I'll definitely read Insurgent. We'll have to wait and see after that.
My rating is 3.8 out of 5
