Review: Divergent

Title:  Divergent
Series:  Divergent #1
Author:  Veronica Roth
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books
Pages:  487
Format:  Paperback
Source:  Bought

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My Review:  This book was stunning.  I absolutely, completely enjoyed every single moment I spent while reading this.  From the very first page, the first sentence, I was hooked.  I think it was the unique and different idea that snagged my attention in the beginning.  It was mind blowing to me that an entire society could get away with bundling their citizens into five different sections, like someone was only selfless, or only intelligent, or brave, or peaceful, or honest.  It was a concept I've never heard of before and I was excited to see where it took our main character, Tris.

Tris is awesome.  She was never frustrating so me and I adored her totally.  I love her bravery and her compassion for others.  I felt like she always rose to the challenges presented to her and thought before she acted.  Even though she made some stupid and dangerous decisions, she knew what she was risking and getting into.  Four.  My goodness, I love Four so much.  He never looked down on Tris and always had the utmost confidence in her ability to do what she needed to do.  He never babied her or doubted her.  Seeing that sort of loyalty and dedication between two characters in a YA novel was refreshing and wonderful.     

The plot kept me on my toes throughout the entire book.  I could not put this down.  I really needed to know what happened next.  Constantly, I was having heart attacks and panic attacks because of what Tris was forced to do or just did on her own but there was also a sweet feeling of excitement that was impossible to shake, as if you'd want to.  Everything flowed so smoothly and it was very easy to lose yourself in this world for hours.  

I'm very anxious to see where our characters end up in this next book.  I don't know how things will turn out but I'm eager to read the next installment, Insurgent, and figure it out!  This is a book I will definitely be going back to!

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