Divergent by Veronica Roth

I realize I have said previously that readers will enjoy the books I have reviewed if they have read Divergent, but I have not reviewed Divergent yet. I think it is time to change that.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Set in a post apocalyptic Chicago, Divergent takes place in a society split into five factions that value a different human trait. Candor the honest, Amity the peaceful, Erudite the knowledgeable, Dauntless the brave, and Abnegation the selfless. At age 16, each member of society gets to choose which faction they will spend the rest of their life in after undergoing an aptitude test. The citizens can choose to stay in the faction where they grew up or transfer to a new one, forgoing their family and friends because in this society the motto is "Faction before blood." The story follows 16 year old Beatrice Prior on her journey through choosing a new faction, finding new friends, and trying to stay alive all while keeping the knowledge of her Divergence and secret.

We meet Abnegation born Beatrice Prior right before her life will change forever. For during her aptitude test, Beatrice finds out that she has an aptitude for not just one faction, but three. A fact that is almost unheard of. This anomaly is called being Divergent, and being Divergent is extremely dangerous. Beatrice decides to leave Abnegation in order to create a new life in Dauntless where she changes her name to Tris. This is where her problems begin.

Divergent is one of my favorite books, and Veronica Roth is certainly one of the most talented writers out there at the moment. From the very first words on the page the readers is captivated in her story. There are absolutely no plot holes and the only questions left unanswered were left untouched for a reason. Roth writes in a way as though you, the reader, are with Tris all the time. A feeling that is often missing from novels in this day and age. I applaud Roth for her talents as a young author (She's only in her mid 20's!)

Tris, as the main character, is the perfect literary heroine. She is this seemingly unimportant sixteen year old girl who becomes a catalyst but does not do anything of note. She fights back against the system, but she does not start the fight. She fights to protect her friends, but knows they cannot all be saved. Because of these reasons, I believe she is one of the most believable characters ever written. She is not a wizard, or a person with supernatural abilities, or someone who shares a heart with a vampire. She is simply a normal girl attempting to survive in the cracked world she lives in. Through all the ups and downs of her life she also stays true to herself. Roth never attempts to make Tris be anyone but who she really is.

This novel is definitely written for anyone who likes a good adventure. This novel is fast paced, exciting, and makes you question whether you are a Candor, an Amity, and Erudite, an Abnegation, or a Dauntless. Me? I think I'm a little bit of Erudite mixed with Amity and a little Abnegation thrown in (How's that for SAT Vocab prep). In other words, I guess I'm factionless.