Divergent - Review

Divergent (Divergent #1)

By: Veronica Roth

Published: May 3, 2011 by Katherine Tegen Books (first published April 28, 2011)

487 pages

Source: Owned on Kindle

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:
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.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

Wow....just WOW!  It only took me about getting through the first chapter and I fell in love with this story, the characters, the scene. I made a mental note early on that it reminded me in some ways of The Hunger Games. There were disturbing similarities IMO between the Dauntless faction initiation process and that of a Gang Initiation process, particularly the beating up of one another to prove strength and worthiness to those who will later be considered family. Very twisted philosophy. I'm wishing I had book 2 to get started in right away. Excellent read!! One I will have to purchase myself to add to my personal library of books instead of just on my Kindle. Highly recommend checking it out especially if you were a fan of The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner series.  This is definitely a 5 star book for me!! (Originally added on Goodreads June 2012)