April 03, 2012

Divergent, Veronica Roth

Yes, I finally, finally got on the Divergent Train(although I'm no jumper), and I have to say I'm thrilled I was late to the party . . . because now I only have a very short wait to read the next installment, Insurgent!

Divergent is a dystopian tale of a future Chicago(residents will enjoy shout-outs), where a young girl must choose the path for her future based on which virtue she holds dearest--her future society is broken into factions that are ruled by distinct, unwavering virtues: Abnegation, Amity, Dauntless, Candor, and Erudite. The faction names are fairly self explanatory. Our young heroine, Beatrice, an Abnegation girl who remolds herself as a Dauntless initiate named Triss, must face a rigorous induction into her new faction as well as a growing affection for her mentor, a distant but gorgeous older guy named Four.

So, in short, the ride was fantastic. The romance is a large part of the focus, and it keeps you turning pages. There's a good bit of violence, but Roth takes the edge off of any potential gore. Speaking of Veronia Roth, if you write, and you haven't visited her site, please do yourself a favor. Roth is a young writer--young enough to make me wish I could get a few years back--but her maturity and insights far exceed her years. You will love reading her blog.

My quibbles for Divergent were merely quibbles: Triss at times seemed too perfect. She often bemoaned her "not pretty" state, yet it was clear through descriptors and Four's reaction to her that she was attractive. I'm never much of a fan for that. I like female characters who are aware of their strengths, and if they are ignorant of their beauty, they don't call themselves ugly instead. The premise is fun to buy into, but don't nit-pick about how people could truly fall into such a strange way of life or it's easy to poke holes.

I read this book in two days. So that's as good a testament as any that it's a good read. Grab it before Insurgent comes out, and you can wait breathlessly to read more about Triss and Four along with me!

1 comment:

  1. The story was exciting, romantic, fast, and interesting. The characters were developed and had great arc. The overall themes were relevant to teens and adults alike. The plot was interesting and unpredictable, thank goodness for that! The writing was inspiring and thought-provoking.

    Veronica, THANK YOU for writing this story. I absolutely loved it.

    Mica
    Bowers and Wilkins P5 Review

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