Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

  Title: Divergent
  Author: Veronica Roth
  Publisher: Harper Collins
  Publication Date: 3rd May 2011
  My rating: 5 stars
  
  Reviewed by: Jasprit

  

I’m actually so annoyed with myself right now; I have this annoying habit of buying books as soon as they’re released but not reading them until ages afterwards. When I saw all the excitement over Insurgent I knew I had to get my butt into gear and get down to reading Divergent. Now I have finished I don’t know if it’s a good thing that I waited so long to read it as the release of the Insurgent is only around the corner or I should go and hide behind a rock somewhere because I took so long to read it in the first place. One of the reasons it took me so long to pick up this book was because of my relationship with dystopians hasn’t been that great. I always had hope in the back of my mind that there would be one dystopian at least that would literally knock my socks off; I am pleased to say that Divergent is that book.

Beatrice (Tris) lives in a factioned society consisting of; Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Candor, and Erudite. Beatrice has been brought up in the faction of Abnegation who value selflessness. At the age of 16 every individual has to go through a choosing ceremony which leads them to their final faction that they belong with. But before the choosing ceremony they take aptitude tests, these help determine their factions. Beatrice’s aptitude test doesn’t go according to plan, it comes up inconclusive leaving Beatrice to have to make one of the hardest decisions in her life; remain with Abnegation for the rest of her life as her family expect her too? Or break free and choose a different faction entirely?

However despite choosing a faction, this doesn’t guarantee you a place in the faction, such as with Dauntless, you have to go through a series of initiations and failure to make it to the top ten means you ended up factionless.

The training they initially had to do for their factions reminded me a lot The Hunger Games, how everyone would be ranked, how everyone expected Tris to be weak and pathetic just because she was the only one to come from Abnegation. I loved Tris how she showed she could “man up” and be kick ass like everyone else, after the first few fights I couldn’t wait for her to pummel people such as Drew, Molly and Peter. Heck if I was there I would have pummelled them too! I especially liked the courage she displayed and the way she grew as a character from someone, who didn’t talk back to her parents, did what she was told to someone who fought back, got tattoos and slapped their trainers!

Four gosh where do I begin with this fine specimen? At times he had me confused the way he kept taunting Tris or would abruptly snap, but mostly he just made me swoon, I’m sure if I was ever in Tris’ shoes I would be in a blubbering mess. The romance in this book just made me melt; the sweet slow build up, the quick pecks, the hesitancy and fragility about them; afraid to touch one another because of the way Tris was brought up in Abnegation. To finally comforting one another and the lingering kisses *sigh*

I adored the friendship between Christina, Will and Tris, and the banter between the dauntless initiates. At times I wished I was there (I would probably never make it through initiation as I would fail miserably) but when everyone was together messing around I would have loved to have been part of the group. I had so many favourite scenes from this book, if I were to name them all; my review would probably turn into a full blown essay. So I’ll just try to naming a few, flag catching, training at throwing knives, going into Four’s fear landscape, I’m not going to lie basically all the scenes with Four were my favourites.

Reading Divergent was a thrilling ride; it was an enthralling read that I was constantly on the edge of my seat, it also was a book which broke my heart. I’m glad I finally read this unforgettable book; it will remain as one of my favourites for a long time.