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Book Review of Divergent (Divergent, Bk 1)

Divergent (Divergent, Bk 1)
shawna-pinsky avatar reviewed on
Helpful Score: 1


This book is definitely one of my favorites. I received this book Monday March 7th and was finished with it Tuesday March 8th. It took me less than 24 hours to read this book (minus working and sleeping). This is a must own must read book for me. I hope the rest of you will like it as well. Way to go Veronica Roth for writing such a fantastic tale. Divergent will keep you reading with every turn of a page.

Divergent picks up with Beatrice, also known as Tris later on in the book, about 2 days prior to her Choosing ceremony. At the Choosing ceremony she must pick the faction she will spend the rest of her life with. All students around the age of 16 go through the aptitude test which will show them which faction they have an affinity for. From there that student must decide to stay with their current faction or choose one of the other 4 factions.

After her choosing she begins training as an initiate (new recruit). During this time Beatrice/Tris grows as a heroine. She is not automatically the strong heroine type in my opinion. As her training progresses she strengthens not only physically but mentally as well. She is a fantastic heroine because she is so flawed, just like the rest of us. She is a victim for pride, jealousy, confusion, anger, doubts, fear, and contempt. She is an everyday character. Yet what makes her such a strong heroine is as the story progresses, she progresses. She becomes braver, more selfless, and bolder.

As she trains with the faction of her choosing she beings to discover secrets within her faction and other factions. Secrets that will change the world and her life as she knows it. She must decide whether she truly believes Faction before Blood or is her family more important than her faction. Is her family more important than all of mankind.

Of coarse through all of this she does have a love interest. The best part of this love interest is that it's not this all consuming love at first sight I must be with this person. We see the relationship develop over time. Just as any real relationship does. So to me it seemed more real than most other books. Of coarse the love interest is definetely a cutie. He's strong, smart, kind, and couragous. What is not to like?

As the novel progresses we slowly gain more information about all of the factions. Not everything is laid out infront of the reader but instead you are slowly drawn into the mystery and secrets just like the characters of the book. You don't know everything up front instead you have to slowly navigate through their world just as Tris does.

I was emotionally drawn into this novel. I did get teary eyed in some spots and found myself smiling in others. The descriptions were so clear that I could see everything in my head and felt like I was right there in the action. I could feel my heart race at certain spots just as the characters did. My only disappointment with this book is that I have to wait for the next book!!!! Well I assume there will be a book 2.

Veronica Roth you wrote a fantastic story and I can not read more. Congratulations