Review : DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth

Beatrice Prior is one of the Abnegation faction, one of the five factions in dystopian Chicago. Every 16 year-olds are given a choice to choose their faction, and family for ever : Dauntless(the brave), Amity(the peaceful), Candor(the honest), Erudite(the intelligent) and Abnegation(the selfless). Before they choose, the teenagers are given a test to help them decide which faction they're supposed to be in. Beatrice's results shows that she's a Divergent, something rare and dangerous. She is warned to keep the secret to herself, just to keep herself safe. In the end, Beatrice chooses Dauntless and leave her family behind. At Dauntless compounds, Beatrice is known as  "Tris" and makes new friends and try to survive brutal tests during Initiation, all the while feeling drawn to a quiet Four who seems to have a past. Can Tris survive Initiation? Who is Four? And most important, why must Tris keep her test results a secret?

     Again, another dystopian which gripped my heart. Divergent is moderately paced, speeding up in the last 100 pages or so. Slightly predictable, but with a few interesting twists I didn't foresee. Good, vivid language that made me fell in love with the Dauntless community (the better part of it, at least). The world Roth painted is so clear, I yearned to be a part of it and yet fear that those described in Divergent will become our future. Let's hope I'll be long gone when that happens.

     The main character, Tris, and also the narrator, is strong, brave, intelligent, loyal and self sacrificing, even if she doesn't know it. She is not blinded by new found love with you-know-who, a quality which made her practical and mature and is willing to look only for the good side of people, something people in real life needed badly. Tris is with potential and flaws, which made her a very three dimensional and lively character. She resembles Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games (my review here), only a little more braver, less calculating and minus the love triangle. She is the kind of friend I would love to have, though sometimes I want to knock her head for not seeing the events that are coming her way.

     Four is another favorite. I love him far better than Peeta or Gale(The Hunger Games), and even Stefan from The Vampire Diaries (my review here). I love his no nonsense tone, his figure, his sense of justice and everything that comes along with the package. He felt real and compassionate. Again, his flaws accentuates his admirable qualities, not that he has many flaws. And his phobia of heights is a little funny. Sign me up for a date with the man! ( I sound like a boy-crazed girl, right? Ah, very well.) The other characters are very lively as well, especially good ol' Christina.

     The romance between Tris and Four is full of chemistry and quite convincing. Both of them are attracted to each other by their strength and bravery. The way Tris got hurt and jealous is cute, and is essential to add realism to the relationship.Four is just as quick to protect Tris, even when he's risking his own life. Oww, how sweet. Can you find a couple as on par with each other as Tris and Four are?

     I would like to read more about the locked fence, Four' relationship with his father and the Prior family, but I don't think that's quite possible with some major events happening to the 'rentals. Beautifully crafted, and humorous and times, Divergent is one dystopian you do not want to miss.

     The cover is simple and elegant, though I like the UK cover more, especially the tease line in beside the ravens.

Divergent book jacket UK edition

Ratings : 4 stars (I would love to give a 4.5 if the novel isn't so predictable in parts)

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