Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

I hadn't intended to read it before, the blurb hadn't really convinced me. Then I happened to see the trailer of the movie adaptation, coming out soon, and I thought I should read it because the movie looks exciting and it's better to read the book before, than after I saw it. And frankly, I didn't regret my decision.

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My thoughts:

The books is written in Tris's POV, but in present tense, which is not too usual and, for me, it took time to get used to it, although it wasn't the first book I read like this. Probably the fact that for about the first 30-40 pages Roth writes very objectively, in short, simple sentences made it even harder. But soon, as things gets more complicated, this habit fades and it becomes enjoyable and quite suspenseful. Somwhere around page 50 it drew me into itself and I started to 'feel' the book, experience what they did, feel what they did, worry whenever she got into trouble, cheer for her and mourn with her. It gave me that peculiar sort of excitement what a good book can be recognized by. By the large, if the first 40 pages don't make you a fan don't give up, the rest of the book will. I promise. 

Moving on, I have to mention how brilliantly the whole world and the plot are built. As for the world it is utterly elaborated, flawless, and the thought of factions in order to create peace is just genious. About the plot, it's also very carefully set up, providing a smidgen fragment of information at a time, hence by the end of the book we can put the pieces together and get the whole story. This method made me bite my nails down to the nailbed. (Luckily, not literally, though.) The book is full of little clues what are insinuating to things and you can guess but you can never be entirely sure. As I said, exquisitely-built.

Overall rating:     

Installments:

It has two installments, titled Insurgent and Allegiant, and several prequels. You can learn more about them here.

Other books from the author:

You can find many other books from her here.

I hope you liked it. I continue reading the sequel and soon bring the next review, on Insurgent, the second installment of the series.