After a few months of refusing to
read another huge monster book of dystopian fiction, I have bowed to the
inevitable and picked up Divergent. As stated
in the author interview in the back of the book, the idea for the setting of
Divergent (a futuristic Chicago area governed by factions based on virtues) was
originally Veronica Roth’s idea of a utopia, but she soon discovered it was
actually at the opposite end of the spectrum. The five factions; Candor for
those who value truth, Amity for those who value peace, Dauntless for those who
value bravery, Abnegation for those who value selflessness, and Erudite for
those who value knowledge; each control a part of society suited to their
respective values. At sixteen, teenagers born into one faction find out their
aptitude for each faction and are allowed to switch factions based on their
test result. But when Abnegation Beatrice Prior takes her aptitude tests, her
results are inconclusive, meaning she is compatible with multiple factions. These
people are called Divergent, and they are a danger to whatever faction they are
loyal to. Beatrice chooses to leave her faction to become Dauntless on Choosing
Day, and she takes a new nickname (Tris) and a new life. During the ruthless
dauntless initiation, she meets new friends, enemies, and the mysterious Four,
an instructor who is not all he seems.
Most dystopian fiction is set so
far in the future that items we use today are ancient in their world. In Divergent,
however, things we use today like glasses, hamburgers, and tattoos are still
relevant. This makes the reader wonder just how futuristic the book is. Another
element of the average dystopian novel that Divergent lacks is the fraught love
triangle. There’s not much I can stay without spoiling anything, bout those of
you who think the whole Team Peeta/Team Gale deal is old, this book will be
perfect for you. Divergent is thrilling and unexpected, with plot turns that
will leave you gasping for breath, wincing in pain, and yelling with joy along
with Tris. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction and coming-of-age
novels.
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