Thursday, February 5, 2015

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth (Goodreads Author), Emma Galvin (Reading)



4 of 5 stars  ****


Another dystopian world, similar to Hunger Games, but with its own conditions, characters, and relationships. This reader thought the story would be a rip-off version but Veronica Roth creates a wonderful logical world that allows 16-year-olds to choose which quality group they will belong: "Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent)."

Beatrice and her brother choose different groups from each other and their parents. Beatrice changes her name to Tris as she struggles to be worthy of Dauntless. An earlier placement test reveals that Beatrice, Tris, is someone special; one who must be warned to never reveal her true nature, a Divergent. Tris is not even sure what that means.

The plot complicates when youthful attraction factors into teacher/student relationship. Tris must learn who her friends are while she struggles with her own maturing emotions. Her growth shows her personal bests in proficiency, physical prowess, and intelligence.

Tris's adventures, eventually, reunite her with her family, who are not who they seem to be, when the Erudite try to become the ruling faction over all others. This theme is ripe for the best and the worst of human nature to play out in the dystopian arena, the perfect stage for survival of the fittest; advantage, Divergent.

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