Divergent

Divergent is the first in an ongoing series by Veronica Roth, a talented writer of dystopian (or post-apocalyptic society worlds) fiction. Divergent sets the stage in a dystopian future, where the reader is thrown into a world where the society is run by factions, each of the factions specializing in a certain way of life and mindset. Divergent follows the life of a girl born into the Abnegation faction, forced to chose between staying in a familiar setting where she isn’t comfortable, or going out into the unknown and choosing a new life for herself…permanently.

Divergent follows the life of a 16 year old girl named Beatrice in a dystopian world, where society is divided into factions; Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Amity (the peaceful), Erudite (the intelligent), and Dauntless (the brave). Beatrice is born into Abnegation, where her faction is devoted to a life of selflessness. In this society, you live with the faction you are born into until you are 16, then you can choose to either stay with the faction, or leave to join a different one. However, the choice is permanent. You either stay with the faction you chose, or live “factionless”, abandoned, barely meeting the basic needs for human life. Luckily, before you make your potentially life-altering decision, you get to take a test to determine which faction best suits you. Beatrice takes this test, and finds out she’s Divergent, which means she has qualities from all of the different factions, and all of the factions equally suit her. Beatrice is told that being Divergent is dangerous, and that she must keep it a secret at all costs. Early on in the book, she knows that the Abnegation lifestyle is a life that she envies, but cannot truly live, because the Abnegation demands complete selflessness. She chooses a new faction, the Dauntless, and with a new faction, comes Beatrice’s new life, and new home. Divergent includes relatable themes, such as loyalty to your family, love, and human character. There are several important conflicts in Divergent; most of them are internal conflicts that Beatrice experiences. The first conflict is Beatrice’s loyalty. Loyalty is a HUGE theme in Divergent, as the factions demand extreme loyalty, which includes the fact that if you change your faction, you’re not allowed to see your family ever again. However, this theme pushes gives Beatrice a consequence to leaving the faction she was born in, and it is the major conflict in the beginning of the book. Beatrice’s decision that resulted from this conflict continues the story, and that is why this is the most important conflict in the entire book.

            

I would highly recommend Divergent to any fan of Veronica Roth’s writing style or dystopian fiction. Divergent is a compelling story, with relatable themes. Roth puts us in the shoes of a scared girl who becomes a strong woman. Divergent is an epic “coming of age” tale, and one of the best books any reader could ask for

Book Review by Amy I.