Divergent by Veronica Roth

Dystopian Chicago. Got to love it! No really, you do. Even if you think, "good god I can't take another," pick it up anyway and you won't regret it. This one has a dystopian setting, but the plot doesn't revolve around how the world got that way, it just happens to be set there. Which is the best kind of dystopia, no?

I really enjoyed the world building in this novel. It was extremely well done. This is a world where people recognized that there is something inherently bad about people. We just can't help it. We are greedy, lying, conniving, cruel, power-hungry creatures. So in recognition of that fact, they divided the world into five factions based on the best elements of human nature (there is a thorough explanation in the book so i'll skip it here).

When a person turns 16, they undergo a trial which helps them to pick which faction they will belong to for the rest of their life. Beatrice, our heroine, is about to turn 16. And, of course, once she does, she learns that things are not at all what they seem. The factions are on the point of crumbling. People are not sticking to the original plan and it is going to have disastrous results.

This is really a pulse pounding book. Beatrice is my favorite kind of character. She's tough as nails, she may not want to kill you, but she'll shoot you in the leg if she has to. On the flip side, she's filled with insecurity and self-doubt and yet manages to be deeply moral, loyal, and brave. She's also a bit reactionary and violent and has a lot to learn about friendship.

There is a romance in here which was pretty dang hot. Beatrice was a little slow on the uptake, but the author made it work and then went above and beyond when Beatrice must face her fears (oh fear landscape, how nice a literary touch were you).

This is the first in a series and I'm looking forward to where the author takes the story. There is a lot that happens in this book and the next book will be a whole different set of issues the author will have to tackle. It'll be interesting to see if the tension that was so wonderfully used in this book can be maintained in the second.

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Mock Printz

1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Patti's Review)

2. Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt (Joanna's Review)

3. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

4. Blood Red Road by Moira Young (Patti's Review)

5. Divergent by Veronica Roth

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Book Source = Tayshas Committee Copy