Divergent (Book 1) (edition 2012)

Novel set in dystopian Chicago wherein there are five factions of people with specific personality characteristics: Abnegation (selfless), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave), Amity (peaceful/kind), and Erudite (intelligent). These factions were formed to stop the greed that comes from too much power and to help prevent war. In theory, everyone is to live in harmony, but the different factions tend to disagree with eachother and to "war" amongst themselves, although up to now it has only been a war of words.

Beatrice Prior and her brother, Caleb, are 16 and must now choose which faction they want to belong to. They come from Abnegation and have been given aptitude tests to help them decide, but if they leave their current faction, they will also be leaving their family behind, which is looked at as a betrayal. The choice is difficult for all because it is a choice for life. If they do not succeed at their initiations into their chosen factions, they become factionless (homeless) and end up with the worst jobs available and have to beg to survive.

Beatrice has started having niggling thoughts like wondering what is outside the city limits (forbidden) and wondering why gates are locked from the outside--"It's almost like they are locking people IN rather than keeping danger OUT".

Beatrice and Caleb make their decisions and progress on to completing their initiations and battling the challenges and doubts that accompany their choices. Beatrice reinvents herself as "Tris" and surprises everyone with admitting to an extent who she really is, although she does carry a secret about herself which could get her killed. She bonds with one of her instructors, "Four", who is hiding some secrets of his own. Together they face an opponent who may destroy their way of life as they know it.

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My 12yo daughter read this and loved it and asked me to read it too. I agree with her. It is a great story and I'm looking forward to the next one in the series. ( )

You can read my review here:

http://abshepherdsreinventedreader.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/divergent-by-veronica-roth.html ( )

Teen litrature at it's best.
This is reminisant of mockinjay in that this is a growing up story with a female main character. It is also set in a post apoliptic world where the rules are very different. However they are quite different.
for what is quite a complicated story line the story is easy to follow and has that lovely teen easy to read ability about it (that adults like me love.
love it - looking for more ( )

First in a series are always the best for me-- new ideas, new characters and setup for what will come later. In this book I felt like the first third of the book was like that, but then it began to seem very like books I'd read before and by the end I just wasn't too interested to continue with more in the series. ( )

Fantastic, can't wait to read more.
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