ARC Review: DIVERGENT (By: Veronica Roth)

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Published: May 3, 2011
Format: ARC

Genre: YA Dystopia

Paperback:  496 pages
Dimensions: 6 x 8.75 x 1.47 in

ISBN - 10: 0062024027
ISBN - 13: 9780062024022

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.



During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

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When I opened Divergent, the first thing I noticed was a letter from Susan Katz, President and Publisher of HarperCollins Chidren's Books. This letter welcomes Veronica Roth to the "world of teen literature", but it also gives a warning to the reader:

"Once you're in the grips of Divergent, it's impossible to put down without knowing the conclusion. So consider this letter fair warning that you, too, may find yourself reading into the early hours of the morning!"

I wish to extend my thanks for this letter because it prepared me for what I was about to embark upon. Katz was right, after the first couple of pages I was hooked. Divergent held me hostage and I loved every minute of it.

Right away I knew that Beatrice 'Tris' Prior was the kind of female heroine that defines a generation. She is a remarkable young woman who's attitude will rub off on you. Every fear, fight and scar that Tris is faced with throughout the book will resonate with readers. The choices that she makes in her life become her, and it this mentality that gives her the strength she needs to push on. Her life in dystopian Chicago operates based on the contributions of all five factions. Each faction must live out the behaviours that their roles define. The society that now exists is supposed to offer some protection but in many ways it breeds chaos. Roth has shown young readers a different way of life, and in doing so has forced them to think. Her ability to make the content accessible to the readership, while making the story entertaining, is a stunning accomplishment.

The world we know now is like a distant memory compared  to the society that Tris lives in and it is not just because of the factions. Roth has transformed my favourite city into a dystopian version of its former self. Through her visionary imagination, Chicago's most incredible landmarks have become the sites where faction members live out their day to day lives. The Sears Tower has become the Hub, a place where sixteen year-olds make the decision to choose one faction over another. The now broken down ferris wheel at Navy Pier is where Tris finds the courage to rise above and prove herself. Finally we have The Bean, the beautiful piece of architecture which has been deteriorating  slowly leaving a rust covered shell of what once was. All of these pieces that make up the vibrant city of Chicago have been re imagined to create something hauntingly beautiful.

The action definitely stole the show in this book leaving me breathless more than once. It seemed like there was always something about to happen and that every moment you were living right there on the edge with Tris. Divergent is as much about fear as it is about power. Roth examines how our fears dictate our entire existence and how we can learn to live above them. Even a fear of love can be overcome when the right person comes along. This is a lesson that Tris knows well and is part of what makes this book what it is. Her affection for this heart breaker of a boy will give you butterflies. Their relationship is a prime example of how Roth revels in the idea that we make choices every single day and that we can choose to live fearlessly.

Divergent is unlike anything that I have ever read. The combination of action, romance and  engrossing content is thrilling . Any critic who says that Young Adult novels can't be thought-provoking should be required to pick up a copy of this book. I promised myself that I wouldn't fan girl all over this review but it was difficult not to. If you read one debut novel this year, let it be Divergent. 

 Favourite Quotes 

"I am selfish. I am brave." - 47

"If my entire life is like this, loud laughter and bold action and the kind of exhaustion you feel after a hard but satisfying day, I will be content" - 156

"I have never been carried around by a large boy, or laughed until my stomach hurt at the dinner table, or listened to the clamor of a hundred people all talking at once. peace is restrained; this is free" - 250

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Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for this advanced copy. :) For more information about the book you can visit the HarperCollins Canada website, read their Blog: The Savvy Reader, follow them on Twitter or visit Divergent's Facebook page. Happy reading!