Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title/Author: Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Publisher/Date published: Katherine Tegen Books, May 3rd 2011
How I got this book: bought it TWO YEARS AGO (ugh, I suck)
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: 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.

So do you remember how I admitted to being majorly scared of this book?? AND OMG WHY DIDN'T I READ THIS SOONER??? AAAH IT WAS SO GOOD!!

Anyone want to do an I-told-you-so dance? Cause you totally can, I deserve it. Each and every one of you was totally justified in screaming at me.

My Broke and Bookish buddy Jana offered to read it with me and AAAH! I am SO glad I finally picked this up!! I did virtually nothing other than read it since I opened the book this afternoon!!

So I admit that at first I was a bit sceptic, because seriously, I didn't really see what all the fuss about Four was about. He seemed like a bit of a jerk for the first couple of chapters after we meet him, but after that HOLY WOWZA, consider me convinced! The boy is just *SWOON* So now we're totally cool :)

I love Tris. She's a beautifully flawed character and I loved that she struggled with the different qualities of her personalities, trying to fit in, but not really being able to conform. LOVED. At one point I was sort of wondering when the whole Divergent thing would kick into action and show some merit, but I'll just say that in the end Veronica Roth totally comes through on this aspect!

The whole world that Veronica Roth has developed is fascinating! People are sort of brainwashed to believe they belong in only one faction and then just adjust their whole life around the one quality of said faction and with each faction picking up different responsibilities, it's a well-oiled machine. Until something screws it up (because really, without conflict there would be no book, or at least not an interesting one). I was so intrigued by all the goings-on of Dauntless alone, and that's without seeing the inner workings of the other factions!

Divergent shows how cruel people can be when pushed to survive. Because that's basically what initiation in Dauntless is, a struggle to survive IN the faction. It's not safe and it's scary and I would definitely not have made it. It was amazing to see how Tris grows and develops strength and learns who her true friends are.

And again: THE BOY! FOUR! I am definitely a fan now! He was swoony and amazing and full of boyness and GAH! YES! And they had some totally hot and sweet moments and just fit together really well! They actually make sense together and I actually almost cried when something BIG happened and screamed at Jana over Whatsapp!

The pace was always up, but towards the end it really got running and my heart was racing and I was holding the book a little too tightly and just felt like I was there in the moment with Tris trying to make everything alright and knowing that it could never ALL be alright again! It was devastating and GLORIOUS!

I cannot stop gushing over this book and I already know it will be another book I start pushing onto other people (I'm gonna start with the boyfriend I think), because it is THAT GOOD. Seriously, if like me you have been too scared to read it, don't wait any longer: it lives up to the hype. It is that good. Go read it.

My rating: 5+ stars

Made me crave: NOTHING, too much tension to eat!