Review of Divergent by Veronica Roth

Summary as Per Amazon:
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.

Review:

Let me say that I loved this book! Divergent was not simply a retelling of the wildly popular The Hunger Games nor was it another cookie cutter dystopian; this was a story unique unto itself. Roth does an amazing job of bringing each of the factions to life and building the neccessary background without overwhelming or boring the reader. Instead, Roth gives the reader page after page of beautiful writing and heart stopping action. For those of you familiar with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Graceling by Kristin Cashore, you'll understand when I say that Tris ranks up there with Katniss and Katsa. Tris is truly an intelligent, thoughtful, caring, and strong femalcharacter whose actions show a wonderful balance between bravery and vulnerabililty. And if the action in this one doesn't leave you breathless, the romance most certainly will as Tris's relationship with the steamy and mysterious Four unfolds. All in all, this is a not-to-be-missed debut from an author to be watched! Congratulations Miss Roth on a remarkable read.

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