3 minutes reading time (630 words)

Divergent - By Veronica Roth

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I've known about this book for sometime, but for some reason never bought it until very recently, so I am afraid I have been a little late to the party.  Especially as this 'distopian' marvel is now in film production starring Shailene Woodley (The Secret Life of an American Teenager and The Amazing Spider Man 2) and Kate Winslet (The Reader, Titanic). I've read extensively in this genre and loved The Hunger Games series and Lauren Oliver's Deliirium books, and have to admit I was probably ready to start reading another genre after these just for a change.  

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Set in the future, the world is divided into five factions.  Each of the factions is different and the people that belong in them show the same traits in ther personalities.  Candor - honesty, Erudite - scholary, Dauntless - brave, Abnegation- selfless and Amity - Peacekeepers.

At sixteen all children must take a test which determines which faction they have a natural affintity to and can go on and live the rest of their lives in, should they choose to.  For some this does not neccessarily mean they will stay with the faction they were born and brought up in, so they must leave their parents, homes and friends they've known all their lives.

At the beginning of the story we are introduced to Beatrice Prior (Tris) who upon taking the test finds out the results are inconclusive and shows an apitude for three factions, Erudite, Dauntless and her current faction Abnegation. When this happens it's known as a divergent personality. In this world, the results are potentially a threat to Beatrice it's not explained why it's so dangerous. The results are covered up and she willingly chooses the Dauntless faction.  And this is where her journey begins.

As always I don't want to give away any spoilers, but this book had my heart hammering in my chest for most of it, so I'm surprised I lived through it!  To say you spend the entire story on the edge of your seat is an understatement.  I must admit reading through Tris's trials during her initiation into Dauntless I thought she or anyone had to be a complete lunatic to want to give up their peaceful existence for a flying by the seat of your pants, Dauntless life, but then I guess that's why she's Dauntless and I am not!

Roth does a fantastic job of describing every inch of Tris's surroundings, feelings and fears, to the point that you feel you are in that world, hence the hammering heart.  But saying that, thankfully it's not all bravery, fighting and putting your life on th line, there are some very touching scenes between Tris and her instructor, Four which had me rooting for their relationship to work too.

On the flip-side this isn't a completely new idea, and reminded me alot of the Hunger Games, minus the gruesome games.  The world or should I say North America (why some authors can't seem to get out of the States when writing a book that effects the whole world is beyond me), is split into different factions just as the former was split into sectors.  There was also cross over with the Delirium books, but I won't go into that as it will spoil the next book in the series 'Insurgent' for you. Nonetheless this is brilliantly written book and if I had to give it stars, I would give it four a definite must read.  I am looking foward to the movie being released in 2014, it will be interesting to see how it plays out on the slilver screen.

The final book in the series 'Allegiant' is due for release in October 2013, and it's definitely on my wish list.

 

 

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Friday, 29 March 2024

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