Book Review: DIVERGENT, by Veronica Roth

There have been a lot of fantastic books published in 2011, and while I haven't yet read as many as I want to, of the ones I've read, Veronica Roth's DIVERGENT is perhaps my favorite. The young adult dystopian is set in Chicago after the near-collapse of society. In Roth's Chicago, five factions have sprung up: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. Each of these factions represents a virtue, and at the age of sixteen, the society's teenagers must select a faction in which to spend the rest of their lives. DIVERGENT, the first in the series, follows Beatrice "Tris" Prior, who makes a choice that not only shocks her friends and family, but exposes her to more violence and danger than she ever would have believed.

I'm a sucker for a good dystopian, YA or otherwise, because I'm always fascinated by the choices people and societies make after traumatic, revolutionary events. Veronica Roth has written one of the most compelling dystopians I've read in a good while, and I devoured it nearly as fast as I did Suzanne Collins' THE HUNGER GAMES. The characters, especially Tris, are very well-rounded and real, with genuine wants and motivations, and realistic flaws. I identified strongly with Tris, who in many cases acted as I would act, and I was invested in her story from the get-go.

Roth's descriptions are very good. I have never been to Chicago, certainly never the Chicago of this book, but I could see all the settings and characters clearly in my mind's eye. Every layer of the story works together to engage the reader, and I honestly couldn't put this book down.

My only complaint is that I wanted a bit more history and world-building. Tris isn't particularly concerned with the history of her society, and since it's a first-person story from her point of view, I can understand why these details were particularly sparing. I would have liked a few more, though. I'm hoping there will be more in future books.

Overall, I'd say I give this book four and a half out of five, taking off because I did want more background, and some parts did feel slightly rushed. Overall, it is an excellent read, and I recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian societies, action, and a bit of a thrill ride.