In the dystopia surrounding Chicago, society is divided up into five factions based on what the members value most: Abnegation--selflessness, Amity--peacefulness, Candor--honesty, Dauntless--bravery, and Erudite--intelligence. On Choosing Day all sixteen year olds are to choose which faction they belong with and will spend the rest of their lives. Most do pick the faction of their youth, the one they were born and raised with their family, but there are a few who select another. Before this day comes the selectors take a test to see where they best fit. The result is just a suggestion.
This story is set around one sixteen year old from Abnegation: Beatrice Prior. She and her brother, Caleb, have to make the daunting decision of where to spend the rest of their lives. Raised in the Abnegation faction if they choose another they could very well be separated from the family forever. It's no secret certain factions do not get along and some parents feel it is a betrayal when the child chooses another faction.
After choosing her faction, Beatrice "changes" her name to Tris and works to fit in with the new members of her faction undergoing stringent tests and trials to prove they belong. All members have to prove they can put faction above family, first and foremost.
Tris does hold a secret, a secret that if any of the higher ups found out could get her killed. It's also a secret that is saving her life.
The story did remind a lot of The Hunger Games with the separation of the people and such but is very different. All dystopian novels and series are not the same. I'm really finding that with the reading of this book that I do have a taste for dystopian novels. I didn't think they'd be very interesting as they seem very fantasy, but I do believe I was wrong.
Yes, there was a lot of hype surrounding this book and it's sequel (as well as the unreleased third novel) and as it always does the hype made me nervous. Was it popular because certain people were reading it or it was marked as the next Hunger Games? People are always looking for the next big thing and when searching they are quick to label anything as the next. They weren't wrong in this case. Not totally. I'm not sure if it really deserves to be as big as The Hunger Games, but it's a really good story. I'm anxious to read Insurgent, to find what's going to happen next. That's a good way to find out if a book is worth it. Does it keep the reader wanting more? I want more.
I read this for pure pleasure. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review in any way.
Just finished Divergent and started Insurgent. I love it so far! Haven't decided yet if I prefer the Hunger Games....guess we'll see:)
ReplyDeleteI think for me it'll take reading Insurgent and book 3 to see how Roth wraps it all up to decide which is better.
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