Book Review: Divergent

Title: Divergent (Divergent Trilogy #1)

Language: English

Author: Veronica Roth @VeronicaRoth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Year: 2012

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure

Fortunately i bought this book half price in Kaskus. Again, it's a second book but still in good condition. Always give me a thrill when i get nice second book.

Divergent is another dystopian novel where the future is divided not by religions but by five factions that reflects people's characters; Abnegation (selfless), Amity (peaceful), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave) and Erudite (knowledge).

All sixteen year old must take aptitude test to define which faction they should belong, but on the Choosing Ceremony they have to choose their self which one they want to live in. It's a lifetime choice because it applies rule 'faction before blood' means you have to leave your family.

The protagonist character is Beatrice Prior whose aptitude test result is inconclusive because she is Divergent. Divergent is considerably dangerous to Erudite since this people can't be controlled by their serum to attack the Abnegation. Beatrice herself comes from Abnegation but transfer to Dauntless instead. 

Once joining Dauntless she changed her nickname to Tris and become the first rank in the harsh Dauntless initiation process. 

I can understand the roles of three factions: Dauntless guard the city, Abnegation rules the government, Erudite invented tools or products. But i'm not really understand what Amity and Candor roles in this first book. 

 

I like its story with many action scenes but somehow i didn't feel too attached to the characters as Hunger Games or The Mortal Instruments did. I like heroine characters but seems loosing her parents didn't drawn too much emotional feelings for her.  

It offers similar themes with Hunger Games which is revolution or rebellion. So it will be 3.5 rate actually since it is quite tense. As in this kind of novel certainly there is hot guy character involved in creating romance. He exist as the cold Dauntless instructor named Four who fall in love with Tris. 

I fall in love with Jace Wayland for his witty and edgy characters and certainly fall in love again and again with Peeta Mellark with his sincerity and patience but haven't found myself fall in love with Four. Might be in the second or third book?

Divergent offers similar themes like other young adult books about friendship, kinship, bravery, and be-yourself virtues. 

Another thing that interest me is these kind of books show powerful symbols to build fans, community, crowd or whatever which i think really works and should be paid attention carefully the meaning behind it. Some might be good but some others might not. Well i ever think several times to learn symbology.  

Waiting its movie to be released on March 21, 2014 to see how good it will be compare to the book and also how will they build the five factions compounds into reality...errr movie i mean :). Will read Insurgent and Allegiant too but not with too much enthusiasm. Hope i find the other two are more interesting. But young adult author Veronica Roth's work (born August 19, 1988) aren't too bad either.

Favorite quotes:
~ “We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”
~ “Becoming fearless isn't the point. That's impossible. It's learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.”
~ “I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different.”
~ “A brave man acknowledges the strength of others.”
~ “Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up”
~ “Politeness is deception in pretty packaging.”
~ “Learning how to think in the midst of fear is a lesson that everyone needs to learn.”