Divergent Book Review

various Divergent covers

Sixteen-year-old Tris is forced to make a terrible choice. In a divided society where everyone must conform, Tris does not fit.

So she ventures out alone, determined to discover where she truly belongs. Shocked by her brutal new life, Tris can trust no one. And yet she is drawn to a boy who seems to both threaten and protect her. 
The hardest choice lies ahead. 

After reading that summary, you must have thought that Divergent is a mix of Twilight and The Hunger Games.

I thought so too. When I started reading the first chapter, I felt quite dull because of the seemingly monotonous style of writing and it felt eerily like The Hunger Games.

So, I shut the book and kept it in my bookshelf.

Last week, I decided to give this book another try.

I tried to be patient this time as I read the seemingly dull first chapter. Then, things picked up dramatically after chapter number five.

What basically is Divergent about?

Yes, the book’s set in a dystopic society. The society is divided into five factions – Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Abnegation represents selflessness, Amity represents peace, Candor values honesty, Dauntless holds bravery in high esteem and Erudite thirsts for knowledge.

Our protagonist, Beatrice Prior is born in Abnegation. Unlike her selfless parents and her equally selfless brother, Beatrice feels that she’s not selfless enough to be a part of Abnegation.

There is an aptitude test conducted for the children of each faction when they turn sixteen.  This test will tell the kids which faction is suited for them and the results aren’t allowed to be disclosed.

This test is like a role-playing game wherein you’re supposed to pick between choices, which will determine the faction which is perfect for you.

The book starts off when Beatrice is worrying about her aptitude test and telling us about how she doesn’t feel selfless enough.  She lives a peaceful life and she worries about what will happen if she decides to leave her family to join a new faction.

In her aptitude test, Beatrice comes to know that she’s Divergent – which is a term for someone with a very dangerous mind. People who are Divergent cannot be easily sorted into one faction. Being Divergent is a threat as the government wants the people to think in one particular way, the Divergent pose a threat because their minds move in different directions. To be more precise, they cannot fit in just one category.

On Choosing Day – when the teens are supposed to choose which faction they are to be a part of – Beatrice chooses Dauntless. Soon, she’s caught up in an exciting world where she has to work hard to fit in.

Basically, Divergent is all about choices. It’s about choosing what is right or not, about what is best for you as a person and how your choices affect those around you.

I think it’s also a mirror of life. Teenagers, who spent their entire lives enjoying, are now forced to choose between streams. Similarly, kids in Divergent are supposed to choose between various factions, risking their parents’ love and their own interests.

What did I like about this book? I loved the writing style, the plot which is starkly different from most YA dystopic novels and how the characters progressed – especially Tris.

I liked how Tris developed from a shy, one-dimensional Abnegation girl to a brave warrior. It was the best part about this book. It showed how much she comes to know of her potential after living a life where she's not allowed to think about herself. 

This might seem like a Hunger Games wannabe to you; but to me, both the stories are quite different. In Hunger Games, the government is oppressive but in Divergent, the government actually wants harmony in the society. The government in Divergent actually cares about the citizens, unlike the government in Hunger Games. 

So, don't be misled into thinking that Divergent is another Hunger Games. Both the books are completely different. Yes, both are set in a dystopic society, but the plots are not the same. 

Read this book if you're a huge fan of YA fiction like I am and if you really like dystopia. I'll give it five on five stars! :)