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Divergent by Veronica Roth
In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series--dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
Mini-Review:
I had Divergent sitting on my TBR pile for a long time and when I finally read it, I fell in love! In love with the characters, the setting, the plot... I adored everything about Divergent and was so happy that the sequel was already released so I could dive right in. Tris was such an intelligent and independent character; she was not afraid to speak her mind and did not let anyone mess with her. Tris faced many difficult moments throughout Divergent and learned a variety of things about herself and the world around her. Veronica Roth created such a unique and fascinating world in Divergent and I could not set this book down for a second. There was romance, but it was not at all the focus of the book. Even the smallest characters were well-developed and everyone Tris met had some affect on her. She made incredible friends and terrible enemies, but she always stayed true to herself. I am eager to see this world and these characters brought to life on the big screen and I have already passed this book on to several of my friends. If you are one of the few who has not read Divergent yet, I highly recommend remedying that ASAP because it is a fast paced, intense, twisted, and exciting read with fantastic and complex characters that will leave you thinking and scrambling to start the sequel.
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
May 3, 2011/Katherine Tegen Books/487 Pages/Young Adult/Book One
Source: Purchased
Other books in this series: Insurgent (Book Two)
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads
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Insurgent by Veronica Roth
** summary and review may contain spoilers for Divergent, but not for Insurgent**
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
"New York Times" bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian "Divergent" series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.
Mini-Review:
After devouring Divergent, I immediately started Insurgent and wow, Veronica Roth has written a killer sequel. At first, I was worried this one would not live up to my love of Divergent, but all those worries quickly disappeared as my heart was torn to pieces and brought back together again repeatedly as I flew through this book. Everything was brought to a whole new level in Insurgent and the stakes were much, much higher. Everything was falling apart and Tris was right at the center of it all. This sequel was fast paced and thrilling and brought out a wide range of emotions from me. Tris was just as strong and kick-ass as she was in Divergent, but she has also grown up a lot. No one is what they seem and Tris and Four face many challenges over the course of this novel. It is hard to put into words my thoughts on this book because when I turned the last page my reaction was just shock! I cannot believe Insurgent ended in the way that it did and it truly changed everything. I cannot wait for more information about book three to be released because I am dying to know what will happen next!
Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
May 1, 2012/HarperTeen/525 Pages/Young Adult/Book Two
Source: Purchased
Other books in this series: Divergent (Book One)
Links: Author's Website/Goodreads
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Look for more mini-reviews soon!
I'm glad you got to read them together. Roth knows how to write a killer cliffhanger.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see how the whole thing turns out!
I'm so excited to read book three!
DeleteI really didn't like Insurgent as much as Divergent-I wonder if it would have helped to read them back to back like you did.
ReplyDeleteI think that helped a lot, I loved reading them back to back!
DeleteI read these back to back and loved them both. After the stack of awful YA novels I'd read before these, Divergent and Insurgent were a breath of fresh air! I really liked the idea of the factions and the way people interacted within them (or didn't, rather). It's also nice to see a YA book where the plot isn't secondary to the romance and character development. Yay! I can't wait for book three either!
ReplyDeleteAwesome review, by the way!