Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent #1
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young
Adult, Dystopia
Format: Paperback, 487 pages
Release date: May 3rd 2011
My rating: 4/5









Summary:
One choice can transform you.
In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.




My thoughts:
I was really excited when I received this book in the mail. I won it in a giveaway where I could choose a book of my liking and chose Divergent. I had heard a lot of great things about it and I'm crazy about the dystopian books. I pretty much love every book in the genre. The Host, The Hunger Games, Wither, Shatter Me... Do I have to go on?
I expected it to be a typical dystopian book, which it was on the one hand but on the other not so much. I loved how the city was devided in the different factions: Dauntless, who live fearlessly. Abnegation, who live selflessly. Erudite, who live in knowledge. Candor, who live in truth. Amity, who live in peace. When the kids are 16 they get to choose which faction they want to be in. That's one of the reasons I find this book somewhat different from other dystopians, the fact that they get to choose which faction to pick. Personally I wouldn't be able to make a choice. I know I could never be in Abnegation or Candor. I couldn't be selfless or truthful all the freakin time... 
At first I wasn't that sure about the book, but as the plot got bigger and bigger I started getting hooked and wasn't able to stop reading at one point. I just wanted to keep turning the pages faster and faster.
The maincharacter, Tris, to me was an awesome heroine. She really grew to be smart, tough and just plain kick-ass throughout the story. She could also show her vulnerable side, which I think is great because you can't keep being strong in the position she is and everything she goes through. I think she's so brave with everything that happens after she chose Dauntless. I wish I could be like her. Of course she is "Divergent", like the title of the book says. I won't say what it means to keep some spoilers out.
My favorite character was Four a.k.a Tobias. I fell in love with him right from the moment he came into the book, as a instructor of Tris and the other initiates of Dauntless. At first he seemed sort of moody, but that's one of the things I liked. He's the most interesting character because you know there are things beneath the surface that make him the way he is. I think he really opens up to Tris and I just love it when they are together.
The other characters are all great. They each have a different personality and I could just imagine hanging out with them, easily. I even liked some of the not nice characters, just for the reason that it keeps things entertaining. I was truly sad when some of the characters died, as happens often in a dystopian book. (*coughTheHungerGamescough*)
Another thing! I thought Divergent resembles The Hunger Games a bit. I don't know if I'm the only one feeling like this, but I did. Although Tris definitely isn't Katniss. They do not resemble each other one bit.
Other things I loved were the simulations they have to go through where you have to face your fears. One of my favorite scenes was where Four took Tris through his fear landscape and how she helped him cope with every fear, which are only 4 fears, hence his nickname "Four".
I've read the books in 4 days, which is relatively fast for a book of this many pages for me.
In short I really loved the book and I'm looking forward to be reading more of the whole world of Divergent. So I'm counting the week till Insurgent, the second book in the series. Veronica Roth has created a great world, where you'll want to keep reading more of it.

The cover also is really well done. The fireball thing is the Dauntless symbol, which I think is just really cool. I love how you see the city (Which used to be Chicago) below it. On the picture below are all the faction symbols. Thought it was cool so wanted to share. :)