“Taking place in a futuristic Chicago in which society is divided into five factions, Divergent is the gripping young adult fantasy story of a dystopian world transformed by courage, self-sacrifice, and love.”
It has been thirteen years since I originally read the series. That being said, I couldn’t even remember the names of the characters. I was surprised by them. Beatrice had such an easy chance to become a Mary Sue, a character with no flaws, but she didn’t! Tobias,I didn’t expect the complexities of his character. He is more than the brooding male. I like how there is yet to be a chosen one. This book could have so easily fallen on common tropes of the genre, but it didn’t.
The side characters had distinct personalities, and I was able to tell them all apart. The main romantic relationship in the book almost reads like a true romance book. I could see people loving it all these years later. Overall, the characters worked well for the story, but I didn’t fully connect with them.
I was a big fan of the atmosphere and setting. Right from the first paragraph it brought me into this dystopian world. The technology and society is so fascinating and I cannot wait to see it grow in the next installments. The writing style was clear and easy to read; it was very much digestible and consistent throughout the course of the novel.
The plot was straightforward. The main theme that I took away was individuality. In the dystopian way we can see how oppressive governments can strip someone of who they are as a form of control. This is also a young adult book. A young person reading this is like the main character trying to find their place in society. I was actually surprised by how this book was executed, spending so much time in training. Overall it felt like a stepping stone to what comes next.
This was a fast read for me. As I had forgotten much I was able to make theories and be shocked by moments. The last quarter especially had me gripped. I was impressed by the logic. The author did a great job at writing how this young cast of characters would react in certain circumstances. This was a pleasant read, but did not live up to my past reading experience as a teenager. It was still a good book and I would recommend it.
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Izzy Reads 