Divergent

General YA Fiction

VG/A. Roth, Veronica. Divergent. HarperCollins, 2011. 496p. 978-0-06-202402-2. $17.99.

In a futuristic world, in an effort to maintain peace, society has split into five factions based on human personality: Amity, Erudite, Candor, Abnegation, and Dauntless. Working together with each faction contributing to a different sector of society; Amity members are counselors and caretakers; those in Abnegation are selfless leaders of the government; Candor members are leaders of the law, while Erudites are teachers and researchers and all are protected by the Dauntless. At sixteen each member takes part in a Choosing ceremony to decide to stay with your faction or select a different one for the rest of your life. “Faction before blood”. Your faction is more than your just family—it is where you belong. Beatrice, a member of Abnegation, chooses the freedom that Dauntless offers and renames herself Tris. However, Tris has a secret that if revealed could very well mean her death. She’s a Divergent; Tris does not fit neatly into any of the five categories. Furthermore, she has to undergo trials to prove herself worthy of Dauntless and only 10 out of all initiatives will be chosen to become members. Will she be able to survive the highly competitive trials that will not only test her physical strength but also her emotional and mental strengths as well? A dystopia novel that will entice readers and keep them engaged throughout the story. The first in a trilogy by debut author Veronica Roth. -C. Campos, LAPL, Angeles Mesa