BOOK REVIEW: Divergent (Trilogy) by Veronica Roth

BOOK REVIEW: Divergent (Trilogy) by Veronica Roth

DIVERGENT: Beatrice Prior lives in a future United States, in a community that is split up into factions. Each faction has a different focus. Beatrice was born in Abnegation (wears brown, focuses on selflessness) and, at 16 yrs old on Choosing Day, when all choose which faction they want to live in the rest of their lives, she chooses Dauntless (wears black, pierces body, tattoos, thrill-seekers). She goes by "Tris," learns to be strong and grows to love "Four," or Tobias, one of the Divergent leaders. Their passion rivals Edward and Bella. Excited to read the second one...

INSURGENT: Explores the Dauntless community more, and explains that she is Divergent, meaning immune to serums that others aren't. Delves deeper into Tris and Tobias' relationship as well as other friendships and builds up the mystery of what's behind the fence of her community. Left me wanting more.

ALLEGIANT: dragged. They go outside of the fence in the beginning, which is fun, but the middle could've been shortened. Tris and Tobias fight, she is always right, they fight again, blah blah blah. A lot of awkward tensions made annoying because the author switches between two points of view. Tensions rise, though it's sort of scattered and I wasn't quite drawn into the story. I kept wondering how long I'd have to read until SOMETHING happened! Apparently the last 1/4 of the book. The ending was the best part and it totally sucked. A little bit of genius, a whole lot of not cool.

Overall it's an emotional ride. Tris is tiny and weak and learns to be tiny yet strong. I love that physical growth. It's tragic. Everyone dies or is maimed so be aware. You'll cry, maybe laugh here and there. Roth does a fantastic job getting you inside of Tris' head. The first person-present tense bugged me at first then I grew to love it. It's a good trilogy, each book containing about 500 words, though they are so widely spaced each book is a quick read. General rating of PG-13 for brief language (like 2 "s" bombs so it's minor) but mainly for disturbing graphic violence. 4 stars.