English day #1 : Divergent Review

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth  

Saga: Divergent series

Publisher:  Molino 
Pages: 464
Publishing year: 2011 
Price: about 16€
ISBN: 9788427201187

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, 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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten 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 YA scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

At first I've got to say that this book is special to me, because of it I restarted my reading passion which I had when I was younger and I've lost it through the years.

The truth is that I've been listening about Divergent like a year ago before I started reading it. My friends at school seemed very excited about a book and I just ignored them. 

But the summer of the same year I commit the crime: I watched the movie. Was a very entertaining movie and I liked, but I though that I wouldn't like that kind of books because I wasn't used to read them. But I was totally wrong, and one day I said: why not?

Divergent is about a future Chicago when the society has been divided in five factions: Erudite (the intelligent ones), Candor (the honest ones), Amity (the peaceful ones), Abnegation (the selfless ones) and Dauntless (the braves ones). The sixteen-years-old have to assist to the Choosing Ceremony where they will choose what faction want to pass the rest of their lives, away from their families or remain in the faction when their were born. But before the ceremony they must pass an aptitude test which will determinate the faction where they really belong. 

Here is when Beatrice Prior's (our protagonist) story starts. She is a selfless girl who has not clear her choices: stay with her family in a faction that she feels she doesn't belong or leave them. But in the aptitude test she discovers she belongs to more factions, a facts that she needs to maintain in secret if she wants to stay alive.

How I explained previously I watched the movie before I read the book (please don't kill me) and I knew what will happen, and because of it, there wasn't nothing different as soon as the story. But as much of you may know a movie isn't comparable to a book and with divergent this is obvious. 

Divergent contains loads of action, and action is what characterize the book. I loved the way Veronica writes these parts, because it made me feel like Beatrice I could feel her pain. I've just said action, pain and Beatrice so you can guess that Beatrice chooses Dauntless. SURPRISE!! Not really, you can see since the first moment what she's gonna choose. 

Regarding to the characters, my favorite is Beatrice for how she changes. In the beginning she seems quiet, shy, helpful and then she converts into a hard, cold and brave person. I also liked (loved) Four, Dauntless instructor and Beatrice's romantic interest. I'm not continuing with him you have to discover for yourself.

I have something I need to tell you," he says. I run my fingers along the tendons in his hands and look back at him. "I might be in love with you." He smiles a little. "I'm waiting until I'm sure to tell you, though."
"That's sensible of you," I say, smiling too. "We should find some paper so you can make a list or a chart or something."
I feel his laughter against my side, his nose sliding along my jaw, his lips pressing my ear.
"Maybe I'm already sure," he says, "and I just don't want to frighten you."
I laugh a little. "Then you should know better."

"Fine," he says. "Then I love you.” 

Finally I loved Divergent and I didn't wait so long for the second and third installment to read. I recommend it 100%.

“One choice can transform you.  
One choice can destroy you.

Once choice will define you.” 

In summary Divergent isn't a slow book it goes fast and it hook since the first page and you can't stop reading it because you're in tension and you want to know what will happen next.