Divergent: Book 1

Have you ever wanted to feel like you don’t belong to a group of people? Like everyone around you can do what they are supposed to do with ease while you struggle to keep up? Beatrice "Tris" Prior has always felt like this. Her faction, Abnegation, are effortlessly selfless and easily give to others. She has always desired more for herself. When we first meet her, we learn that she will be taking the aptitude test, a test that will tell her what faction she is most inclined towards. There are five of them: Abnegation who are selfless, Amity who are kind, Candor who are honest, Erudite who are intelligent, and Dauntless who are brave. What will her aptitude test tell her? Will she turn against her faction and disgrace her parents? What will her life look like and in which faction?

I had not read this book for quite some time and I forgot so much about it. Most of what I did remember was from the movie which cut out the heart of this book. I forgot how much I loved Tris, Christina, Will, Al, Uriah, and Four. I forgot how interesting each faction was and how well the relationships are written. Christina is witty and jealous. Will is smart and lovable. Al is gentle, kind, and protective. Uriah is utterly silly and goofy and he helps Tris fit in with the Dauntless. Four is calm and vigilant, but he withholds his thoughts and feelings which makes me want to understand him better. Tris is smart, terrified, brave, and always trying to find her own way.

SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK! SKIP TO THE LAST PARAGRAPH IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT SPOILED! Tris's parents' death was devastating. Four meeting his father went as well as expected. Al and Will are dead. Christina has not been seen since Four dismantled the simulation. Thankfully Caleb, Four, and Tris are all together and as safe as they can be currently. I cannot wait to start the next book.

If you enjoy this book, the next in the series is Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Other books like this one are: Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros because they both have life or death training (adult fantasy), The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken because both main characters have no way of going back to their home (young adult realistic dystopian fantasy), and The Giver by Lois Lowry because the main characters are both fighting back against social norms (young adult dystopian science fiction).