This is Book 1 of the Divergent trilogy.
There are many comparisons made between this series and The Hunger Games trilogy, but there are actually very few similarities other than the post-apocalyptic setting and that the main character is a girl. In reading the author's notes, I was not surprised to see that one of her favorite books was The Giver by Lois Lowry. Divergent is like The Giver on steroids, and I have to give Mrs. Roth credit for building a very interesting world and for creating an interesting story.
In all, I liked the book. It was a teen book that was grown up enough for adults to enjoy, although I did find some of the teen angst and whining a little excessive (and annoying). I thought that the characters were pretty well developed, the pacing was swift, and the plot was interesting. Roth struck a good balance between fantasy and reality by placing her dystopian society in the ruins of Chicago, thus giving a sense of solidity and familiarity to an otherwise unfamiliar world.
Four was my favorite character. He possessed a mystery, depth, and quiet strength that was realistic but not overdone. Tris was likable (most of the time) but there was much about her that I didn't necessarily understand. Sh was portrayed as being strong and weak, confident and insecure, desirable yet unattractive, decisive yet whiny... She was harder to define, but not necessarily in a good way. I wanted to like her and identify with her and cheer for her, but more often than not I just found her annoying.
In all, this was an enjoyable book with interesting characters and an entertaining world. It is apparent that the first book has only begun to scratch the surface regarding the secrets, conspiracies, and power struggles that are brewing within this strange society. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
There are many comparisons made between this series and The Hunger Games trilogy, but there are actually very few similarities other than the post-apocalyptic setting and that the main character is a girl. In reading the author's notes, I was not surprised to see that one of her favorite books was The Giver by Lois Lowry. Divergent is like The Giver on steroids, and I have to give Mrs. Roth credit for building a very interesting world and for creating an interesting story.
In all, I liked the book. It was a teen book that was grown up enough for adults to enjoy, although I did find some of the teen angst and whining a little excessive (and annoying). I thought that the characters were pretty well developed, the pacing was swift, and the plot was interesting. Roth struck a good balance between fantasy and reality by placing her dystopian society in the ruins of Chicago, thus giving a sense of solidity and familiarity to an otherwise unfamiliar world.
Four was my favorite character. He possessed a mystery, depth, and quiet strength that was realistic but not overdone. Tris was likable (most of the time) but there was much about her that I didn't necessarily understand. Sh was portrayed as being strong and weak, confident and insecure, desirable yet unattractive, decisive yet whiny... She was harder to define, but not necessarily in a good way. I wanted to like her and identify with her and cheer for her, but more often than not I just found her annoying.
In all, this was an enjoyable book with interesting characters and an entertaining world. It is apparent that the first book has only begun to scratch the surface regarding the secrets, conspiracies, and power struggles that are brewing within this strange society. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
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