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Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

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Thea James is one half of the maniacal duo behind The Book Smugglers. She is Filipina-American, but grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia, and Japan. A full-time book nerd who works in publishing for her day job, Thea currently resides in Astoria, Queens with her partner and rambunctious cat. COOKING FOR WIZARDS, WARRIORS & DRAGONS (available August 31, 2021) is her first cookbook.

55 Comments

Ooh, nice review. I was a bit frustrated by what you deem the “potato-chip” nature of this book (generally, schlocky action stuff just doesn’t appeal to me) but you nail what’s interesting about Tris. I really did enjoy her as a character!

Lisa (starmetal oak)

Thanks for the review!

A question about the story: if people have made these factions in order to combat the various reasons they think the world has failed before (greed, cowardice, etc) then why do they limit the intake of new recruits? Is this fleshed out in the book or just a way to create conflict?

Like Phoebe, I’m not sure I agree with the potato-chip comment, but overall exactly what I thought. 🙂

And I’m reading BEAUTY QUEENS now, too.

Dear Authors,

Please kill off more of your characters. It makes your OMGDANGER feel more…dangerous. See Connie Willis and Patrick Ness for details.

@Phoebe & @Jess Tudor – Perhaps I should make the disclaimer that my favorite movie is Die Hard and I am a HUGE fan of the cheesy action movie? Heh. I can completely understand frustrations with the book’s trials and nonstop action for action’s sake, though.

But I gotta admit…I love me some potato chips 😉

@Lisa – Though it’s not really explained in the book, it’s probably safe to assume that in the cases of factions like Candor, Erudite and Dauntless that initiation is so tough and restricted because they want to make sure their new members truly uphold the ideals of that respective clan. To gain membership into Candor, for example, initiates are forced to take some sick, publically humiliating lie-detector test. With Amity and Abnegation, however, I think the bar to entry is lower because they are less sought after factions, and their ideals are more selfless and accepting. If that makes sense?

I agree that this all does sound rather flimsy and fragile, though. The worldbuilding is simplistic and doesn’t really hold together under any stronger level of scrutiny!

That said, it’s a fun book, and I hope you get a chance to read it 🙂

@Raych – I’d like to sign your letter, please! So. So. TRUE.

Grr there are 16 people ahead of me at the library. Can’t wait to read this!

Ms. Roth isn’t afraid to kill people and that’s one of my biggest problem with many current YA “dystopias” – this lack of teeth.

I couldn’t agree more with this. What little I read of Divergent wasn’t really for me, but it’s good to know there are authors out there who are willing to go a bit outside the norm for YA.

I’ve been holding off on picking this one up, even though its set in Chicago and I live in the Chicago area , because the whole Faction business makes very little sense to me. I do like that it has “more teeth”, as you say, than many of the other YA dystopias out there (and like you, I have a weakness for dystopias and post-apocolyptic scenarios), but the weak worldbuilding makes me not feel the urge to read this title. Also, I am trying to stay away from incomplete trilogies for a while.

I am SO with you on this dystopia craze; so many people seem to want to cash in on this latest phenom yet so few of them seem to want to do their homework in order to make their world believable.

I know what you mean. I definitely have to be in the right mood for dystopias of the potato chip variety, but this review definitely makes me want to give Divergent a chance if nothing else.

Ebony McKenna

I read this recently and it was pretty absorbing. I liked the idea of factions and was especially pleased with the book having a decent ending. Yes, there is more to come, but this book at least ended in the right place. It’s a big ask to finish a book with a sense of completion, while also leaving scope for further adventures.

PS, speaking of factions, I’m kind of hankering to re-read Brave New World now. That book rocked my world.

Marleen Gagnon

This looks like a really good read. I’ve gotta get it. Thanks for all you do.

I actually agreed with the obsessive nature of this book. I didn’t realize I had read so much in one sitting until I was interrupted. I look forward to Roth’s future works, I think this book was very good.

But, the factions never make sense for me in the book, because there are too many other types of people out there for me, and overall, the world itself is not very well built (however, I really think that will come in the next book as there is some foreshadowing). I actually think the killing off of the characters was kinda weak, like old Star Trek red shirts. We barely know these people who are killed, so why do we care if they die?

But on a totally different note, how is this really considered dystopian? Is this a repressive or controlling state? These people get to choose which faction they will live in, regardless of what the test says. The can even leave the factions and live outside the government. This is what the book made me think of most when I was finished reading it, lol.

What’s this trilogy you keep alluding to? I can’t think of anything…

Ah it’s good to know you liked this Thea! Looking forward to reading this now. 🙂

Thanks for the great review. I was fortunate enough to be the first to check out DIVERGENT when it hit the library. I loved this book. Will be in line for the sequel. 😀

*The Trilogy That Must Not Be Named*

I just barely kept my snort of amusement from popping out. 😀

*Tris is not your usual Mary Sue. She’s selfish. She’s manipulative. She’s vindictive as hell – and I LOVED that about this book. I mean, at one point, when a character asks for her forgiveness, which she coldly refuses. Really coldly. I mean, holy masked avenger, Batman. It’s brutal, but refreshing (since these heroines are so often little goody-two-shoes that forgive even the most heinous acts).*

OH. Oh my. Me likey.

Oy – 500 pages, though! Wince.

*Though entertaining, this book does not provoke, incite, or demand a closer look at society*

Eh, I think I could be OK with that – too many dystopian works, whether YA or not, are so heavy. Maybe one that’s more on the entertainment side would be refreshing.

Awesome review, as usual. 😉

Thanks so much for recommending this book Thea, I downloaded from iBooks and read it in a night! I look forward to her next offering. 🙂

Amy @ Turn the Page

Brilliant review! I agree with your thoughts (though your review is far better written than my own lol!). I liked that Tris had flaws, but I still never exactly warmed to her as a character.

The relationship between Tris and Four was good – until it suddenly fast forward near the end and turned into the typical insta-love all over again!

I like an author who is willing to kill of characters – but I wasn’t feeling some of the character deaths at the the end – they felt… kind of pointless. But it was still an enjoyable read 🙂 Not fantastic but entertaining!

My Favourite Books is biting their nails for Insurgent | divergentseries.net

[…] behind the story and yet, it did not put her off and she loves it.  And this review is from The Booksmugglers whose opinions I value highly and then finally, a review from My words Ate Me (who may just have […]

Holly (Lily's Bookshelf)

I’m really looking forward to reading this one! Great review! 🙂

Divergent | One More Page

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I’ve just finished this book and it was very entertaining, read in it sooooo quickly too. A definite pocorn read and I am very much looking forward to the next installment. Spot on review!

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[…] for best popcorn dystopian of the year, Legend falls second to Veronica Roth’s souped up Divergent. Of course, there’s always room in my heart for more summer blockbuster style action, so […]

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I have read this book 3 times…Now I’m doing a book review on it – the review is EXTREMELY helpful!!!

Divergent by Veronica Roth | Iris on Books

[…] of The Book Smugglers called this a Young Adult book of a “potato-chip nature” and I understand exactly what […]

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[…] a part of the Insurgent book release tour, repping the Abnegation Faction. As you know, Thea loved Divergent (it even made her top 10 of […]

Still unsure about reading this one. 😐

I enjoyed your review. The way that you told the story clearly was very well done. Also your oppinion on the novel was really well formatted. I totally agree with you, how can a world be filled with humans striving to become only one thing. It’s impossible… I’ve done a review of the novel aswell if you want to check it out 🙂

http://www.bookmark-reviews.blogspot.ca/2012/07/divergent-review.html

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Book Review) - Literally Correct

[…] 487 pages HarperCollins, 5/3/2011 Young Adult Finished in 7 days Another Review… […]

In the future, stereotyping has taken a turn for the worst. | ..:Always Dreaming:..

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Good review.

I have to agree – I didn’t care for the flimsy pretext of the factions. I am hoping Allegiant will shed some light on the odd situation.

As for the character of Tris, I found her to be inconsistent. The author seems to have allotted her whatever traits were convenient for that particular chapter of the story.

All in all – a good, quick read, but nothing substantial.

http://thebookcooks.blogspot.ca/2013/08/divergent-by-veronica-roth.html

Warning: The following post may be a too long, boring and pseudo feminist opinion of one unimportant person!

Well Reviewed!

I like that your review is well balanced in terms of criticism and praise! I find I agree with a lot of your points on where this book succeeds (pacing, action sequences) and where it fails (you can’t question the world, or it shatters). However I would disagree that Tris is an original take on Mary-Sue. In fact, I think more and more authors are relying on imperfection to create perfected Mary-Sues.

Tris is regularly commenting on her plain looks. A trend that started with the wonderfully dubbed “Trilogy that shall not be named!” As if, stating someone isn’t jaw-droppingly attractive (while still giving conventionally attractive attributes) gives them more character. This seems to be a YA thing more than others, as I find adult fiction of a similar nature rarely delves deeply into looks after initial description (with the possible exception of fantasy creatures (fairies, elves, etc) or female protagonists under a male authors pen). In fact, because of this new emerging trope one of my favourite lines in the story was (***Spoiler***) Four commenting that if all he wanted was sex, he wouldn’t have gone to her first. (Spoiler end) One because it was funny, and two because it so fully shows why authors think it takes away the mary-sue trope. She’s not desirable, so she can’t be perfect.

Secondly I found that Tris’ personality is now becoming another trait seeing more and more in YA literature with female leads. While one part of me fully enjoys that female protagonists are being featured and given attitudes beyond the disney princess; this dichotomy of princess or badass is just as problematic in creating fully realized female characters. I loved it with Katniss, because it was justified: She is poor, she is oppressed and she truly doesn’t understand giving without receiving. To her, survival and self-preservation justifies any means; yet she is still successfully kind. Her world supports that. In Tris’ case, she does have food, she lives in a world where essentially her father is the government and literally taught to only understand selflessness. The fact that she is then made so cold to differentiate her from others, makes her a Mary-Sue. She has no reason to be cruel and vindictive other than because in the eyes of the author and by extension readers: it makes her better. It makes her more than the average: She’s perfect because she’s tough, because she has undesirable traits she recognizes but doesn’t mind. In any other character, these traits would make them the villain. If done well an interesting machiavellian villain, but villain nonetheless. Lastly, she is instantly the attraction of the similarly perfect male lead without reason. (You mentioned this one) This I can overlook, after all people (especially at the characters given ages) can and occasionally do get enamored with a look. It may be even be justified as she is probably the only other person who can share a similar history, and present with Four.

I personally found myself uninterested in Tris as a character after a few chapters in dauntless: I already knew her. What kept me reading was the pace you were talking about, and the hopes something more interesting and unexpected happens. Her mother interested me, the other transfers interested me. We know Tris chose, but why did they? They weren’t special, divergent. Yet, we never really get to know anything about them.

In conclusion: Potato chips indeed!

Just read Divergent… and I had a slight problem with it that no one seems to address: If Caleb is Beatrice’s older brother (as she states in the first few pages), and if the Choosing Ceremony is for 16yos, then why is Caleb at the Choosing Ceremony at the same time as Beatrice? Is he newly turned 17 and missed the cutoff date for the previous year’s Ceremony? Tbh I nearly stopped reading the book because it seemed like such a huge thing to make the reader puzzle out.

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ggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg An essay on divergent

In this essay I will consider the social, economic and political factors of divergent. Advancments in divergent can be linked to many areas. While it is becoming a hot topic for debate, it is impossible to overestimate its impact on modern thought. It is an unfortunate consequence of our civilizations history that divergent is rarely given rational consideration by so called ‘babies’, who just don’t like that sort of thing. With the primary aim of demonstrating my considerable intellect I will now demonstrate the complexity of the many faceted issue that is divergent.

Social Factors

Society begins and ends with divergent. When Thucictholous said ‘people only know one thing’ [1] he globalised an issue which had remained buried in the hearts of our ancestors for centuries. While deviating from the norm will always cause unrest amongst ones peers, divergent cleary plays a significant role amongst the developing middle classes.

Of paramount importance to any study of divergent within its context, is understanding the ideals of society. Society is powered by peer pressure, one of the most powerful forces in the world. As long as peer pressure uses its power for good, divergent will have its place in society.

Economic Factors

Increasingly economic growth and innovation are being attributed to divergent. We will primarily be focusing on the JTB-Guide-Dog model, which I hope will be familiar to most readers. Inflation

Clearly the graphs demonstrates a strong correlation. Why is this? Seemingly inflation will continue to follow divergent for the foreseeable future. Supply Side Economic Tax Cuts Tax deductions could turn out to be a risky tactic.

Political Factors

The media have made politics quite a spectacle. Looking at the spectrum represented by a single political party can be reminiscent of comparing divergentilisation, as it’s become known, and one’s own sense of morality.

It is always enlightening to consider the words of a legend in their own life time, Demetrius T. Time ‘People in glass houses shouldn’t through parties.’ [2] Primarily, he is referring to divergent. To paraphrase, the quote is saying ‘divergent wins votes.’ Simple as that. While divergent may be a giant amongst men, is it a dwarf amongst policy? I hope not.

To conclude, divergent parades along man’s streets and man waves back. It enlightens our daily lives, ensures financial stability and always chips in.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Stevie Jackson: ‘At first I was afraid I was petrified. Thinking I could never live without divergent by my side.’ [3] An essay on divergent

Increasingly economic growth and innovation are being attributed to divergent. We will primarily be focusing on the JTB-Guide-Dog model, which I hop

I also did not find myself respecting the protagonist, Tris. I just finished the second book of the Divergent trilogy. Although I was wary of her character before, when *spoiler* Tris turns down a position in leadership solely so that Four can take over the faction *end spoiler*, I actually had to put the book down and walk away in disgust. Why does she think Four is better than her? Why, no matter what major action Tris takes in the story, does she give others credit for it? Even in the many fight scenes, we catch her claiming that it was Four who taught her how, Four who somehow was responsible for saving her life. And a lot of the time, he does end up saving her life, because he is the stronger, more sensible character.

So what is this supposed to be teaching the young girls reading this book? That they should be weak and expect less of themselves than their boyfriends? That the best way to act is to be a stereotypical girl and depend on others? Or is the author, Veronica Roth, trying to prove the stupidity of sixteen year old girls? If this is the case, she should not have tried to make Tris so real and widely relatable.

Roth and Tris have the third and final book in the series to change my mind about this.

Although it’s a good read, and I love Tris, I love the idea, the setting, the factions, the love between the 2 main people, and yes the idea of being Dauntless sounds cool. I can’t help but compare it to to said Trilogy, something about said Trilogy just sores miles above this set of books. Thumbs up Roth, can’t wait to read others.

Francesca Moore

This review summed up exactly how I felt about the book. I loved how fast paced it was and I loved the fact that the protagonist never become a superhero by the end of it, that way it felt more realistic. I’ve just watched the film and I wasn’t amazed by it, felt the book was so much better. I’m pondering whether to read books 2 and 3 of the series now as I’ve heard they are not as good as the first.

I’m sorry, I have to be the critic here. As a fellow writer reading through Divergent currently, Veronica certainly is creative, to an extent. Her writing style… it’s pure childish. She has the level of a 10th grade student. A lot of places I have to reread because the wording is off. Not only that, but her constant short sentences are annoying. And Tris and Four’s romance is disgustingly cliche. Tris, as a character, is both whinny and hypocritical. She doesn’t want her friends to betray her, but she wants to make them jealous? Really? And why exactly is she Divergent? She’s not selfless, she does nice things in remembrance of her family, which would be selfish, wouldn’t it? And she’s not really intelligent, honest, or loving. I can’t even remember what third faction she received.

All in all, the idea seems creative enough, but the only reason I’m powering through is just to be able to say I read it. I’m not even bothering picking up the next two books. You can count on that.

Book Review: Divergent | Books, TV, and Me

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I can’t believe Tris was even considered to be a Mary Sue. A book character for an authour’s own created universe can’t be a Mary Sue. Plus she’s HUMAN.

And potato-chip nature? Have you even looked at the themes of the book? They’re deep af.

Divergent by Veronica Roth | One Book Two

This book is such a kind of amazing. Can somebody tell me total part of this serie????

Becoming Napoleon – Calling All Skeletons

[…] interest to me, however I have felt a certain level of transformation with regard to, say, Beatrice Prior, or Tris as she would prefer. One could argue that artists have magic powers so to speak. They know […]

this review is very detailed and provides quiet a lot of information to satisfy our needs of information . to whomever did this , i show a lot of respect for it seems to have a lot of effort and time placed into it. all i would like to say is that however that it may provide information, it does not provide all information on related topics that all book reviews require to have on a needing bases. i hope my information supports future reviews 🙂

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By Veronica Roth

Veronica Roth's 'Divergent' is an action-packed young adult novel, with complex themes revolving around self-discovery and rebellion against oppressive systems.

About the Book

Article written by Michael Chude

B.Sc. degree in parasitology and entomology from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Born into Abnegation, a faction known for its rejection of worldliness and the pursuit of material comforts, Tris Prior must prove to her new family and herself that she belongs in her new faction, Dauntless. ‘Divergent’ by Veronica Roth  is a multi-layered narrative of bravery, rebellion against rigid social structures, and self-discovery.  

In ‘ Divergent,’ tattoos serve as a conspicuous mark of identity, showing a person’s identification and dedication to their chosen faction. During the initiation process, people who have come of age and have chosen their new factions undergo a ritual ceremony where they are tattooed with the symbols of their faction. These tattoos are meticulously designed to represent the essence of each faction, reflecting their core principles and beliefs.

More than mere body art, tattoos have deep meanings for the characters in ‘ Divergent.’ The tattoos embody the values and ideals that shape the lives of the faction’s members. The bravery and fearlessness of the Dauntless faction are represented by various designs that symbolize courage, strength, and the overcoming of fears, all inked in black. The tattoos were also created to remind the members of the factions of the expectations placed upon them and to encourage them to live up to their faction’s values.

Tris Prior uses her tattoos to mark the milestones in her life. She also uses her tattoos as important markers in her search for self-identity; she also uses them as a declaration of her newfound independence from the life she knew as a child in Abnegation. After each milestone in her life, she gets a tattoo. Each tattoo has a different, specific symbolic meaning to her.

For example, she gets a tattoo of the Dauntless symbol, a ring of fire, to celebrate the fact that she’s finally feeling at home among the Dauntless. In general, though, Tris’ tattoos symbolize her desire to form an identity for herself: tattoos remind her who she is, and inspire her to be strong and true to her principles. Thus, her first tattoo represents her family, symbolizing her continued allegiance to her old life in Abnegation; her second tattoo is Dauntless, symbolizing her love for her new community.

Within the restrictive, rigid, and factional system that defines the dystopian society created by Veronica Roth in ‘ Divergent,’ divergence becomes a force that defies the limitations of prescribed virtues. It disrupts the neatly organized lives of citizens, threatening the delicate balance of control created and meticulously maintained by the leaders. Those who are Divergent possess a unique gift—a mosaic of traits from multiple factions—rendering them unpredictable, elusive, and, most importantly, resistant to manipulation.

As a Divergent, the book’s protagonist lacks strong feelings of allegiance to any one of the five factions. Instead, she has qualities that align her with more than one of the factions. Divergence also suggests a unique kind of mental state that is yet to be fully explained to the reader, as Divergent people like Tris and Tobias can resist mind control and hallucinations that affect those with more clear allegiances. Although Tris thought she was the only Divergent in her city, she soon began to discover that others like her struggle with their identity and their loyalties. She also discovers that her mother is Divergent.

Divergent people cannot conform to factional expectations, making them resistant to indoctrination. These qualities ignite the flames of rebellion and hope. Divergent individuals emerge as the champions of individuality who shatter the shackles of societal expectations by daring to question the suffocating pressure to conform. In doing so, they unveil the strength that lies within embracing one’s distinctiveness.

Criticisms of Divergent

One frequent criticism of the book ‘Divergent’ is its overall unoriginal concept. Other works exist that have explored the idea of a dystopian society divided into factions based on personality traits or virtues, including books such as Lois Lowry’s ‘ The Giver .’ Many critics argue that ‘ Divergent ‘ fails to bring fresh ideas or a unique perspective to the genre, relying on familiar tropes and plot elements.

Readers and critics alike have also expressed their disappointment in the lack of depth of the worldbuilding in the ‘ Divergent ‘ book. The factions and their corresponding virtues are seen as somewhat simplistic and shabbily explored, leaving aspects of the society and its history underdeveloped. The setting of post-apocalyptic Chicago, while intriguing, may not be fully realized or explained to the satisfaction of some readers.

Divergent: A Gripping Story of Self-discovery

Book Title: Divergent

Book Description: In Veronica Roth's "Divergent," young adults are thrust into a world of high-stakes action and intricate dilemmas. Centered on themes of self-discovery and resistance against a repressive regime, the novel captivates readers with its intense narrative and thought-provoking questions about individuality and societal norms.

Book Author: Veronica Roth

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Katherine Tegen Books

Date published: April 26, 2011

Illustrator: Joel Tippie

ISBN: 0-06-202402-7

Number Of Pages: 487

• Writing Style
• Lasting Effect of Reader

In Veronica Roth’s ‘ Divergent ,’ a dystopian society divided into factions based on virtues forces sixteen-year-old Tris Prior to make a life-altering choice. Leaving behind her selfless Abnegation faction, she embraces her newfound identity as a brave member of Dauntless, as she hides a secret that will change her society forever.

• Gripping and engaging plot.
• Strong female protagonist.
• Explores concepts like identity and individuality.
• Lack of originality.
• Underdeveloped and unexplored worldbuilding.
• Simplistic characterization.

About Michael Chude

Michael Chude has years of experience writing flash fiction and reviewing books with his book club members. He is also an avid reader who loves great stories and extensive world-building.

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Divergent, book 1.

• Parents say (72)
• Kids say (530)

Based on 72 parent reviews

Amazing book set in dystopian future!

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My current favorite book, great book but too much detail, good book , gripping, great storyline, amazing book, great book for 12+, addictive, but weaker than the hunger games. overall a fun read ;), not for kids and disturbing that parents and schools think it’s okay.

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In This Dystopia, Teens Must Choose Wisely

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By Susan Dominus

• May 12, 2011

Imagine the publishing world as it might look in a dystopian universe in the distant future. In this world, college English majors — call them “Englies” — aspire to write only one kind of book: the dystopian young adult novel set in the distant future. (Englies of a certain status are permitted to write about dystopias populated by vampires.) Another subset of the population — “the Fans” — provides a kind of slave labor, posting endlessly to dedicated blogs and recording podcasts, providing free marketing for an unceasing succession of aspiring best-seller trilogies.

I couldn’t help imagining this world as I read “Divergent,” the first in a planned trilogy of young adult novels set in a dystopian future and written by Veronica Roth, who sold the book in a major pre-­emptive bid before she even graduated from Northwestern last year. With “Divergent,” Roth adds to a genre that has crossed over from having a vague cultural moment to being a full-bore trend, much of it driven by the wild success of Suzanne Collins’s “Hunger Games” trilogy.

“Divergent” holds its own in the genre, with brisk pacing, lavish flights of imagination and writing that occasionally startles with fine detail. As the mother of Beatrice, the main character, cuts her daughter’s hair, the young narrator notices “the strands fall on the floor in a dull, blond ring.” Beatrice sees her reflection only when her hair is cut — the second day of every third month — because she has been born into Abnegation, one of five factions that make up the population. Those who belong to Abnegation believe selflessness begets world harmony; those who choose Candor see honesty as the path to the same goal.

The other groups are Amity, Erudite and Dauntless, and it is this last group that calls out to Beatrice when she is given the opportunity either to stay with her family’s group or to choose another allegiance. As part of the initiation process for Dauntless, Tris (a nickname Beatrice adopts to reflect her new self) must prove her mettle with adolescent feats of bravado, like jumping off a moving train onto a rooftop. She endures simulated death traps and jacks up her adrenaline with breathtaking leaps into the unknown.

“Divergent” clearly has thrills, but it also movingly explores a more common adolescent anxiety — the painful realization that coming into one’s own sometimes means leaving family behind, both ideologically and physically. It is not a coincidence that Tris falls in love while undergoing initiation into her new tribe. It is precisely the moment when young people discover romance that family life all but evaporates, at least in terms of its emotional significance.

Terrible things happen to the people Tris loves, yet the characters absorb these events with disquieting ease. Here, somehow, the novel’s flights from reality distance the reader from the emotional impact that might come in a more affecting realistic (or even fantasy) novel.

In this way, though Roth’s “Divergent” is rich in plot and imaginative details, it suffers by comparison with Collins’s opus. The shortcoming would not be so noticeable were there less blatant overlap between the two. Both “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games” feature appealing, but not conventionally pretty, young women with toughness to spare. Both start out with public sorting rituals that determine the characters’ futures. And both put the narrators in contrived, bloody battles that are in fact competitions witnessed by an audience. Even the language sounds familiar: the Hob is a central geographic point in “The Hunger Games”; in “Divergent,” it’s the Hub in the remnants of what was once the Sears Tower. For a book that explores themes about the right to be individual and the importance of breaking away from the pack, “Divergent” does not exactly distinguish itself.

“Now isn’t the time for debates about ethics,” Tris tells her father at one point, when she feels compelled to hurt someone for the greater good. Billboarding of this sort can interrupt the moment by announcing its own significance: now actually is the time for such a debate. In a novel that takes on the problem of conformity and questions the certainty of narrow-minded ideologues, such circuit-breaking is nonetheless useful, forcing the reader to pause and think in the middle of that dauntless break for the plot’s conclusion.

By Veronica Roth

487 pp. Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins Publishers. $17.99. (Young adult; ages 14 and up)

Susan Dominus is a staff writer at The Times Magazine.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth - review

Divergent isn't just another book in a long line of dystopian novels – it really is something else. It's the first book in the compelling series by Veronica Roth , set in future dystopian Chicago, where people have been split into five factions according to their personal qualities. Beatrice Prior is faced with the impossible task of choosing whether to betray her family and leave Abnegation, the faction she has grown up in, or take the giant leap to a whole new way of life somewhere else.

Beatrice decides to transfer to Dauntless, the faction known for bravery, and must strive to ignore her Abnegation, selfless qualities, and become somebody new. With secrets to hide, and skills to learn, Tris struggles with her new fears, friends, and enemies; plus there's the potential for a love interest in the shape of Four, a Dauntless initiate trainer. Will Tris be able to decipher the mysteries he's hiding?

Divergent is extremely thought-provoking, questioning the meaning behind a nickname, and the idea of compressing a personality in order to fit in with the people around you.

With it having been compared to The Hunger Games, and Harry Potter, I was sceptical; however, as soon as I picked up the book, I was hooked. Roth creates an engaging story with cliffhangers throughout and something new to discover in every chapter, forcing you to read on. If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading the whole trilogy, with Divergent coming to cinemas in the UK later this year.

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Book Review: Divergent By Veronica Roth

By: Author Laura

Posted on Published: 31st July 2019  - Last updated: 12th January 2024

Categories Book Reviews , Books

Wondering whether to read Divergent by Veronica Roth? Check out my in-depth Divergent book review to help you decide!

I’ve taken my time with getting to the Divergent series by Veronica Roth because I was afraid of all the hype surrounding it but boy do I regret it. I have just finished reading this book and I can’t believe that I put it off for so long! This book isn’t quite what I expected but it’s certainly action-packed and I never knew what was going to happen next.

Divergent Book Summary

Divergent follows the story of Beatrice (Tris) Prior in a new dystopian world. In an attempt to prevent the outbreak of war, humankind broke into five different ‘factions’: Erudite, for the clever, Amity, for the peaceful, Candor, for the honest, Abnegation, for the selfless and Dauntless, for the brave.

Children grow up in whichever faction their parents belong to, but at the age of 16, they go through an aptitude test to show them which faction they belong in and the following day, at the Choosing Ceremony, they must decide the path for the rest of their lives.

Tris knows that she doesn’t belong in Abnegation like the rest of her family and so she makes the difficult decision to leave her family behind and join a new faction, Dauntless.

A tough initiation process follows – one that not everyone will survive. As Tris tries to fit in among the Dauntless she struggles to figure out who she is and who her real friends are. As if finding herself in a new faction wasn’t difficult enough, Tris has a secret that she learned about herself during the aptitude test. A secret that she has been warned to never tell lest it destroy her.

Divergent Book Review

What I love about this story is how real the characters and the setting all feel, despite the dystopian setting, which is all down to Roth’s genius. Each character is flawed, some more than others, and this made it easy to relate to them as a reader and I found that I actually cared about what happened to the characters.

When they felt sad, I felt sad; when they felt pain, I felt pain and when they felt happy, I felt happy. It is rare that you find a book in which you can truly share your emotions with the characters but Divergent is one of those gems.

RELATED: 17 Best Dystopian Novels For Teens

The book is written in the first person from the perspective of Tris herself. She often finds herself torn between what she thinks she should do and what she actually wants to do and isn’t afraid to admit that she is sometimes selfish.

I really loved this about her because, let’s be honest, very few of us can say that we don’t often have selfish thoughts no matter how hard we try to be moral people.

Tris isn’t afraid to admit it when she’s afraid or weak but she’s also strong-willed and determined not to be beaten.

She is well aware of what her short comings are and that she hasn’t been blessed with the best physique for a member of Dauntless, but she tries her hardest and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters right?

Four was also a really interesting character because his emotions were always veiled and you could never really tell what he was thinking.

Four isn’t a difficult character to love but because he doesn’t show his true emotions very often, you’re also sort of frightened and unsure of him for a large part of the novel.

I guess this is perfect because that’s pretty much how Tris feels about him for a large part of the story too so the reader and Tris really are as one on this adventure.

I love that Roth didn’t make him the stereotypical ‘bad boy’ (I guess that’s what he is) but made him a real character that has much more to him than meets the eye. He does what he wants and he isn’t easily influenced by the opinions of others.

Sometimes I felt like the characters seemed a little deadpan but I suppose that’s all part of the ‘dauntless’ act and it made the moments when the characters were happy and laughing all the more special. This certainly isn’t a happy story and it isn’t one that suddenly retreats in a world filled with fluffy clouds.

There is an ever-present darkness lining this book, even when the story takes a more positive turn. It is evident that there is more going on in this story than meets the eye but Roth has carefully staged this story so that the reader has absolutely no idea what’s going on until it hits you in the face.

The reader is on a level with Tris throughout the story – what she knows, we know, what she doesn’t know, we don’t know.

At least, that will be the case if you have been completely unexposed to the spoilers that are just about all over the internet. I knew very little about Divergent prior to reading the story so I found all the twists and turns to be incredibly shocking and exciting.

There’s no insta-love in this story! I think this book deserves a big fat hooray just for that. It’s hard to find YA books that aren’t centred on romance that still get the romance perfect but I think Veronica Roth may have done it.

The chemistry between Tris and Four takes a backseat in this story, but it’s always there lurking in the background.

RELATED: 22 Teen Romance Novels to Read

There aren’t any PDAs, in fact, the romance is rather chaste, or at least, less prominent than in many other YA novels , which I guess can be put down to the factions in which the characters were brought up in and the ones they currently reside in.

The story doesn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger so you could almost read Divergent as a standalone novel and be satisfied at the end. That said, this almost certainly won’t be the case because you’ll want  to find out more about this phenomenally interesting world.

I did find the ending to be a tad abrupt as I turned the page on my kindle expecting to find more story when, in fact, it was already over. There were no clues whatsoever as to how this story will continue so you really are in the dark and I can’t wait to get my hands on a  copy of Insurgent!

This is, I think, one of the keys to this story’s success. This book wasn’t predictable in the slightest and never knowing what was coming next made me desperate to keep reading.

All in all, Divergent is a fantastic and captivating read that I would highly recommend to all fans of YA dystopian novels . The combination of very real characters and an original plot make this an absolute must-read and I understand now why there is so much hype surrounding this series.

If you’re looking for a YA book that stands out from the rest, then this is your book. I absolutely cannot wait to read Insurgent now and watch the Divergent film , which I’ve heard is actually better than the book, believe it or not!

Now read my Divergent film review here.

Buy Divergent: Amazon | Waterstones | Blackwells

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If you liked this post, check out these: The Hunger Games Book Review Catching Fire Book Review Mockingjay Book Review The Maze Runner Book Review

Editor of What’s Hot?

[This post was first written in 2014 but edited and updated in 2019]

Friday 16th of August 2019

Loved this series so so much! The films unfortunately .. suck :/

Thursday 22nd of August 2019

Hahah that is usually the case with book to film adaptations - sadly!

Thursday 1st of August 2019

I really liked "Divergent". And loved the characters, especially Four. I read it I guess two or three summers ago and was totally into the whole story. Unfortunately I didn't liked the sequels that much. Don't know why, but something significant was missing. Ruth

That's such a shame! I haven't read the last two books but I do own them. Don't feel like reading them now after your comments :(

Sunday 17th of January 2016

I have wanted to read this for a while and I want to hear it even more now! x

Rachel | Beauty and the Bird

Saturday 16th of January 2016

This looks like a pretty interesting read - not my usual type but I may give it a go sometime :)

Leesha Starr

Friday 15th of January 2016

Not my type of book but it does sound pretty interesting.

Divergent by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy #1)

Little did I know when I first picked up a copy of Veronica Roth's Divergent that it was quickly becoming a sensation of its own. Not quite of the scope of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games , but some sizable movement. More surprising was that Divergent is Roth's first book, which she wrote instead of doing homework in college.

Perhaps most surprising of all was how good the book actually was. Revolving around a young protagonist, Beatrice, on the eve of her sixteenth birthday in a dystopian wasteland future, their civilization of survivors (of what catastrophe we're not told) has divided into five factions, each of which focuses on a different virtue. Beatrice and her whole family are in Abnegation, which emphasizes selflessness. The four others are Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful) and Erudite (the intelligent). On your sixteenth birthday you must choose which faction you will be associated with – and if it is one your family is not a part of, you will probably never see them again. Beatrice, always having admired Dauntless, joins their faction and begins her training in the Dauntless guild. But there is a dark secret to this perfect system: many people do not fit perfectly into just one faction or another. These individuals are known as Divergent, because they do not fit in, and Beatrice is increasingly worried she may be among them. And when Divergents disappear without a trace, there's good reason to be worried.

The book is well-written, with solid prose and an emotional and thematic depth that gives the book an extra nudge. The characters are interesting and compelling, the story driving and rarely lags. Much like other stories that separate society into different character or personality traits (think here Rowling's four Hogwarts houses or the three classes in Ann Aguirre's Enclave ), Divergent is interested ultimately in their (often painful) reintegration. Every virtue can be inverted into a vice and this is slowly what we see as the story progresses. Bravery can give way to aggression. Intelligence can become calculating and manipulative. Love of peace can become passivity. Honesty can become a way to brutalize others. Selflessness can be inverted into self-destruction. I look forward to how Roth unfolds these ideas in the future books of the series (which, if I hear correctly, will be a trilogy). Life is too complicated and messy to fit in our neat little boxes, and those who do not fit the boxes are the ones able to change the system for the good, seems to be the theme of the book.

Present too are more familiar aspects to contemporary YA fiction; the strangely secretive and aloof older boy who is attractive yet angry, the potential for a love triangle in future instalments, the lengthy world-building conversations that seemingly exist mostly for themselves. Some of these are more interesting than others; I, for one, am ready to see an end to these angsty love triangles. Perhaps they are meeting some forgotten need of adolescence I did not experience, but I cannot recall but a few times when this tactic has actually worked (most notably in The Hunger Games ). These conflicts usually come across as contrived and designed to keep audiences engaged in the franchise during the long gaps between books. This particular time it was not horribly done, though I repeatedly found it the least interesting aspect of the book; this is saying something, coming from a male reader who doesn't mind a decent romantic subplot so long as it has a realistic resonance.

Beyond the occasional quibbles and trifles of choice and style, the book is paced quite nicely, building to a stellar climactic final act that is both intense and surprising, while remaining consistent with the unfolding story of the previous two-thirds. There is much climactic emotional intensity here, tremendous tragedy and sacrifice on the part of people we have come to identify with, a race to the finish I found difficult to set aside. AT Ross, 9/10

I have an unhappy habit of coming late to the ‘next’ YA fantasy. I was late to Harry Potter, late to Hunger Games, and now I’ve come late to Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy – but boy I’m glad got to arrive at all!

I was first made aware of the series by a friend who showed me the trailer for the 2014 movie release. Unsurprisingly, I quickly acquired the whole trilogy and ploughed through ‘Divergent’ – the first book in the series – in less than five hours. From the first page – much like ‘The Hunger Games’ by Suzanne Collins – I was captivated by the world springing up in front of me. A dystopian feel and a sixteen year old female protagonist had me from the very first page, and I didn’t stop reading until I finished the book.

Divergent is, for all the good and bad, a Young Adult book, carrying with it all the tropes and ideological perfection necessary when writing sixteen year olds. Stuff mum says is almost immediately forgotten, and feelings are behind every decision – for good or for ill.

That being said – I love all of that stuff. I was never a sixteen year old girl, and after reading The Hunger Games and now Divergent, I’m seriously beginning to get an idea for it. It doesn’t sound easy, that’s for sure!

I was a bit disappointed with the way that some plot points were just left by the wayside – whether because “as a sixteen year old you just dismiss it as being unimportant” or because the author forgot, I’m not sure. Add to that the inherent ‘speed’ with which a YA book has to move – because obviously young adults don’t have an attention span yet – and this book has a really fast-paced style to it, which is at times wonderful and at other times a little disconcerting.

The story and characters, always important in a YA book, were brilliant. The world is beautifully conceived, without being overbearing in its appearance, and the characters actually exist in three dimensions, rather than just being “bad” or “good” or “sexy”. You really do get the feeling of high school drama, with feelings coming and going as quickly as the wind passes through the school corridors. People are upset with each other one moment, and clinging to each other in grief another.

The ending of the book finishes very quickly, obviously reliant upon sequels to make up for it. I’m glad I have the next book to step right into, because otherwise I would have been a bit unnerved by how quickly we reached the last page. But with that being said, what comes next is greatly anticipated, and again I’m relieved that the next book is right there waiting for me, because I can’t wait to pick it up.

Divergent is a brilliant read, good for any teenager and most adults (as long as you are willing to allow yourself to be sixteen again). Joshua S Hill, 7/10

In the Harry Potter novels there were several houses the students at Hogwarts were sorted out into depending on their potential. A talking witch’s hat did the decision making, called the Sorting Hat.

And similar to that, Divergence has several factions they can be sorted into, yet unlike Hogwarts the people of Chicago (or at least a high-tech future version of it) have to pass several tests to find out whether they belong in the following; Abignation, Candor, Erudite, Amity or Dauntless. After the tests, in the Choosing Ceremony, they will find out their fate. For the test to be successful, these are the rules: there has to be someone from another faction in the test room as no one can test others from the same faction as it would be considered cheating. The test isn't what you would expect either. It isn't a written one even though each participant is taken into a room full of tables and chairs. Instead, electrodes connect the tester to the testee, and the testee drinks a vial of liquid. After that the testees are mentally taken into a scenario they think is real. This is the real test, and depending on what choices they make in the scenario it explains as to whether they will fit into either one of the factions. The idea is that this futuristic world is a utopia where each person fits snugly into a perfect faction and they live their lives by the code of each faction. Unfortunately if any person is chosen to be put into a different faction from the one they grew up in, they have to move and in this story, Beatrice (Tris) Prior and her brother Caleb are to be tested to see where they belong, but when Tris takes the test, she finds she can fit into three different factions, this being concluded as her being a Divergent.

In this world being a Divergent is a bad thing as it means the perfect world she has been brought up in could be a lie. Tris is told she can't tell anyone the fact she is a Divergent, which is lucky for her as she isn't supposed to reveal her test results to anyone. According to the facts, each faction lives a certain way. The Abnegation stand for selflessness as they are without the trappings of wealth and power that others take for granted. They have plain houses, wear plain clothes without ornament. The reason for it is to make them forget themselves and instead think of others. Candor value honesty above anything else, the Dauntless have a fearless attitude to life which makes them ideal for protecting their nation's borders even though they are looked down on by the other factions. The Erudite are the ones who value intelligence. As the ceremony approaches, Tris fears what she will choose despite what she was told.

As in Harry Potter, the houses all have their uses and as we know, Slytherin was considered the worst house to be put into. Tris's dad already has a dim view of the Dauntless, calling them 'Helians' as they wear tattoos and behave like careless delinquents. Though he forgets that they are valued in society as none of the other factions are strong enough to tackle any adversity. It isn't surprising that this, the first novel in a trilogy has been made into a major motion picture - Insurgent and Allegiant being the next two - as the plot is such a strong one.

With over four-hundred-and-eighty pages Divergent and its later novels in the series are something to invest time in, like the Harry Potter and The Hunger Games series. Tris, like Katniss, is the sort of heroine teens will warm to as there is something of her in all of us. Sandra Scholes, 9/10

8/10 Well-written, with solid prose and an emotional and thematic depth.

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Reviews by AT Ross and Joshua S Hill and Sandra Scholes

11 positive reader review(s) for Divergent

Veronica Roth biography

Kyle from UK

BEST BOOK EVERRRRR! Divergent is one of my favorite books and it's a real page turner. I would recommend it for any Hunger Games or Maze Runner fans. What I love about this story is that it doesn’t seem unrealistic at all. The characters and the setting felt very real to me. When they felt sad, I felt sad; when they felt pain, I felt pain... The main character Tris Prior is a really interesting character. In the beginning she was known as a soft, delicate girl and towards the end, she transforms into a strong warrior. The development of Tris and Four's relationship is also very exciting. The ending of the book is quite open and it makes you want to read the next books of the serie.

Erin-Hope from Uk

My Favourite book... OF ALL TIME! Such a good read that's packed with action. I would most definitely recommend it for any Hunger Games lovers. I absolutely loved it. A real page turner! I genuinely could not put it down! Veronica Roth is an incredible writer who helps you to really engage with the characters. The characters felt so real to me and I really felt like I built up a relationship with them. If you are going to watch the film I would recommend reading the book first so that you have a better understanding. Tris is such a brave and strong-minded character! The best fiction trilogy I've ever read.

Jeanine Matthews from Erudite

The book was amazing, relatable characters, a good story full of plot twists and interesting discoveries and that little bit of (scientific) facts. I can easily say it’s the best book I’ve ever read.

Jessica from Australia

I am immensely addicted to this book and the ideas in it. This is a must-read for fans of the Hunger Games or Harry Potter who are looking for another devour.

Johny Tammyson from Aussie

I think it was good but just didnt give me that kick in the but i wanted like when she got bashed she got punched

John from Antarctica

Although this book was not badly written, I do not give it a 10/10. The ending could be elaborated. Also, the book was paced slightly too quickly. It was a benefit at some times, sure, but it made the book messy at others. The rest of the series decreased in quality. As the big reveal plays out at the end of Insurgent, it gives the series the feel of a great story, then ending with an, "It was all a dream."

Sian from England

FAV BOOK EVER. READ IT 10 TIMES.

Kyra from UK

One of my favourite books at all times! If you're wanting something to read this is the right book!!! Definetly go read it!!!

Malia from New Zealand

Probabaly on of the best books I have ever read. A good book, a must read.

Ariel from Singapore

I finished the book recently and I love it. I love the idea of a futuristic city, where people are separated into factions and how some people are special (Divergent). I am looking forward to reading the next two books in the trilogy and 'Four : a Divergent collection'.

Ashley from US

I have read almost all of the books and just as I am done more books come back out. These books great and the movies are too. Wish I could meet the author and ask her some stuff about the book.

Snazal from UK

Divergent trilogy are one of the best fiction novel series to this era. As I love a kind of story that will brings me into another world of fantasy, I like the way Veronica plot the story. The trilogy is comparable to others popular fiction novels like Hunger Games, The Maze Runner etc. In my view that veronica Roth have given more complexity on her story. The story behind the girl Tris and how she struggle her life is fantastic, she is so brave i love the characters. In Divergent Trilogy the story is plot on division of society into personality type, with action and romance. Overall all the collection in Divergent are Fantastic.

Suleman from UK

Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant and Four books collection novel is very interesting to read. I really like this novel Divergent Series It’s true that Veronica Roth books are amazing to read. Nice set of books, for first time all the four books collection. All the books are amazing and interesting to read. I am very glad I bought these books. And price is also too good, it was reasonable to me. It’s worth to buy this book series for me. I really love this novel its hold components of romance, action, drama and suspense. This arrangement keeps up steady anticipation with various shocks that ideas in continually keeping book lovers captivated.

Kayla from Canada

I loved this book. All time favourite book!

9.6 /10 from 15 reviews

All Veronica Roth Reviews

• The Chosen Ones (Chosen Ones #1)
• Divergent (Divergent Trilogy #1)
• Insurgent (Divergent Trilogy #2)

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Exploring the World of Divergent (novel) by Veronica Roth

Veronica Roth’s debut novel “Divergent” has gained immense popularity since its release in 2011, captivating audiences with its dystopian setting and gripping storyline. Set in a future Chicago, the book follows the story of Beatrice Prior, a sixteen-year-old girl who must choose a faction to belong to, and the consequences of her choice. “Divergent” has been praised for its exploration of themes such as identity, conformity, and loyalty, making it a standout in the young adult genre. The book’s success has also led to a movie adaptation and a lasting impact on popular culture. In this article, we will delve into the different aspects of the book that have made it a fan favorite and a must-read for anyone interested in dystopian fiction.

Plot Summary of Divergent (novel)

Themes and meaning explored, analysis of characters:, critical reception, adaptations.

“Divergent” is set in a post-apocalyptic Chicago where society is divided into five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite. Each faction is dedicated to a particular virtue, such as selflessness, honesty, or bravery, and every sixteen-year-old must choose which faction to join for the rest of their lives. Beatrice Prior, the book’s protagonist, is born into Abnegation but feels like she does not fit in with their selfless values. During the Choosing Ceremony, she decides to join Dauntless, a faction known for their courage and fearlessness, but soon discovers that she is “Divergent,” meaning that she possesses traits from multiple factions. As Beatrice, now known as Tris, tries to fit in with her new faction and keep her true identity a secret, she becomes embroiled in a power struggle between the factions that threatens to tear society apart.

List of main events in the plot:

• Beatrice Prior chooses to join the Dauntless faction
• Beatrice changes her name to Tris and begins her Dauntless initiation
• Tris befriends Four, a fellow initiate, and begins to develop feelings for him
• Tris discovers that she is Divergent, a dangerous and feared trait in their society
• Tris uncovers a plot by the Erudite faction to overthrow Abnegation and take control of the government
• Tris and Four team up to stop the Erudite’s plan, but face many obstacles along the way
• Tris is forced to confront her own beliefs and values as she fights for what she believes is right
• The book ends with a dramatic climax and a twist that sets up the next book in the series.

• Individuality and Identity: The book’s protagonist, Tris, struggles with finding her own identity and fitting into society’s expectations. As a Divergent, she doesn’t fit neatly into any one faction, and must reconcile conflicting parts of herself in order to find her place in the world.
• Conformity and Societal Norms: The five factions in “Divergent” represent different societal norms and values that are expected of its members. The pressure to conform to these norms and the consequences of not doing so are explored throughout the book.
• The Role of Government and Authority: The book raises questions about the role of government and authority in society. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the government has its own agenda and that those in power may not always have the best interests of its citizens in mind.
• Loyalty and Betrayal: Tris must navigate complex relationships and shifting loyalties as she uncovers a plot to overthrow the government. Betrayal is a recurring theme in the book, as characters must decide where their loyalties lie and what they are willing to sacrifice for their beliefs.
• Coming of Age: “Divergent” is a classic coming-of-age story, as Tris navigates the challenges of growing up and discovering who she is. The book deals with themes of maturity, responsibility, and the transition from childhood to adulthood.

These themes are skillfully woven into the plot and characters of “Divergent,” making it a thought-provoking and engaging read for young adults and adults alike.

“Divergent” is filled with complex and well-developed characters that bring the story to life. Here are some of the key characters in the book and what makes them so compelling:

• Tris Prior: Tris is the protagonist of the book and a prime example of a strong female character. She is brave, intelligent, and willing to fight for what she believes in. As a Divergent, Tris is able to see things from different perspectives and is not limited by the faction system. She is a relatable and likable character who readers can root for throughout the book.
• Four/Tobias Eaton: Four is a mysterious and enigmatic character who becomes Tris’s love interest. He is also a Dauntless instructor who helps train the initiates. Four has a troubled past and is dealing with his own demons throughout the book. He is a complex and well-rounded character who adds depth to the story.
• Eric: Eric is a Dauntless leader who serves as a foil to Four. He is power-hungry and cruel, using violence to maintain control over the initiates. Eric is an antagonist in the book, but his motivations and actions are complex and interesting to explore.
• Jeanine Matthews: Jeanine is the leader of the Erudite faction and the mastermind behind the plot to overthrow the government. She is intelligent and calculating, using her knowledge to manipulate others for her own gain. Jeanine is a formidable opponent for Tris and the other characters, making her an engaging villain.

“Divergent” has been both a commercial and critical success since its release in 2011. Here are some of the reviews and opinions of the book, as well as its success and comparisons with other popular young adult novels:

• Reviews and Opinions of the Book: “Divergent” has received generally positive reviews from critics and readers alike. It has been praised for its strong and relatable female protagonist, as well as its exploration of themes such as individuality and conformity. However, some reviewers have criticized the book for its similarities to other young adult dystopian novels and its lack of originality.
• Success of the Book and the Series: “Divergent” has been a huge commercial success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide. It has also been adapted into a successful film franchise starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James. The book’s success has spawned two sequels, “Insurgent” and “Allegiant,” as well as a spin-off novel, “Four.”
• Comparison with Other Popular Young Adult Novels: “Divergent” has been compared to other popular young adult dystopian novels such as “The Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner.” While these books share similarities, “Divergent” has been praised for its exploration of themes such as identity and individuality, which set it apart from other dystopian novels.

Overall, “Divergent” has been a successful and popular addition to the young adult dystopian genre. While it may share similarities with other books in the genre, its exploration of complex themes and well-developed characters have made it a standout novel for many readers.

• Movie Adaptation: “Divergent” was adapted into a movie in 2014, directed by Neil Burger. The film starred Shailene Woodley as Tris Prior and Theo James as Four. The movie was generally well-received by fans and critics, although some fans of the book noted that some important scenes and characters were left out or changed in the adaptation.
• Differences between the Book and the Movie: As with many book-to-movie adaptations, there were some differences between the book and the movie version of “Divergent.” Some of the key differences include:
• The age of the characters: In the book, Tris and the other initiates are 16 years old, while in the movie they are portrayed as older teenagers.
• The portrayal of certain characters: Some characters, such as Christina and Peter, were not portrayed as prominently in the movie as they were in the book.
• Changes to certain plot points: The movie made some changes to certain plot points, such as the order in which Tris completes her simulations and the way in which the simulation serum is administered.

Despite these differences, the movie adaptation of “Divergent” was generally well-received by fans and critics. It stayed relatively faithful to the book’s plot and themes, while also making some necessary changes to fit the story into a two-hour movie.

The world-building in “Divergent” is intricate and well-crafted, creating a detailed and believable future society that readers can fully immerse themselves in. The fast-paced plot and action-packed sequences keep readers engaged from beginning to end.

The characters in “Divergent” are also a major highlight of the book. Tris Prior, Four/Tobias Eaton, Eric, and Jeanine Matthews are all complex and multi-dimensional characters with their own motivations and struggles. Their interactions and relationships drive the story forward and add depth and nuance to the novel.

The critical reception of “Divergent” has been generally positive, with the book being praised for its strong female protagonist and exploration of complex themes. The book’s commercial success has also led to a successful movie franchise and a spin-off novel.

Overall, “Divergent” is a must-read for fans of young adult dystopian novels. Its unique themes, well-developed characters, and exciting plot make it a standout addition to the genre. Whether you’re a fan of the book or the movie, “Divergent” is a thrilling adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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Divergent by Veronica Roth | Parent Guide & Review

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Synopsis of Divergent

Divergent is set in a dystopian world, society is divided into five factions. Each faction values one particular trait – Candor (honesty), Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amnity (peace), and Erudite (intelligence). On a specific day, every year all the sixteen-year-olds choose which faction they will be a part of for the rest of their lives. Beatrice Prior has a choice between staying with her family or being her true self. Her choice surprises everyone, including herself. Next comes the competitive initiation where newly names Tris discovers who her real friends are and figure out a budding romance with an infuriating boy. But Tris has a secret. A secret that might kill her if others find out. When conflict arises between the factions Tris learns her secret could help her save her loved ones or it could end her.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate. If you click on a link and decide to buy something, I will get pennies for referring you. This in no way changes the price for you. It just helps me make a bit for doing what I love.

First Impressions

Divergent is a science fiction dystopian novel with a dash of romance and a whole lot of action. I originally read this book during the boom of dystopian novels. This take on the “perfect” society is different and refreshing with different flaws unique to this society. I liked how the very thing that put Tris in danger is what ultimately saved her life. Plus, it allows her to help those around her. This book does have quite a bit of violence but it was refreshing that Veronica Roth focused more on the psychological damage happening through the violent scenes instead of the gore.

Divergent Parent Guide

Overall: PG-13 for violence and brief nudity (from a prank) Violence: PG-13 for graphic war scenes and fights Language: G Adult Content: PG some kissing Reading Level: Grades 7-12

Touchy Topics in Divergent

• Abuse – One of the main characters has a residual fear of an abuser from their past and confronts that fear.
• Bullying – Multiple instances of severe bullying happen during the initiation process.
• Cultural Retraining – Each faction focuses on a specific value above all others and enforce that in everything to the point of mass groups things and handling situations the same way.
• Brainwashing – Brainwashing and mind control are weapons deployed during the war that happens at the end of the book.
• Fears – Fear and how an individual reacts in the face of fear is a large theme in the book. 
• Self-Doubt – Double and triple questioning whether you fit in or made the right choice happens frequent
• Self Discovery – Tris comes to terms that she is not like anyone else and how she what makes her different is one of her biggest strengths.
• Death – Many people die in the book from various causes and the characters learn how to react and continue living with it.

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.” ― Veronica Roth, Divergent

“Becoming fearless isn’t the point. That’s impossible. It’s learning how to control your fear, and how to be free from it.” ― Veronica Roth, Divergent

“I might be in love with you.” He smiles a little. “I’m waiting until I’m sure to tell you, though.” ― Veronica Roth, Divergent

My Thoughts about Divergent

This book was at the top of the New York Times best-seller list and won multiple awards for a reason. Divergent is both similar and different from other dystopian novels. You have the broken system and it is partly about that but the book is more about Tris and her self-discovery process within the system. Tris has the choice to follow in her parents’ footsteps or to create her own path. Tris also has to confront and accept all parts of herself. I really enjoyed the book and loved being transported to this new fresh world.

On another note, here is a bit more of a peek inside the book’s violence and other things to be aware of. There is one scene with brief nudity in Divergent. Nothing is described and it is a hazing ritual instead of anything remotely romantic. Violence wise there is quite a bit. During some of the training, they are pitted against each other until someone passes out. Later, multiple people are murdered right in front of Tris. These scenes are graphic but the main focus is the psychological pain and suffering she is going through.

Over all I fully recommend this book to anyone 16 and up. For teens between 13 and 16, this book would be great on a case by case basis.

What to Read Next?

If you are a fan of this book, read the second book, Insurgent . Veronica Roth has written a few other books that you might like too. Check out her website here for more of her books. After that great books to read include Matched, Hunger Games, and Maze Runner. Here is a list of other action-filled books and another list of books with strong female character s.

Happy Reading!

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Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Paperback features over fifty pages of bonus materials, including a sneak peek of Insurgent, an author Q&A, a discussion guide, a Divergent playlist, faction manifestos, and more! 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. Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

I have a confession to make. I thought Divergent by Veronica Roth was going to be terrible because of the cover. Don’t hate me, but I think the cover is a bit cheesy looking. Then everyone started reading it and tweeting about how great it was and I learned an important lesson. YA’LL THIS IS A BOOK YOU SHOULD NOT JUDGE BY THE COVER!!! Is that in your face enough? Seriously, I am in LOVE with Divergent. Okay, so you know how some long books take like forever to read, unless they contain Harry Potter magic inside? Well, I’m pretty sure there is something magical inside Divergent because I read this almost 500 page book in two days. It would have been one day, but work frowns on me coming in on zero sleep.

HOLY CRAP. I will come out right now and say I liked Divergent more than I liked the Hunger Games . Don’t get me wrong, I love the Hunger Games, but sigh, Divergent . First off, kids aren’t in an arena fighting each other on the t.v. Instead, the book takes place in the exotic land of Chicago. Hey, I am from NY, Chicago and the midwest are exotic to me. Anyways, in this society one comes of age at 16. Instead of getting a driver’s license one chooses which faction they want to join. Society is divided into five factions: Abnegation – the selfless, Erudite – those in search of knowledge, Dauntless -the brave aka Gryffindor, Amity – the peaceful aka Hufflepuff, and Candor – the honest. So anyways, Beatrice is raised in the Abnegation faction which kind of sucks because you just wear plain grey clothes, eat boring food, have no cake, and don’t get to care about yourself. You spend all day caring about others. SO, on her choosing day, she goes to a cooler faction, one that involves awesome things like tattoos and piercings and weapons. AND I WON’T SPOIL YOU FURTHER.

Okay, so there is so much for me to prattle on about with Divergent . FIRST: NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Flail it out with me: NO LOVE TRIANGLE. Oh, Veronica Roth , you rock my face off with your lack of contrived love. Now, what this book lacks in love rivals it makes up for in the swoons department. Straight up, there is kissy time, and it’s AWESOME. Once you read Divergent , you won’t think of 4 as just a number. I mean, forget the boy with the bread, straight up, it’s Four.

THEN this book will stomp your heart into a million billion little pieces, and not over some lame romance crap. OH no. It’ll stomp you because of the betrayals. Yes, there will be double crossing and you won’t see it coming and you will be like NO NO BAD CHARACTER NO, with a rolled up piece of newspaper, of course. Then you will be like WAHHHHH but I love that character and was just coming to terms with their BAMF-ness. And you will be full of the sads.

THEN you will be like me and want to steal Beatrice, now Tris from the book, and put her in your passenger seat and drive around singing music at the top of your lungs, because she deserves better than her current world. Seriously, Tris is spunky, intelligent, kind, and dogged. I mean, girl does not give up. She’s little, like me, and a scrapper, like me. I think we would get along perfectly in real life, if she were really. Anyways, girl goes through hell and back, and survives without losing her humanity. I love that. I love that she wormed a little place in my heart, that if she were real, I’d throw down for her. I love that she begins a bit vulnerable, yet she’s courageous, she will fight for what she wants, literally and figuratively. I love that Tris is not perfect by any means. I love that she has questions. I love that she has fears.

ALSO, Veronica Roth’s writing straight up flows. I was never WTF is going on, mate? Plus, she’s not BFF with the thesaurus, so mad props there. None of the prose felt out of place. And, see I was really impressed by this because Veronica Roth is young, and well, I’ve been burned by younger writers with beautiful covers. GUYS, age is nothing but a number. Divergent does not feel anything like a first novel, it feels like something written by someone with years and years of life experience. I mean, okay this isn’t Harry Potter, but it has the same gripability. You can’t just pick this book up and set it down and then NOT THINK ABOUT IT. I mean, I had to set this down while at work, and my fingers itched so bad to read it, that I read under the desk. I know, I know, that’s not the most brilliant thing to do, but AH, I could not set it down and had to see if Tris would make it to the next stage.

Really, all I can say is if you want to still be my friend or in the circle of trust, you better read Divergent , or you are cut off. Seriously. I kid you not.

Disclosure: Received for review.

Other reviews of Divergent by Veronica Roth:

Pure Imagination GreenBeanTeenQueen Bookalicio.us The Compulsive Reader

Books by Veronica Roth: Insurgent

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April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

Your praise might tip me over the edge on this one. I know everybody’s been all lovey dovey about it already, but it wasn’t calling to me so much….but if you liked it more than Hunger Games, I might just need to check it out. Plus there’s that whole ultimatum thing.

I’m just going to push until you go completely over the edge and read Divergent!

YES YES YES. (My mantra throughout the whole book, and while reading your review) Divergent is just plain awesome. I liked Tris so darn much. And her love interest. And everything about the book. Great review!

Best.mantra.ever.

I love it SO MUCH MORE than The Hunger Games as well. And that is say something.

I love this review. You’ve managed to sum up my feelings a lot better than I did myself. 🙂

I felt a twinge of guilt liking Divergent more, however, I just felt a deeper connection with Tris.

I wasn’t going to read it because of the cover as well. That, and the description didn’t really catch me. I really enjoyed it as well. And totally agree with you about Four!

Good to see that you can’t always judge a book by the cover!

SO glad to hear someone else judging on the cover a bit. glad to hear you love it though! 🙂

I feel alone because everyone is like OMG I love the cover and I’m like omg cheesy flame circle. However, the important part, the story inside, is FABULOUS!

Awesome review, totally agree with the love for 4 and not seeing the betrayals coming. Also couldn’t believe how fast I read through this giant book. 🙂

YAY! There is not one person I know, or come across their blog that hated Divergent, or gave it four or less stars.

I loved this book so much and it’s by far THE BEST book of 2011 so far. 🙂

Great Review!

You can find my review here:

http://www.goodchoicereading.com/2011/04/review-divergent-by-veronica-roth.html

I completely agree. It’s got top 5 of 2011 status for me, anyways.

I want to be in the circle of trust!

This is the funniest review that I’ve read! Divergent sounds worth the read, even though I haven’t experience Harry magic or Hunger games. (Please don’t throw anything at me!)

YES, join the circle of trust, READ DIVERGENT. Then fix your life and read Harry Potter and the Hunger Games.

Wooo! That’s one hella positive review. OK, you got me. I’ll read it. May 3rd it comes out, I believe?

Yay! And yes, that is the release date. Totally worth it.

OH SWEET BABY JESUS, THE BETRAYALS.

I know we talked about this on Twitter, but F:LSJDLFKJ. I wanted to throw shit. I loved this review and I LOVED THIS BOOK!

Pretty much this. THIS!

Sad but true, the cover does matter, a lot. I try to look past it, but when there’s shitloads of books to choose from, it’s much more likely I’ll grab one with an interesting cover.

Added this to my TBR pile now though. 🙂

Yay! I agree with you, cover really does matter. And I do the same thing, I grab the one with the interesting cover.

I’m not a fan of the cover either, but so many people have been raving about the book itself. Good thing I pre-ordered a copy, because I don’t want to be kicked out of the circle of trust!

Liz, for you I would make an exception. You can stay in the circle of trust regardless.

Girl, I am so with you. I couldn’t put it down. It would be in my purse at work and I would just be eying it all day like, “Lord help me, it’s so close but so far away.” Let’s discuss Four! So cold, but so hot. Very enjoyable (especially as a Chicagoan).

I’m glad I’m not the only one who does the purse book thing and then gets a case of the sads when I can’t read it.

Ahhh! Love it! I am absolutely dying to read this book. I have been itching to get my hands on an ARC but by the time it gets here, it will already have been released.

Thanks for the review!

Yep, today is release day! So you should totally go out and buy it 😀

I’ve preordered Digergent – so excited it’s finally out next week! I’ve been guilty of reading at work too when a book is so addictive like it seems Divergent is. Glad to hear there is a great love interest and no love triangle! Awesome review.

Yayyyy! You are going to get it today and tomorrow and FALL MADLY IN LOVE!

Just finished this one, and I also LOVED it. It earned a spot on my favorites shelf, fo sho. Awesome review!

Fo sho, it deserves a spot there. It’s on my favorites shelf as well.

Oh wow! I’ve been away from blogging for a couple of months and I’ve read a few great reviews of this book since yesterday! I’m especially glad it is not to be judged by its cover, since like you, I thought it to be a bit cheesy.

You know, I am so glad I’m not the only one who thinks this about the cover. Everyone else seems ga ga over it, but I don’t love it.

And yes, you should return to blogging and read Divergent!

You had me at “no love triangles”! I’ve been on the periphery of wanting to read this one for a while now and that definitely sold me on it! Thanks for the review!

No love triangles always sells me too.

Haha, you’re review sums up my feelings exactly. I loved this book and this review. Read the entire thing pretty much in one sitting. I work at a bookstore and they let us borrow books for up to two weeks… they almost didn’t let me take this out because they don’t think we’ll have enough copies so I had to promise I’d have it back quick times… I think one day is sufficiently quick.

Ahhhh! I wan’t to go read it again.

One day definitely is sufficient for Divergent!

2 days…. seriously? its like 400 pages long :/

i mean i finished it in about half a day cos it was so good! i completely agree with everything you said 🙂

Ha ha. That’s fine!

And yes Divergent was SO GOOD!

Okay, so this is now my favourite review for DIVERGENT yet. That’s saying a lot too because I think I’ve been stalking the blogosphere for them… I’ve only read the first 100 pages (those that were posted online) (I can still be in the circle of trust, right?) but I AM going to order the book (TONIGHT. I keep forgetting). I’m glad that you like Four so much! I didn’t get to see too much of him but I did like what I saw 🙂 Thanks for the review!

Thank you, Sonia!

And yes, you are so invited into the circle of trust 🙂

Four rocks!

I must say – I struggled with this book. I felt very conflicted as if I was betraying Suzanne Collins! Divergent is soo much like Hunger Games – the strong, yet vulnerable 16 year old girl, the big choice, the government, the hub/hob, the factions/districts, the family – ughhh! I struggled to get lost in the book without comparing it to Hunger Games.

And I struggle to admit that I liked it because I feel a certain loyalty to Katniss! I will say that I read Divergent in 2 1/2 days – staying up past 1a.m. because I just couldn’t put it down! I

And I feel like your blog gives me permission to admit it: I LOVED THE BOOK! ahhhhhh – I said it. I meant it! Forgive me Suzanne – I love you! lol And to prove how much I loved it, yet still conflicted, the only reason I found this site is because I’m looking for the date part 2 is set to be released.

And I must agree – I would take Four/Tobias over Peeta any day! lol

Yes. There is no judgement here — you are free to love both The Hunger Games AND Divergent. 🙂

Glad you could stumble across my site and find the answer for when Insurgent is released. 🙂

When I decided to read this, I was really new to Dystopian. I mean, The Hunger Games was such an amazing series, that for months (a year to be exact. . .) I didn’t want to read another Dystopian novel, because I felt like I would betray the awesomeness that is The Hunger Games, and other books just wouldn’t live up to my expectation.

Then I had bought this book, purely out of boredom, and I was like staring at it, like if I opened it, It’d release Pandora’s Box. I just went for it, and when I did. . I could not put it down. I had to find out what would happen next. This is a VERY close second to The Hunger Games. I think it made me realize that I can totally read Dystopians, and still hold a torch for THG.

I just loved this book. and I am waiting so impatiently for Insurgent.

btw, Four > Peeta. I Four was like Adrian and Dimitri for me, mixed into one BAMF character. and That is full of so much WIN!

I love how you describe looking at Divergent as though it’s Pandora’s Box.

And dubs true on how gripping Divergent is!

I’m on edge for Insurgent as well. 🙂

Awesome! I was just googling a cover for this book as my next to read… and then read your review. Oh yeah… you just made this my #1 book for 2012…. this is what I will be reading on January 1

Haha I love being tops in google results.

So glad you read Divergent as the first book in January. 😀

Glad you injoyd it but i hope you woud still like the hunger games i think its possible to like both books in the same giniur unfortunatly i didnt like divergent it had some realy exiting moments but it didnt hold me on the edge of my seat if i can recomend a book it woud be blood red road its also full of action and suspence though isnt as political as the hunger games or divergent Ps. i dont realy like love intrests in ya giniur i prefer the grownup ones .

No worries, I still love the Hunger Games 🙂

I’ve read Blood Red Road, and quite enjoyed it.

Thanks for commenting Lian.

I read Divergent a few months back, loved it (obviously,) recommended it to a friend’s reading group and tonite I will be joining them for discussion. So, since it’s been a while, and I’m new to the blogging game and haven’t reviewed it yet, glad I could re-read your review today as a refresher for tonight! Thanks:)

That’s really cool that your friend’s reading group decided to pick up Divergent on your recommendation.

Glad my review was helpful ha ha. 🙂

This has got to be the most epic book review I’ve ever read in my entire life. You’re an absolute star!

Why thank you so much, Suz! I actually do try very hard to write decent reviews lol.

Hey its me again glad you injoyed Blood red road i thought about making a review on it but im not as good at it as some people . If you liked thous books I think you are going to injoy Angelfall by Susan Ee its more postapocaliptic Paronormal than Distopian . But realy good and not expensive and if You are fan of Katniss and Tris you might Injoy the main charecter shes realy fan to folow.

I’ll definitely check out Angelfall, I actually purchased that one for my kindle awhile ago.

You should definitely write a review of it. I think most people get better with more practice. 🙂 We all have to start somewhere.

I loved this book as well…but I also wasn’t keen on the cover! It surprised me that a lot of people were saying they loved the cover…I thought it was a bit lame. I am so excited for Insurgent…JUST. A. LITTLE. BIT. LONGER. 🙂 x

I’m so glad I am not the only person who is not exactly in love with the cover of Divergent. Like, seriously, it’s alright but not one I am going to fan girl over.

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J.W. Wartick – Reconstructing Faith

• Origins Debate

“Divergent” by Veronica Roth – A Christian review of the book

Factions/Divergence

In the world of  Divergent , Factions are the way of order. The people of the city of Chicago came together after a cataclysmic event (left largely unexplained in the book) to try to restore order. The thought was that they would split people into various Factions which each held to a certain primary guiding principle to combat evil and wrongdoing. For example, the Candor Faction felt that lies were the primary way in which evil entered the world. Deception was how anger and hatred could be brought into the world again, with dire consequences. Other factions-Abnegation, Erudite, Amity, and Dauntless-follow a similar structure of thought: each is constructed around the notion that a specific weakness led to the destruction of the world.

However, Tris, the main character of the book, is Divergent- she does not fit well into any one faction. Those who are divergent are considered dangerous because they are not as fully in line with the thinking of a faction, which makes it harder for them to be conditioned behaviorally to fit into any of the differing paradigms. Thus, they are not only dangerous to the system, but also dangerous to life: they might ruin the system which has protected those inside it.

The notion that humans would divide into different groups which each see a certain facet of human nature as dangerous for the thriving of the species is intriguing. It did seem a bit of a stretch for me to believe that people would willingly divide up into such factions and focus on  nothing but those aspects of the human psyche, but it helped to drive the plot and it is perhaps more believable in light of Roth’s statement (through Tris, of course) that each faction began to mock even the good aspects of the others. For example, those who were in Dauntless like Tris would often mock the perceived need for Tris to take an extra step to care for others; or they would laugh at the difficulties with telling lies some people had (“You should have been from Candor!”).

Human nature in  Divergent is shown to be more complex through those who are themselves divergent. They see beyond the narrow limits of each individual faction and are therefore immune to the conditioning others succumb to.

Throughout the book, Tris repeats the mantra: Faction before Family. However, the mantra does not play out in reality. Instead, Tris find herself continually longing for her family and the familiarity of her former faction. Although she also finds herself becoming loyal to her new faction, the Dauntless, Tris is ultimately saved by the reunification (however brief) of her family.

The theme is rather poignant, for it suggests there is something to the notion that the family is the proper realm of interaction. It’s not that everyone has a perfect family in the “real world,” rather, the point is that in an  ideal  situation, everyone would have a support structure within a family. This support structure would be a place for ultimate refuge.

The book’s cover focuses on choice: it is  one choice  that defines who you are  forever , it says. That choice, of course, is which faction to join. But when push comes to shove, so to speak, towards the end of the book, it turns out that a whole series of choices define you, not just which faction you want to belong to. It is not one choice that defines Tris and the others; it is the choices they make in times of crises, alongside those choices they’ve made throughout their lives, which ultimately determines who they are.

The concept of choice in the book resonates alongside the notion of divergence. After all, the Divergent are those who cannot be neatly categorized into any of the factions. Their choices, it seems, have a bit more freedom, or at least freedom from conditioning. I can’t help but think of the choice made in Eden that led to the Fall. Before that fateful choice, humans had a very wide range of choices available to them; afterwards, humans became bound to sin and much more narrow in their vision. In seeking freedom, we became bound; in trying to open more opportunities, we limited them.

Divergent  is a very interesting book written by a woman who professes her Christian faith. The book is very dark at times and there are many more themes I could explore. The interest in “choice” and “divergence” related to human nature and sin is fascinating to me. I’m interested to hear your own thoughts on the issue, so be sure to leave a comment below!

Divergent – Anthony Weber over at  Empires and Mangers , one of my favorite sites (and one  you should follow! ), reviewed the YA Book  Divergent . He examined it from a worldview perspective. The book is being made into a major motion picture and has been hailed by some as the “next  Hunger Games .” That means we’re going to run into it everywhere. What questions can we bring to the table? There are  SPOILERS  in this linked post.

Be sure to check out my other looks into popular books (scroll down for more posts).

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8 thoughts on “ “divergent” by veronica roth – a christian review of the book ”.

Great review of Divergent! I enjoyed Divergent and just finished Insurgent. It seemed to me to be along the lines of Hunger Games meets Harry Potter. I didn’t miss the darker worldview of The Hunger Games – but I did miss the presence of fully developed adult characters that are found in HP. I am encouraged to see another series with a female protagonist who is portrayed as smart, strong, and a person of character. Tris does seem more mature than would be expected of a 16-year-old, but that’s not a bad thing!

Yes I quite enjoyed the book but I have to say that I was surprised. I went in (mistakenly) with assumptions from the movie trailer thinking it would be one way, but the book itself was quite different. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Very interesting review. I never thought about looking at the book through a Christian lens. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Something I always say is that “Every movie has a worldview.” The same applies to books, so I think it is important to view each through the lens of worldview to see what it is teaching. It also helps reading comprehension and (at least for me) enjoyment!

Thanks for this. My son picked it up and I knew nothing about the plot or the writer. I had no idea the author professes Christianity.

Looking at what it means to be a Divergent through the “lens” of Christianity, I wonder if all professing Christians are Divergent? I say this because Christians who are “sold out” to Christ and live by the moral code of the Bible, will never fit into a man made or government made faction because their “true” genetics are not of “this” world and their loyalty can be to only “one” Kingdom. God’s. A Divergent then, has been born (again) with “new seed” – the very seed of Christ, the firstborn from the dead and is not really even human anymore, but has been filled with God’s Spirit, God’s interests and God’s nature so a Divergent could never truly embrace a man-made or political faction, especially since they already possess God’s Spirit inside, which gives them every one of the factions already functioning within them, like kindness, courage, forgiveness, strength, honesty, purity, truthfulness. A Divergent would NOT fit with any one faction for a true Divergent possesses them all because Christ lives inside them.

Hi J.W I was just looking for a review of this series as some of my students have been talking about the film. I found this one and then saw your name attached to it. I don’t know if you remember me but I was in the MA with you at Biola. I’m the mad Aussie. Anyway, thanks for the review. I had no idea the author was a Christian. I saw the first film the other day and I am listening to the second book on audio. I thought the ideas seemed to have that Christian feel to them, but no more than the average film made in the west. I will have to give these a read and see about pulling them apart in English class. Cheers mate.

I think you’ll find even more themes in the later books. I really enjoyed them all and I liked the first movie as well. I should write up some posts on the other ones but time is not on my side.

And yes, I do remember you! It was great to be at Biola with ya! Hope all is well.

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Review: The New Empires of the Internet Age

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The New Empires of the Internet Age

Cyberspace has upended the old world order..

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• United States

The world today is a geopolitical hot mess. One source of that messiness is a lack of consensus among scholars and policymakers about the global distribution of power. Do we still live in a world of U.S. hegemony? Is it a bipolar or multipolar world? Or are states no longer the globe’s key actors, and do we instead live in an age of “ technopolarity ,” where corporate titans such as Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and billionaire Elon Musk are the new great powers?

The academic cacophony is disturbing. Uncertainty about the distribution of power is not merely a matter of debate; when actors disagree about the distribution of power, wars can start.

Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy , Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman, Henry Holt and Co., 288 pp., $28.99, September 2023; Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology , Anu Bradford, Oxford University Press, 608 pp., $39.95, September 2023

Two books published last year offer divergent takes on these questions. In Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy , Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman posit that the United States still wields a considerable amount of structural power in the global system. Anu Bradford’s Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology , however, argues that the surprising superpower is neither the United States nor China but the European Union.

Both books examine the exercise of power and governance in the digital sphere. Their contrasting evaluations help explain why it is so difficult for even the sharpest observers of global affairs to agree about the current state of the world—particularly when technology is involved.

Farrell and Newman’s Underground Empire builds on the pair’s pathbreaking 2019 article in International Security , “Weaponized Interdependence: How Global Economic Networks Shape State Coercion.” In that paper, Farrell, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Newman, a professor at Georgetown University, posited that, across many economic sectors, globalization generated a network structure that concentrated power in a few central nodes. States that controlled those nodes—such as the United States—could exercise considerable global influence.

Underground Empire reminds readers of the article’s core argument. In their introduction, the authors write, “The global economy relied on a preconstructed system of tunnels and conduits that the United States could move into and adapt, nearly as easily as if they had been custom-designed by a military engineer for that purpose. By seizing control of key intersections, the U.S. government could secretly listen to what adversaries were saying to each other or freeze them out of the global financial system.”

Underground Empire expands far beyond this point, however. There is an interesting discussion, for one, of how the private sector helped create this centralized world and the conditions under which multinational corporations have been willing extensions of federal power: “Entrepreneur after entrepreneur discovered that the best way to turn a profit in a decentralized economy was to figure out ways to centralize parts of it again.”

Bradford’s Digital Empires similarly builds on earlier work. Bradford draws from her 2020 book, The Brussels Effect , which argues that the EU’s combination of market power and technocratic capacity made it a superpower in issue areas where Europeans preferred stringent regulatory standards. In Digital Empires , Bradford, a professor at Columbia Law School, contends that there are three great powers when it comes to online technology—and each of them offers a different variety of digital capitalism. As she describes it, “the US has pioneered a largely market-driven model, China a state-driven model, and the EU a rights-driven model.”

These varying approaches lead to horizontal clashes between the United States, China, and the EU on regulatory and technological issues such as data privacy and content moderation. Divergent digital preferences also create vertical clashes between these governments and the tech companies supplying digital infrastructure and services. The Chinese state cowed its firms into greater compliance with government dictates; U.S. firms have been more willing to fight the federal government on questions of data privacy.

EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager gestures as she speaks during a news conference on the Apple antitrust case at EU headquarters in Brussels on April 30, 2021. Francisco Seco/AFP via Getty Images

Both Underground Empire and Digital Empires are analytically sharp and worth reading. Farrell and Newman pepper their narrative with entertaining anecdotes—such as the fact that the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) labeled the internet’s international choke points after ski resorts. Bradford’s book is encyclopedic in its range; her discussion of global online policy disputes on issues including antitrust and artificial intelligence is comprehensive and useful for anyone wishing to read up on the subject matter.

Comparing and contrasting the authors’ arguments—as I am about to do—elides where they are in agreement. Both Underground Empire and Digital Empires stress the importance of institutional capacity as a means that states use to exercise power; some of Bradford’s arguments resemble those that Farrell and Newman made in their 2019 book, Of Privacy and Power . The new books also suggest that the concept of technopolarity does not have legs. After reading both books, one is likely to conclude that state power will be able to pressure the private sector into compliance on core national interests.

Nonetheless, what makes these books such interesting reading is where they diverge: the sources of state power in cyberspace.

For Farrell and Newman, Washington retains considerable structural power because so much of the digital world originated in the United States. This network centrality endows the United States with the ability to surveil, influence, and—if necessary—coerce other actors across multiple realms.

At least some of this was by design: The authors write that, during the early days of the internet, “[a]ccording to a former NSA employee, the U.S. government ‘quietly encourage[d] the telecommunications industry to increase the amount of international traffic that is routed through American-based switches’ to make it easier to spy on the world.” With China-U.S. tech competition heating up, Washington has employed unconventional measures to pressure China. These include the foreign direct product rule, which allows the United States to ban the export of products from other countries if those products rely on U.S.-made components or technology.

The Case Against TikTok Is Thin at Best

There are real issues—but they go far beyond one app.

Big Tech Is Trying to Prevent Debate About Its Social Harms

The industry’s “digital trade” strategy seeks to preemptively constrain governments.

Is This a Revolution? Or Are People Just Very Ticked Off?

In a new book, Fareed Zakaria explores how much the times are a-changin’. At risk, he says, is the entire global system.

Overall, Underground Empire suggests that some forms of structural power are extremely difficult to dislodge. As during the late 1980s—when many international relations scholars believed the United States was in terminal decline, only for the country to be the last superpower standing a decade later—commentators may be underestimating current U.S. power in the digital world.

For Bradford, however, what matters is the combination of market power, state capacity, and attractiveness of a government’s regulatory preferences. This formula enables her to predict that, going forward, the EU will be the most important democratic actor in global digital governance. The EU’s lack of big tech firms is a plus in Bradford’s model because it reduces the EU’s incentive to cater to domestic interest groups.

According to Digital Empires , the laissez-faire market-based U.S. model of tech governance is losing its appeal both at home and abroad. Domestically, both major political parties have soured on Big Tech, albeit for different reasons. Democrats distrust the corporate concentration of Big Tech, while Republicans are convinced that content moderation has an anti-conservative bias. Globally, concerns about data privacy have made life more difficult for the Big Five tech firms—Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft.

As the U.S. model loses its luster, Bradford posits that the United States will align more closely with the EU against China’s more authoritarian model of digital governance. For Bradford, therefore, what matters is not control over critical nodes but control over critical markets.

The definitions of digital power proffered in Underground Empire and Digital Empires are not mutually exclusive. It can be simultaneously true that the United States retains considerable structural power and the EU exercises its market power adroitly—and all the while China tries to amass both forms of power. Still, if there are arenas of contestation where U.S., European, and Chinese officials disagree, whose form of power might prevail?

Here, one would have to give a slight edge to Farrell and Newman and their argument in favor of U.S. structural power. Bradford’s case for the EU is weakened by a few empirical and theoretical claims that do not hold up. Her chapter on the “waning global influence of American techno-libertarianism” is normatively persuasive about the downsides of the U.S. model. Her claim that other democracies have turned against the U.S. model, however, relies almost entirely on criticisms levied by those countries after the 2013 Edward Snowden revelations rather than meaningful policy change.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives to testify during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington on Jan. 31. The committee heard testimony from the heads of the largest tech firms on the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

There are two other areas where Bradford’s predictions are even more untenable. She suggests in her conclusion that “tech companies were reluctant to moderate content on their platforms but now increasingly concede they have a responsibility to do so more proactively.” This claim has not aged well. After Musk stripped Twitter’s content moderation team in 2022, other big tech firms followed suit. As the Washington Post reported last August, “[s]ocial media companies are receding from their role as watchdogs against political misinformation, abandoning their most aggressive efforts to police online falsehoods.” There is no sign of this trend abating during this record-breaking global year of elections .

Bradford also claims that the United States is moving toward the EU on AI regulations. “Artificial intelligence may well be the next frontier of the Brussels Effect,” she writes, adding that the EU’s AI regulation “may also serve as a template for other jurisdictions.” But a recent Politico story about the clash of EU and U.S. AI standards suggested a different outcome. EU member states such as France do not necessarily agree with Brussels. U.S. officials, along with Silicon Valley representatives, have also pushed back hard on EU standards. The result? “Heading into 2024, those who want a lighter touch appear to be winning, despite EU’s new binding rules on AI,” the Politico authors wrote.

The sources of power in cyberspace undoubtedly reside somewhere between Underground Empire and Digital Empires . It is possible, however, that they may also shift over time. Farrell and Newman’s argument holds considerable power for newer technologies as they emerge; what Underground Empire reveals is that geography matters even in cyberspace, particularly when the contours of any technological network remain somewhat obscured.

In the end, what Underground Empire and Digital Empires suggest is that technology can help international relations theorists better understand the power debates that have haunted them since the days of Sparta and Athens.

Books are independently selected by FP editors. FP earns an affiliate commission on anything purchased through links to Amazon.com on this page.

Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is the author of the newsletter Drezner’s World . Twitter:  @dandrezner

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