Divergent (Divergent, #1)

by Veronica Roth

[ladygrey]

This is one of those books I'm conflicted in reviewing because different elements of the book are so disparate.

Story - 4 stars. [a:Veronica Roth|4039811|Veronica Roth|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1290491550p2/4039811.jpg] starts with an interesting world in dystopian Chicago and enriches it with a society of five factions; each clearly defined and for the characters completely inescapable. The five factions, and their accompanying virtues allow for really interesting themes to emerge; for identity to be questioned and defined and make it a strong book in the young adult genre. I also like that the story expanded beyond just Tris' world and the day to day of her life into a bigger conflict within their society.

Characters - 4 stars. Tris is not a simple heroine, she's essentially good and easily a character you can root for but she doesn't always do the right thing. She can be weak or cruel or unforgiving but her struggles with those things are what make her even more interesting. Four is also fantastic; strong and mysterious and sometimes mean but usually for very good reason. And he aspires to greatness - he's always pushing himself and pushing Tris and it's fun to watch.
And the secondary characters are well developed and support the structure of the main narrative well.

Writing - 2 stars. I hate to have to say this, after enjoying everything else about this book so much, but the writing is so rudimentary it's almost painful to read. I don't know if the language was over simplified for a young adult audience or what. But this is essentially written at a third grade reading level. Maybe I became inoculated to it eventually, or maybe it actually got better as the book went on (there was one really good simile). But for the first hundred pages or so the blunted, overtly simple sentences made me cringe and made the whole thing sound stilted.

I think, like [b:I Am Number Four|7747374|I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)|Pittacus Lore|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1305807140s/7747374.jpg|10576999], this would easily make a better movie than book. Because the story and action and characters are great and would be visually striking in a well produced movie.