Divergent by Veronica Roth is a science fiction and dystopian novel that was released in the early 2010’s. That feels like so long ago and we received many amazing novels. Keep reading for a brief summary and why you should read this novel!
Divergent Summary
In the future in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, 16-year old Beatrice Prior is required to take a test before she can be determined which fiction she will join. There is Abnegation the selfless, Amity, the peaceful, Dauntless, the brave, Erudite, the intelligent, and Candor, the honest.
All teenagers who turn 16 are required to take the test. Most teenagers choose their own factions at the choosing ceremony and those who do not choose become Factionless and are outcasts that live on the streets.
Beatrice’s test results come back as Divergent and the test administrator tells her to not tell anyone. In the choosing ceremony, Beatrice chooses Dauntless and leaves her Abnegation, which has been her home. Her brother chooses Erudite.
Once Beatrice joins Dauntless, she goes through an intense entrance exam and meets Four, one of the instructors of Dauntless. But a hidden conspiracy puts the people Beatrice cares for in danger. It is up to her to stop it before her friends and family are caught up in it.
Commentary
The 2010’s was a great time for dystopian novels and some of them took over the genre. Along with The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, Divergent made up the big three. Each of them brought something new to this genre and were much darker than your usual novel aimed at teenagers. Divergent was able to stand out in a crowded field and connected with an audience that pushed it to superstardom
Just like those to other books, Divergent was made into a movie and it was also successful, albeit, not as successful as The Hunger Games. It went on two earn over $280 million at the box office and had two sequels released for it. That is considered successful and considering Veronica Roth wrote it while on winter break in her senior year and sold the rights to the movie before graduating.
The novel and series are a great read and a great series overall. The tone and pacing of the books are different and I recommend it if you have only watched the movies. The characters are more fleshed out and while it is darker than your average novel, it is one of the better dystopian novels.
Conclusion
As someone who has read a bunch of dystopian novels, I can earnestly say that this one was enjoyable. The world is not earth-shattering but it still works pretty well. If you need a good book to read, then look no further. Happy reading!