Part I: Bibliographic information
Type: Fiction/Young Adult
Title: Divergent
Writer: Veronica Roth
Copyright Date: 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishing
ISBN: 9780062024022
Genre/subgenre: YA Science Fiction/Dystopian
Interest Age: 13+
Reading Level: Upper Grades (UG 9-12)
Pages: 487
Awards: Goodreads Young Adult Fantasy Favorite Book of 2011
Part I: Reader’s Annotation, Plot Summary, Critical Evaluation
Reader’s Annotation -- In a future in which all people are divided into faction based on their dominant personality trait, those that don’t fit like sixteen-year-old Tris pose a risk to the balance of order.
Plot Summary -- The books begins as we are introduced to a girl who is on the cusp of her sixteenth birthday in a future time where this is a day of critical decision for young people. She lives in a future society in which roles have been established in society to keep the peace. These roles are based on personality type and youth are tested to help determine their destiny. The girl’s family are from the Abnegation faction, whose role is to serve as selfless ones and often they serve in public service.
But, when the important days arrives, she tests rather abnormally and is told in secret that her personality is ‘divergent’ or, in other words, falls into several categories. Her parents are hopeful she will stay with the Dauntless as otherwise she will be separated. In the end, the choice as to her future is her own. And, Beatrice choses a very different path for herself -- Dauntless, who are the keepers of security and are strive for fearlessness -- and after that she becomes Tris, the powerhouse of a girl who enters as an outsider the most physically and psychologically challenging initiation of any of the factions.
The realization that she has chosen a very difficult path for herself sets in quickly. The initiates realize that only half will successfully complete the training and become members of the faction. While she show signs of bravery, her selfless upbringing puts her at a disadvantage to others -- half of whom came up as Dauntless. She has to change her look -- the Abdegation wear plain dress and no adornments -- but also stifle her desire to help others in favor of a more aggressive stance. She befriends some other initiates but the competition is fierce. She is faced to prove herself or fall into non-association with a faction -- a life that is dreaded by all as it’s hardly better than slavery.
There are three phases to the process -- physical, emotional and psychological. The Dauntless use injections to enter altered states of consciousness where they test themselves against fears. As the slightly built Tris enters into the initiation phase, she allies with Four, a tough young leader within the Dauntless clan. He takes her into his fear arena where she learns how difficult the challenges can be. Each Dauntless learns their individual fears and are encourage to face them head on. He is called four because he only had four fears but his real name is Tibias and the two begin to have some romantic feelings for each other. In her first test, Tris learns one of her fears is kidnapping and she barely survives the ordeal.
The story deepens as suspicions between the factions start to create unrest. Her brother’s chosen faction, Erudite, are making accusations about Abnegation and challenging their right to perform most of the governmental functions. Tris reaches out to intervene in the disturbance only to put her own life in grave danger. She is also in danger from her own chosen faction as jealousies and suspicions lead to internal violence she must overcome through sheer will to survive the cut and ultimately the process.
Critical Evaluation -- The book’s premise is a strong one and engages the reader quickly in the underlying theme of our society’s labels for us versus our own internal feelings about who we are. Tris does not fit into the socially expected route for herself though that would mean a more comfortable life to remain in her native faction of Abnegation. She craves the adventure that a life a Dauntless offers. But she is also intelligent and drawn to and tests for Erudite, the intelligent faction. This sets up a dilemma for the young woman that only she can find the answer to by diving into life head first. It’s also a premise that most young people can identify with since we all have different aspects of ourselves that we may be tempted to explore but often we are ask to chose one or the other as some point in life.
The plot progresses with loads of action -- and some unexpected twists. And, there are not so many characters that you lose yourself in the plot. However, it follows a fairly route girl-faces-danger-and-ovecomes storyline. And, the girl faces many dangers and finds herself on top despite the odds against her. She also learns more about herself and her supposedly selfless faction of Abnegation as the plot unravels and her loyalties -- new and old -- are tested. This novel sets you up for a second and third novel in this same world of the near future set in dystopian Chicago. It’s not hard to understand why young readers are drawn to this series and, for those that want both action and intrigue, this author serves them up in ample quantities.
Part III: Author Info
Born in 1988, Roth is a young writer who wrote her hugely this successful first novel while still in college at Northwestern University. She graduated in creative writing and went on to complete the Divergent/Insurgent/Allegiant trilogy in 2013. She is from suburban Chicago and still lives in the region. The second work in the series was equally successful, and the third is due out in the fall of 2013 with much anticipation.
Roth maintains an active blog at http://veronicarothbooks.blogspot.com/. Her early success is due mostly to readers choice recognition. Goodreads awarded her several distinctions for the series, including the Good Reads 2011 Choice Awards. Divergent has also been options as a film and began production in April 2013.
Part IV: Curriculum Ties, Diversity, Booktalk Ideas, Challenge Issues
Curriculum Ties, if any -- This novel is based in the premise that there are five psychological profiles among humans and that these determine our destiny. It has some basis in the reality of human psychology and might be studied within that context. There is a discussion aide at http://files.harpercollins.com/HCChildrens/OMM/Media/Divergent%20DG.pdf.
Diversity of Cultures -- The novel delves into the idea of difference but these are more individual than cultural. Each clan has specific characteristics that make them distinct and also set up dislikes for others clans. Candor is not well liked, for instance. Yet they are respected as political leaders because they will not lie even to get ahead. This dynamic of strength through differences more or less parallels how cultural differences can play out in society.
Booktalking Ideas -- The five societal groups emerge based on personality differences. What defines each? How realistic are these? Are there any missing in the reader’s opionion? This premise is fairly fascinating and would make for a nice discussion among readers.
Challenge Issues -- The novel has a lot of violence -- and sometimes it’s random and brutal in nature. There is some romance between the teen characters but minimal sexual content.
Part V: Reasons chosen
A sequel, Insurgent (2012), became Roth's second published work and a third book is due out in October 2013 titled Allegiant. The first two have garnered strong reader reviews and have been described as well written. Some feel the series are an example of how the dystopian subgenre at its best. The story is fairly original and does not feel formulaic but rather feels inventive. The series are proving to be very popular with young adult readers who can be hooked by this strong first effort. Subsequent the reader’s expectations might not be as high because they are already engaged in the concept and characters. However, this trilogy has the reputation and expectation of maintaining quality throughout. It’s an entertaining read that has enough conceptual material to keep the reader interested in the fairly straightforward survival against the odd plot that unfolds. It's a bit of a 'me, too' to the Hunger Games trilogy but different enough that holds water.
Part VI: Citations
Veronica Roth. (n.d.) Wikipedia [webpage]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_Roth
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