Divergent by Veronica Roth [Review]

Divergent (Divergent #1) by Veronica Roth
Format: paperback
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: July 25, 2016

Divergent
0.1. The Transfer
0.2. The Initiate
0.3. The Son
0.4. The Traitor
1. Divergent - Paperback | Kindle
1.5. Free Four
2. Insurgent
3. Allegiant

Veronica Roth
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Synopsis (Goodreads):

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.

Thoughts on Divergent: I'm just going to warn y'all that this review is going to be all over the place. There's a couple of reasons for this. The main one is I did something I rarely do and watched the movie first. I can neither confirm nor deny that Theo James might have been the main reason for that. Look, sometimes things happen in my head and suddenly I'm all about watching Theo James in various roles. This has no bearing on anything except I WOULD WATCH HIM AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT.

But this isn't about the movie. This is about the book. And I enjoyed the book. BUT... I do think watching the movie first made me look at the book differently. If I had booked first, it could have gone in another direction, but have you seen Theo James's jawline? It's a masterpiece. *le sigh* Four. I like that guy.

The point is that I liked the book. I did think it was written a little simplistically, but that could have been me going into it with high expectations. Tris's journey from a girl who knew she didn't fit in but didn't quite see how or why to a young woman who crossed into adulthood with a bang was fascinating. Her relationship with Four, her ability to make leaps of logic, her willingness to push on even when she didn't see a way out made her interesting to read about.

While Tris is interesting, Four is the one I'm dying to see more of. I want to get in his head and see what drove him to make some of the choices he made. Not necessarily the big moments, but the little ones. I like mysterious, brooding men and Four fits the bill.

Bottom line: I liked it. I know I'll read Four's short stories, but I'm a little hesitant on books 2 & 3 simply because of how the series ends. Well, maybe I'll read book 2 just so I can get more insight into Four and Tris. *squints at everyone* Fine. I'll probably read book 3, too. Eventually. But first, I think I'll go watch the movie again.