Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Staff Review by Peggy Errington:
Teen novel Divergent takes place in a dystopian future version of Chicago. Here children are born into one of five factions, each of which is dedicated to a certain attribute – and each is equally certain that its opposite is the root of the breakdown of civilization: Abnegation (service), Candor (truth), Dauntless (fearlessness), Amity (peacemaker) or Erudite (intellect). Each resident is administered an aptitude test at the age of 16 identifying the faction for which they are best suited. Many remain in the faction of their birth, some defect, and some show strengths in multiple aptitudes. These are the Divergent – by their very nature considered to be subversive and a threat to the new world order. Divergent is the story of Tris, born to Abnegation, Dauntless by choice, but secretly Divergent. She will face a grueling faction initiation and threats from within and without the Dauntless in confronting a conspiracy intended to obliterate one of the other factions.
This is the first book in a projected trilogy and readers hooked by the relentless pacing and suspense will eagerly anticipate the second installment. They may also be unable to resist speculating on their own factional allegiance and examining underlying questions of loyalty and identity. This is a new voice in teen fiction for fans of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games – highly recommended.
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