Divergent

By: Veronica Roth

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, 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 to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating 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 a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves.... or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series - dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

©2011 Veronica Roth (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Though Galvin’s narration is concentrated on giving Tris the perfect voice, she never neglects the secondary characters. Poignant moments with Tris’s mother and Four, her leader and love, are subtly nuanced to let listeners hear the terror Tris often hides.... listeners will hold their breath waiting to see if she can survive the day." ( AudioFile)

So good!!

I love this book and was very excited to listen to it! The reader did a good job, although I would have liked to hear more difference between the characters voices. There were times I wasn’t sure which character was speaking because it sounded the same. Other than that, it was a wonderful auditory experience. Can’t wait to start book two!!

Performed like a movie

Emma Galvin performed the dialogue just as it was written, with the same sounds and tones the author intended. I enjoyed the book a lot.

Divergent is amazing

It has a wonderful plot. The beginning is kind of like the giver. I would suggest not letting anyone under the age of 10 read this book. If he or she is not allowed to read the hunger games then they should not read divergent ether. But other wise it is an amazing book I have read it 17 times!

first audio

Would you listen to Divergent again? Why?

heck yes, and I don't usually reread anything ever, it sucked me in and left me wanting to go through it again and again

What did you like best about this story?

it captivated me the author did an amazing job making the characters not only real but like I actually knew them

Have you listened to any of Emma Galvin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no I have not, though I hope to in the future as in I hope the next book is as captivating as the first

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

ye I laughed and cried and enjoyed every moment of it

Really good dystopian fantasy

SO much better than Hunger Games. The main character is likable, surprising, and assertive without being either boring vanilla or overtly aggressive. It is a teenage girl's struggle with weighing social expectations against noble self-sacrifice and service to others. There are curve balls in the plot to keep things interesting and a little realistic romance that is strung along throughout. Roth's novel reveals love beginning with building trust and understanding. A worthwhile and interesting read.

Futuristic Study in Human Behavior

What made the experience of listening to Divergent the most enjoyable?

I really enjoyed Divergent, though if you are looking for another Hunger Games, this falls a bit short. My main complaint is with the narrator. She is very flat, monotone; all her characters sound like 12 year old boys. I eventually got used to her, but that is not saying much. I applaud the author for her study in social structure and the development of the plot lines. The story kept me interested and I was excited to move on to the second book in the series.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was much too slow and flat for the excitement and pace of the story and characters.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book was a little long for one sitting, though it could have kept my interest.

Pleasantly Surprised!

I had never heard of this one before and took a chance and got it- I am glad I did! Great story- cannot wait to get the 2nd one and find out what happens next!

Meech13

Loved it. The Narrator was flawless. I was pulled in and felt like I was traveling along in the story through the experience and the emotions.

A soft core smut novel with guns.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I probably wouldn't recommend this to a friend. Being a fan of the movie, I thought the book would be equally good...well, yes and no. The plot is more or less the same, minus a few differences. The writing though...ugh, such contradiction. The main protagonist, Tris, was constantly contradicting herself to the point it was annoying. One passage she would say she was brave, then that she was a coward, then that she was no faction, then she was dauntless, then she was divergent, then she was factionless. She would say she's brave, and the next minute she'd be crying that someone died, then she'd be making out with Four...ugh. Tris had all the potential to be a strong protagonist and it felt like the author would constantly undermine her character arc to the point that I actually cared little for her when the novel was over.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something less romantic. Definitely not another 'Divergent' series book.

What about Emma Galvin’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed Emma's performance. She seemed to have a good range of voices, however some of the male voices got a little confusing with the same tone. To her credit though, I'm sure it's difficult to be a female doing different male voices.

Was Divergent worth the listening time?

Yes and No. Yes, at first. The plot advanced well and I wanted to hear how Tris would overcome the odds and what was different from the movie. Though, as the plot ensued, I found that little things annoying me was starting to outweigh my joy of the book. Tris constanly describing every feeling, specifically when she was fighting the other students in the pit...yes, you're getting kicked in the ribs, we get it. It became clear that the author had not experienced many of these 'fascinating' feelings of pain Tris was describing, none of which should have been described in the fascinating detail they were. Also, once Four was introduced, it felt like I was listening to a teenage smut novel. The first half of the book read well, the second half on the other hand...let's just say, I didn't mind when the book finally ended.

Any additional comments?

This plot had a lot of potential, the protagonist had a lot of potential to be a real awesome heroine. Half way into the book it seemed the author shifted her focus and I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

a good story definitely worth time listened to.

I liked it and will listen to the next in the series. but probably will not listen to it twice like I do my favorites.