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)

Good for sci fi fans

What did you love best about Divergent?

Interesting characters, imaginative events

What other book might you compare Divergent to and why?

Hunger Games- the same idea of children too young being placed in a position to make decisions that they are not ready for

Which character – as performed by Emma Galvin – was your favorite?

Tris

I Love this.

I know it sounds stupid but I love this bool and the Ms. Galvin preformed it very well and reminded me much of Tris. Thank you so much. 😁

Don't think to hard and you can enjoy this

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

I would not recommend this book to a friend. The narrative bothered me. Some of the language was beautiful, but Tris explored and contemplated EVERYTHING. The naiveté of her character was so above and beyond the average teenagers I can see why the antagonists were frustrated seeing her succeed.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Thinking about the different “factions” or human virtues (brave, selfless, kind, intelligence, honesty) portrayed in the book. Special “Divergent”, multi-virtuous Tris, is not very quick on the uptake of anything. While I patiently waited through narratives of Tris trying figure out what she was looking at or what was happening to her, my mind would drift and wait for her light bulb to turn on. It allowed me to think about this faction-governed world. I like the very kid friendly outline of common issues that incite war, murder, and manipulation tactics used by leaders to control the governed. I like Roth’s exploration of kill or be killed verses pacifist ideals, but I thought she had an axe to grind when she painted the pursuit of knowledge as selfish and goal oriented.

Which scene was your favorite?

Where her friend Christina hold's on for dear life while dangling over a cavern.

Was Divergent worth the listening time?

Sure, but I don't plan on reading the follow on books.

Any additional comments?

The ending, it’s a little gross and it made me wonder if I would behave in such a way during my grieving process.

Amazing story!

The narrator captures and projects the emotions of the characters perfectly. Love the story for its in depth detail and its plot twists. I’d recommend the book for anyone over 13, as it does have suggestive romance nothing higher then pg.

This really is a Young Adult book

Would you try another book from Veronica Roth and/or Emma Galvin?

Don't think I will use my credits to get the next in the series despite wondering where the story will go.

Has Divergent turned you off from other books in this genre?

No. Loved "Hunger Games", "Harry Potter", and many others my kids introduced me to.

How could the performance have been better?

Sometimes difficult to tell if lead character is talking out loud or in her head.

Was Divergent worth the listening time?

Definitely made the time pass more quickly as I paint my house.

Any additional comments?

Bought this book having seen the movie trailer, despite trailer seeming VERY similar to "Hunger Games". I just thought it would be fun to read before seeing the movie. 'Might' still go and see the movie...

Loved the movie and the book.

I quite liked this book. I bought this after seeing the movie and I thought they went together just fine. Like any movie though, the book offers a lot more content and, just simply details that are not present or at least not so obvious in the film.

Fast paced, a page turner!

What did you love best about Divergent?

Tris is a strong, smart, fearless character who tends to act first, think about it later. Four is exciting and a perfect match for Tris.

What did you like best about this story?

Fast paced action, characters you care about

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

Insurgent. She does a great job

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

Yes! The pacing makes you hungry for more

Love it

I really love this book, it’s good for middle through high school. I rated it like this because there’s nothing wrong with it. It kinda reminds me of hunger games.

Highly Entertaining

Great book. If you liked Hunger Games, you will LOVE Divergent. It is not the same story by any sense, however, it does deal with a teenage girl in some sort of post apocalyptic american society. Not only is the main character learning about herself it makes you think more about your life and how you deal with your own fears and uncomfortable situations. I like books that make you think further than the story.Even though I am in my 30s, I loved and could identify with this book. Well done Ms. Roth.

Pretty Good

What did you love best about Divergent?

The actual storyline in Divergent is very creative, and worth the read. Roth introduces you to a future world in which at the age of 16, children must choose their place in the world based off of their values. These places, or factions as they're called, consist of Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Amity, and Candor. However, some people do not fit in just one category. These people are known as Divergents, and must be eliminated from the system in order for the structure which holds their society together to remain intact. Our main character, Tris, must learn to fit in with the faction she chooses even though she never quite feels that she truly belongs while trying to figure out how to stop another faction from overthrowing the government.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was my main problem with the story. It was difficult to remain in touch with the story with Galvin's reading of it for the majority of the time. During the beginning, I found her pronunciation and elongation of words to be both annoying and distracting. However as the book went on, I noticed it less and less. Some parts, such as when two characters are conversing are quite well done, especially towards the end. Overall, the narration was decent even if a bit distracting at the beginning.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I wasn't particularly moved by anything specific in this book other than the overall idea of having to choose a place in the world at such a young age. It seems like something very realistic that many young readers can relate to. I do quite enjoy the way that Roth fleshes out her background characters, but think that it's still lacking in that something that makes a book truly great. However, I would definitely recommend this book to young readers out there.