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)

great book

It honestly was better then I thought it would be I enjoyed it and don't regret getting this book

okay book

writing a review because I have to write one to be able to get out

Favorite!!

Love this book!! It's the most amazing book iv3 ever read/ been read!

thank you

Love it!

I'm 39 and love this series. Second time I've listened to it! Intense, very creatively written, great narration!

Harry Potter meets hunger games

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

The plot is so similar to Harry Potter and Hunger Games that the book feels like you have already read it

Would you recommend Divergent to your friends? Why or why not?

no, because it lacks novel writing

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

yes

Did Divergent inspire you to do anything?

nope

Enjoyable

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed the story. The reader did a good job as well.This is a good book for anyone who likes a fast paced story, that takes place in a word different than ours. Any one who is a big Hunger Games fan would also really enjoy this book.

Dystiopian without Zombies or Apocalypse

The Divergent series (which I will sum up in this review instead of writing a separate one for each book) helped me decide that I do like Dystopian Fiction. (If Brandon's Steelheart didn't push me over the edge). The books follow the story of a girl named 'Tris' and her friend 'Four'.ion These are nicknames, of course, because in this society, you are tested at 16 via injected with a serum that puts you in a trance induced simulation and you are offered scenarios. How you react will eliminate certain factions from your choices The factions are Abnegation (Selfless), Erudite (Intellect), Dauntless (brave), Amity (Peaceful), Candor (Honesty). I found it odd that 4 of the 5 are virtues.

But low and behold, sometimes the tests are inconclusive. The testee makes choices that don't narrow down your faction choices. These people are known as Divergent, and since we are in a dystopian world, that must mean that Divergent people must be hunted and killed, and why? Well It's a secret.. If you're lucky, the person who tests you knows the Divergent secret hand shake and will help hide your results.

While the story was good enough to make me chug through all 3 books in 2 weeks, the writing style did not lead to a good translation of Audiobooks. It was told in first person... First person that hits you like a Mack Truck Her's an example

"I walked down the hall. I saw Four. I told Four hello. He said "Hello Tris". We walked down the hall together. We saw a computer. Four went to hack into it. While I waited, I watched him. He is hansom'.

You get the picture. The third book, which is told from both Tris and Four's perspective, helps with the problem, but it's the major flaw in the series. This didn't chafe me as bad as the "He said She said" problem that some books have, but it did become distracting to me. Luckily, Emma Galvin did a great job with the narration.

The pacing of the series is rather nice, and by the time I got to the parts that started explaining what was really going on, it was predictable, but I honestly didn't mind.

The characters stay true to their natures throughout the series, and for me, that's important. They are all young, and they all mature through the books, but I never felt like any of them did things against their nature

So, I'll rank this one high in the dystopian fantasy genre, and if your looking for a dystopian series that does not include Zombie Outbreaks or apocalyptic events, then this will satisfy you

Book is better than the movie

Although I enjoyed the movie very much, the book was fuller, richer, and showed the complexity of this world in greater detail.

Great story, great narrator

I could not stop listening en will go to the next one, Insurgent.
I have already looked for books from the same narrator. She has a very nice voice.

Awesome

Divergent is an amazing book. Performed by a great voice actress. The story has incredible pacing. Couldn't stop listening. Literally finished this in a day and am excited for the next week books!