[Review] Divergent AND Insurgent; Veronica Roth

 

Release Date: February 28th 2012, May 1st 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Format: eboook

Summary from 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.

What I thought: 
I adored these books. In fact, I finished Divergent and immediately began Insurgent, which I read in about three hours. The pacing is very good; no parts of these books felt like they were dragging on, or were too rushed, although it was fast paced at times. I wasn’t exactly surprised by the relationship that arose in the books, but oh my god I was so happy to squeak by without a damn love triangle. (Please let there not be a love triangle in the third one.) 

I was quite a bit surprised by some twists with Tris’ family, although I’m trying to avoid spoilers here. Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting a couple revelations. I’m pretty sure my favorite part about this series, though, was that I truly felt like the different factions could exist? Like, I have a hard time imagining some dystopias actually coming to fruition, but for some reason I buy into this one. I can see the brave, the peaceful, the intelligent, etc., seeking each other out and forming their own groups apart from the others. I’m not sure why that is, but I can almost imagine it. 

Overall, I was a huge fan of both books, and I am eagerly awaiting the final installment. 

Read this if: you are a fan of dystopian novels, if you prefer when there isn’t a love triangle in your dystopia, if you are distrusting of people who claim to have a unifying dominant trait. 

Out of 5: I give both books a solid 4.5/5

This is book 1&2/120 for 2013