Divergent
Addictive
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Divergent

Veronica Roth2012
Paperback features over fifty pages of bonus materials, including a sneak peek of Insurgent, an author Q&A, a discussion guide, a Divergent playlist, faction manifestos, and more! 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. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her. Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first in a trilogy of dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
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Reviews

Photo of Andrada Nane
Andrada Nane@addaoff
1.5 stars
Feb 24, 2025

Spoiler Ahead ⚠️

More than disappointment.

I've seen all the movies many times, but I've never read the books. As they say, the book is better than the movie, but in this case it's the other way around. Many scenes didn't make sense, the descriptions didn't help me understand anything and luckily with the movie I was able to understand certain locations or tests.

Her friends are horrible, I don't understand why she forgives them when they do nothing but be jealous of her when she excels at something and they are only friends again when she fails a test or gets beaten up by someone.

The interaction between her and Four was very cringeworthy (and again, the explanations of the scenes didn't make sense, he was standing by the wall, suddenly he was in the center of the room with his hand on her) and from the fact that they barely spoke for almost the entire book and kissed twice, suddenly they love each other. He admits to her that she's not pretty, which would increase my anxiety in reality, but not in the book, he's just corky.

It was a real struggle to get through this book and again, the movie explained all the factions well, but in the book I had to look up a lot of it on the internet.

I don't know if I'll be able to finish the whole series, but the first book is a big disappointment.

+3
Photo of Karin
Karin@karin7
3.5 stars
Feb 5, 2025

Beatrice (Tris) Prior is born and raised in a dystopian Chicago, the daughter of parents in the Abnegation factor. The year she and her brother, Irish twins, are 16 they take a simulation test to determine which of the factions--Abnegation, Candor, Eruduite, Amity or Dauntless. She is shocked to be quietly told that she is Divergent, and tested for three of the factions. Sent home early on the ruse that she didn't feel well, she has to not only decide which faction to choose (all teens choose, regardless of test results) but also to hide who she is. The next day her brother surprises her by choosing Erudite, and despite being torn, she chooses the rather predictable (there has to be the story!) choice of Dauntless.

During her initiation time with Dauntless she not only learns some surprising things about herself, she discovers that all is not what it should be either with Dauntless or with the faction system. I thought this not that much like Hunger Games, although there is the dystopian future and a system that it not working as it's supposed to. While it was somewhat predictable, it kept me up longer than I should, I empathized with Beatrice, and it left me wanting to read the sequel.

+1
Photo of Amelie
Amelie@ameliec
3.5 stars
Jan 30, 2025

I loveee tris and four(tobias) their so cute

The books are alot better and easier to follow than the movies also they have a more background info which is good

This book got me giggling to myself in my room on my own 😭

This review contains a spoiler
+1
Photo of **✿❀ Gray ❀✿**
**✿❀ Gray ❀✿**@cupid_cutie
5 stars
Oct 21, 2024

Good book. That's all there is too it. Good book

Photo of ★
@xnsxscx
5 stars
Oct 2, 2024

es buenísimo the chockehold this book had on me when i was younger

+5
Photo of Camron Swartzendruber
Camron Swartzendruber@cam_ra
4.5 stars
Aug 18, 2024

This book was so good! The writing was extremely detailed and immersive. I felt like it had the perfect amount of tension, romance, and back story to keep me invested and wanting more. I enjoyed!

+3
Photo of Alexandra S
Alexandra S@alexsk9
4 stars
Jul 12, 2024

I received this book as a gift from a friend, I was expecting a Hunger Games rip-off, it wasn't that bad at all, I had a pretty great time with it. Sometime in the distant future, Chicago is divided into 5 factions : Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Of course, there are also people who aren't part of any of those factions, but they're not important in this book, so, moving on... Each faction has its role : abnegation - politics/leaders, amity - keep the peace/ agriculture, candor - law, dauntless - protectors, erudite - scientists. At 16, everyone takes a test and they get sorted into one faction based on their results, but, if they are inconclusive, you get to pick between them and get to be called "divergent", hence the title. Beatrice Prior is the protagonist. She was born into the abnegation faction, but, after finding out she's divergent, she chooses to separate herself from her family and from the abnegation faction's lifestyle and goes with the dauntless faction. The book follows her initiation, introduces key - characters of the tetralogy and it's mainly action-driven, but it still has some romantic plot points.

Photo of jen
jen@seastruck
4.5 stars
May 21, 2024

dystopia i LOVE YOU!! plot was so good, four i love you, tris’ mum i love you, literally couldnt put it down.

Photo of Monicap
Monicap@insult_the_glory
4 stars
Apr 29, 2024

Divergent NEW REVIEW (under my grading system) Plot: 4.5/5 Honestly, the plot is the STRONGEST part of this book. The first half of this book is the worst, though. This is the third time I’ve read this book, and I have become a more critical reader since I last read it, and I really didn’t enjoy the first half of this very much. It felt very clique-y, and though there was this mystery and conspiracy building, I honestly didn’t like the first half very much. (I also didn’t like Tris for the first half of this book. I’ll talk about that more in the characters section of this review). The second half was better. It was like, the accumulation of all the conspiracy. The clique-y stuff was left in the dirt. There were, like, explosions happening left and right and everything was moving very fast and it was all ACTION. Action is good; Veronica Roth can write action; she should stick to action. **I use the word ‘half’ loosely. It’s more like the first two-thirds to the last third Characters: 4/5 Tris: I really did not like her in the first half of this book. Partly (probably) because before reading it this time around, I was talking with a friend comparing this to the Hunger Games and my friend said something, and I realized it was true as I read this: Tris is not human. At least not for the first half of this book. And maybe not even that much in the second half. There is a reason I started liking this book a LOT more in the second half. It is… Four: Or, more accurately, Tobias. I started really liking this book when we started calling Four Tobias. This is because I have a natural, irrational inclination to simply LIKE characters called Tobias better than other characters. (this is holdover from the Animorphs series). I also… once we went through his fear landscape… just… oh, the feels. Those were some well-done feels. Christina: I actually like Christina a LOT in this book. I have a friend named Christina who is pretty much the exact same as this Christina, personality-wise. Al: I love Al. I love him. He put me to tears when I first read this book. As a reread, knowing what would happen to him now, pretty much every time his name was said once we started nearing his character’s climax, I sobbed. And then, when it happened, I wept. I don’t often weep. I say I weep a lot, but I actually don’t often weep. Will: Will is that character who I really like, but I don’t remember that I like him unless I’m actually reading the book. Peter: Peter was an all right villain, for the clique-y part of the novel. Eric: Eric was… I don’t know. He seemed somewhat creepy, and I was told by Tris that he was downright sadistic, but I didn’t really see it. Jeanine: Now, here’s the true villain. The one who oversees the whole evil operation, who we don’t meet until the very end. The romance: 3/5 I like Tobias. I do. He’s probably my favorite character. But I just, I don’t know what he sees in Tris. And the romance… really seemed to come out of nowhere. And, it was mostly them making out. (view spoiler)[While we’re on the subject, I didn’t know what he saw in her when they STARTED their relationship. But at the end, where he was running the simulation and she was fighting him and decided to let him kill her over her killing him… this was where Tris became a character who I like and appreciate. (she became human to me when she did that in her simulation to get into Dauntless) Overall grade: 11.5/15 That’s somewhere around a high C or a low B. I don’t know, and don’t ask me to know. Despite that relatively low grade, this was still an fun, quick, action-y read and I do recommend that people read it, because I do like it. And I think that the series improved with Insurgent. Divergent OLD REVIEW ***ALERT. THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SOME SLIGHT SPOILERS*** Awesome story. This book was especially satisfying because it ended a long streak of really stinking good books for me (Wither, Fever, Delirium, Pandemonium, Divergent) Tris is an amazingly strong character, and the world is incredibly complicated and dynamic. The plot consists of petty school-yard type arguments, (She's the best in 'class' and some other ppl don't like that, a boy likes her that she doesn't like back, etc.) and some BIG problems (war,killing, etc.) There are moral quandary's with which she much deal, and also, she must literally FACE her greatest fears, in simulations, then in real life. Awesome plot and premise, and I absolutely fell in LOVE with the characters. Especially Tobias. While reading this book, it brought back some fond memories of another Tobias from my childhood. He was a red-tailed hawk, from the Animorphs, which I am now rereading. But I'm getting off-topic. The point is, this is a REALLY GOOD book. (hide spoiler)]

Photo of rei
rei@temporarei
4 stars
Apr 29, 2024

i wish i was brave when i'm sixteen too.

Photo of roro :)
roro :)@randombooktalker
4 stars
Apr 25, 2024

i quite liked it but it had a lot of words

Photo of Luke Harkness
Luke Harkness@lukesblog1
4 stars
Apr 4, 2024

Actually one of my favourite YAs I'm not a fan of YA stories usually because they sacrifice the element of a good story to slide in a cringey love story. However Veronica Roth has managed to balance a really great story with a genuinely intriguing love story. The actual premise and world is different enough to those other big dystopian novels that I'm a huge fan!

Photo of Sarah Sammis
Sarah Sammis@pussreboots
3 stars
Apr 4, 2024

http://pussreboots.pair.com/blog/2014...

Photo of cee
cee@duartejude
3 stars
Apr 2, 2024

literally the first ACTUAL book i’ve ever owned and read. the only reason i bought it is because i saw my dad watching the film and i was like, “huh... i hate that. let me buy the book.”

Photo of Q
Q@qontfnns
4 stars
Mar 13, 2024

Just finished it in one seat at the book store, hyuh *lap keringet*. Suka idenya, diplot dengan baik, tapi divergent ini lebih terasa seperti prekuel bagi saya -and a hell long one-. Ga nyangka ini cuma terjadi selama inisiasi. Konflik antara erudite dan abnegation terdengar lebih intens dan klimaks, so i'm looking forward the second book. I hope it has more Caleb in it *gigit bibir*. Tentang faksi sendiri -edisi ramadhan- saya jadi bersyukur kita punya otak yang kayak gini, ga parsial, dan bisa dipakai untuk analisis masalah dari segala segi. I can relate to Caleb because i feel like i'm more of an erudite myself. Tapi ga sepenuhnya, karena, ya itu, saya ga bisa mengesampingkan sisi-sisi manusia saya yang diwakili oleh faksi lain, even hypothetically. Menurut saya, manusia itu kurang lebih adalah divergent -makanya, alhamdulillah-. Buku ini cukup bisa menggambarkan distopisnya masyarakat yang hidup dengan mengabaikan bahkan satu saja potensi manusia atau kemanusiaan. Walaupun tiap pekerjaan ditugaskan untuk orang yang memiliki potensi yang paling tepat, human is not one dimensional. Like, i don't have a favorite color, but i have a favorite palette. Dan benar saja, si heroine muncul ketika sang tokoh memiliki campuran potensi dan menjadi divergent, menjadi manusia. Menurut saya buku ini punya sisi reflektif seperti itu. Semoga Uriah juga lebih banyak muncul di buku selanjutnya, haha *swoon*

Photo of chloe rae
chloe rae@heychloerae
5 stars
Feb 14, 2024

OHMYGOD. ohmygod. Oh, my God. YOU GUYS. This book is absolutely AMAZING. I just, can't think of enough good things to say about it. And I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT EITHER. I finished it last night before I went to bed and I freaking DREAMED about it. (Sorry for all the caps. I'm just super duper excited.) I had such high expectations for this novel and in the end, it lived up to all of them. This book just took over my life for the past three or four days. I loved it sooo much. OK, lets get down to business. First lets talk about Tris/Beatrice. For some reason, I found it hard to really picture her in my head. It took a little bit longer than usual for me to get my brain wrapped around her character. I don't know why, but I think it was mostly just because she had such a different voice than I was used to. Did anyone else feel that way? She had a different way of thinking and in the end, I loved that about her. Once I finally understood her, I LOVED her. She's so strong and un-afraid, but at the same time completely alright with BEING afraid. I loved watching her evolve in the book, and change and become stronger and learn more about herself. All in all, I thought she was a great lead character. Next, lets discuss Four, the love interest. I LOVED HIM. If you read any of my reviews, ever, then you probably know that I always fall a bit in love with the love interest as well (no shame). And that happened with Four. I just loved him. I loved his refusal to give in when it came to the bad stuff, and the fact that he wasn't afraid to admit he had his demons too. He was both equally strong and sweet and the mixture was basically perfect. Lastly, all the supporting characters were awesome. Christina, Will, Caleb (who I especially liked. I just loved his character and their brother/sister relationship). So honestly, if you haven't read this book, you really should. To quote Nike, JUST DO IT. It'll have you laughing and hanging on in suspense and falling in love and slapping your hand over your mouth in awe. A few times I was literally NERVOUS reading and I loved that feeling. Definitely adding this to my list of Top Ten Best Books Ever. Actually, I really should find that list...

Photo of Annika Arguemore
Annika Arguemore@arguemore
5 stars
Jan 14, 2024

The Hunger Games + The Giver with a tinge of romance. I love that it balances both romance and adventure. I couldn't stop squealing. it leaves me wanting more.

Photo of Anna
Anna@annalouise
5 stars
Jan 8, 2024

Really good! *I plan to review this properly in the future

Photo of Ace
Ace@ac3_ca7d
3 stars
Dec 10, 2023

Not the best, not the worst. I don’t know what else to say about it to be honest. The films made Four seem less caring to me than how he is in the book but I’m putting that down to the fact I saw the film first. But glad I’ve finished a book on my tbr since 2019

Photo of Joy KBA
Joy KBA@joy_reads
2.5 stars
Dec 8, 2023

2,5 stars - idk if it’s the audiobook voice or if it was Tris. She’s kinda sorta really bland. I’m afraid the movie takes the cake on this one. Anyway, I loved seeing Uriah and Four will forever be husbae <3

Photo of Naiya
Naiya@naiya
4 stars
Dec 7, 2023

4.5 ⭐️

Photo of Hannah Yang
Hannah Yang@hannahyang
4 stars
Sep 18, 2023

Are you human, Tris? When I first read Divergent, I had fairly low expectations. So I loooved it. However, I usually reread the books I like. The ones that are really good, I end up liking them even more. Divergent either stayed the same or just got boring. Are you human, Hannah? You just said Divergent got boring. Tris is amazing. Peter, Christina, Will, Four.. they were all amazing. With well developed characters, and an exciting, fantastic plot, how could I possibly not sprinkle stars all over Divergent? They got old. Fast. Great books survive and deserve the hype. I can reread them over and over again and still feel the same way I did when I first read them. After the first time I read Divergent, it was more like It's a good book, but honestly I don't think it was as great as it's hyped up to be. There isn't anything that completely drew me in. Although the plot was fresh and unique, and the writing had no technical flaws, I feel like Divergent's just not as divergent from the classic dystopian novel than I would have hoped.

Photo of Sky Katz
Sky Katz@skykatz1512
5 stars
Aug 28, 2023

Divergent was an amazing book

I absolutely love it

+7
Photo of becky oh
becky oh@olivepages
4 stars
Aug 18, 2023

“𝙒𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮, 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧.” This book is really for serious 'Hunger Game' series fans. And I have to say, I think this is way better than Hunger Games. The fantasy/sci-fi is totally in its own world, and that just made me read deeper into this book. The romance is even better (than Hunger Games) and more dangerous. Set in a world full of a death and lies, I can't agree more than anything that 'Divergent' is an amazing story. If I compare the Hunger Games and this book, I would probably say that the Hunger Games are more of fantasy type. The romance isn't a big deal, but in Divergent, it's sci-fi, and the romance is way better. Thinking about the genres I read, Divergent is more of my type (because it has more romance. I know, such a sappy reader) But I think I would not read the next book, because SOMEONE (the internet) spoiled the entire series for me, that I cannot go more. Nope, I'm stopping here but I think in the whole series, this is the best book. (view spoiler)[ THIS SPOILER HAS THE ENTIRE SERIES SPOILER SO PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE WHOLE SERIES! I can't take dying characters, because I blow up a whole tissue box for them, and I really truly hate the author (and the internet) that she made Tris die. And Tobias gets so sad, and that makes ME sad which I hate. Plus, HOW CAN TRIS'S FRIEND FALL IN LOVE WITH TOBIAS WHEN TRIS DIED! I might thank the internet for the warning, because if it didn't give me the whole series spoilers, my heart would've stopped. (hide spoiler)]

Highlights

Photo of Tuleen Joudeh
Tuleen Joudeh@tuleenjo

Suddenly he presses ahand to nmy stomach. His finger are so long that, though the heel of his hand touches on side of my rib cage, his fingertips still touch the ou side. My heart pounds so hard my chest hurts, and I stare at him, wide-eyed. "Never forget to keep tension here.

OMGGGG

Photo of Tuleen Joudeh
Tuleen Joudeh@tuleenjo

"It must be because youre so approachable,"

-tris

Photo of Tuleen Joudeh
Tuleen Joudeh@tuleenjo

"He" is the young man attached to the hand I grabbed. He has a spare upper lip and a full lower lip. His eyes are s0 deep-set that his eyelashes touch the skin under his eyebrows, and they are dark blue, a dreaming, sleeping, waiting color.

FOURR

Photo of Tuleen Joudeh
Tuleen Joudeh@tuleenjo

"Stiff" is slang for Abnegation

Ohhhh

Photo of Tuleen Joudeh
Tuleen Joudeh@tuleenjo

Our faction allows me to stand in front of it on the second day of every third month, the day my mother cuts my hair.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

"Maybe you're not quite as dauntless as you thought you were."

"You're right. I'm not. I'm Divergent."

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

I can't shoot him, I can't shoot him, I can't. He is in there somewhere.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

"You won't shoot me."

I shift the gun three inches to the left and fire at his arm.

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

"I don't want to do that. I want to be brave, and selfless, and smart, and kind, and honest. I continually struggle with kindness"

Photo of raia – inactive
raia – inactive@raieuh

"Since you're here, you might as well go in with me."

"Into your fear landscape?"

"Yes.

"You would let me see that?"

"Why else do you think I'm going in? There are some things I want to show you."

Photo of michelle
michelle@mimitien

"Valuing knowledge above all else results in a Lust for power, and that leads men into dark and empty places."

Photo of michelle
michelle@mimitien

gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor.

Page 40
Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“Why didn't you shoot me, Tris?"

"I couldn't do that," I say. "It would have been like shooting myself."

Page 486

-Four & Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“There is power in self-sacrifice.”

Page 476

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

"People tend to overestimate my character," I say quietly. "They think that because I'm small, or a girl, or a Stiff, I can't possibly be cruel. But they're wrong."

Page 463

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

"Sometimes I just want to see it again, want to see you awake.”

Page 314

-four

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

"Can't pay respect when you don't have any.”

Page 309

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“Somewhere inside me is a merciful, forgiving person. Somewhere there is a girl who tries to understand what people are going through, who accepts that people do evil things and that desperation leads them to darker places than they ever imagined.”

Page 300

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

"He hurt you because your strength made him feel weak. No other reason."

Page 285

-Four

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

"They don't want people to listen, they want people people to agree," I reply. "And you shouldn't bully people into agreeing with you."

Page 245

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.

Page 206

-Will

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“The best way to help someone is just to be near them.”

Page 191

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

What good is a prepared body if you have a scattered mind?”

Page 139

-Tris

Photo of Kaitlyn Kuehn
Kaitlyn Kuehn @kaitlynkuehn03

“Human reason can excuse any evil; that is why it's so important that we don't rely on it.”

Page 102

-Tris