Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Publish Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 489
ISBN: 978-0-0620-2402-2
Series: Divergent #1
Source: Won from book store

Goodreads Synopsis:

Beatrice "Tris" Prior has reached the fateful age of sixteen, the stage at which teenagers in Veronica Roth's dystopian Chicago must select which of five factions to join for life. Each faction represents a virtue: Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. To the surprise of herself and her selfless Abnegation family, she chooses Dauntless, the path of courage. Her choice exposes her to the demanding, violent initiation rites of this group, but it also threatens to expose a personal secret that could place in mortal danger. Veronica Roth's young adult Divergent trilogy launches with a captivating adventure about love and loyalty playing out under most extreme circumstances.

My Review:

Veronica Roth's debut novel, Divergent was a phenomenal read! I don't know why I waited so long to read it. I loved it more than I thought I would, not that I didn't think I'd love it, I just wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did!
I knew from the first page that it was going to be something magical (and not magical in the Harry Potter magical way), it was magical in the sense that Veronica Roth creates a world unlike no other. A world in which we immerse ourselves in the original and realistic factions of Candor, Dauntless, Amity, Abnegation and Erudite. I haven't read a lot of dystopian books, but this one was fantastic, well-written and all in all, epic!
Tris, the main character, is probably one of the strongest female leads I've read in a while. Even with growing up in Abnegation, and being told to think and act a certain way, she was strong willed, didn't take anybody's crap and could dish out a solid right hook if she needed. I loved everything about Tris and what she stood for. Then there's Four, a mysterious and intriguing character. There seems to be so much we don't know about Four, but Tris (and me for that matter) still wanted to befriend him. There was something about Four that stood out, I don't think Roth tried to play up on Fours good looks or give him much sex appeal, I think he had it naturally.
The story is so unique and Veronica Roth's idea of her dystopian world is exciting! I could picture everything - the Abnegation with their grey clothes and everything in an orderly fashion, the Candors in their blue clothes, the dauntless and their "bad ass" looks - and the writing excels. Roth's way of writing seems effortless, as if she's been writing best sellers for years upon years, yet Divergent was the 22 year olds debut novel! There is not one negative thing I can say about Divergent.
It's an exciting and engaging ride with twists and turns and Divergent will have your mind racing as you flip the pages and continue the one choice you made - the choice to read Divergent!

Hard Cover Vs Paperback

We all love books, that's why we blog, and read other blogs, but in which format do you love your books the most? With there being paperback(trade paperback), mass-market paperback, hard cover, and even audio and ebook form, I'm curious to know what people like.

I like both paperback and hardcover, and looking through my bookshelf, it's obvious.

There are some books that I prefer one over the other. For example, I have most of Jodi Picoults books, and they are all paperback, except for House Rules which is hardcover. Honestly, I love reading Picoults book in their paperback format. They are small, and easy to handle and easy to read. And for whatever reason, I feel more at home and comfortable holding her books in paperback. But on the other hand, I love my hardcover Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. Yes, they are big, thick and heavy, but they fit so nicely in my hands, and I love the feel of them. I've held the paperbacks of these books, and they don't feel right. And other series, such as the House Of Night, I don't mind one over the other. (I have #1-4 in paperback, and #5-8 in hardcover).

I've got an audio book (Tell Me A Secret by Holly Cupala) on my ipod, and I've listened to the first few chapters while I'm on the bus, and I'm not really fond of this format. I find myself looking around, not really paying attention to the story and just forgetting that I'm listening to a book and not music. I would much rather be holding a book and reading it.

And now for the most debated format of all - ebooks. I don't have an e-reader and have no plans on buying one any time in the future. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of these, but I have no use for one. I enjoy holding the book, and I feel good knowing that I have a book in my purse or bag. I don't travel very often or very far, and therefore I can stick a book in my luggage and not worry about not having a back up book. Sure, I've tried my hand at winning a Kobo, or a Nook, because I am interested in seeing if I would like it or not. But for me, I'm not ready to make the purchase toward an e-reader.

What about my fellow book bloggers, or book readers, what do you prefer and why?