DIVERGENT - VERONICA ROTH

Long time no book review; I'm sorry about that. I've been trying to juggle working and finishing books which is difficult when you get home and just want to do nothing haha. I did eventually finish divergent though and wow what a brilliant book! 

One choice decides your friends, defines your beliefs and determines your loyalties...forever. 

Divergent is a dystopian story set in the future of Chicago where society is divided into five factions all with one, different, specific trait - Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the brave) and Amity (the peaceful). Every year on a set date, al the sixteen-year-olds must take an aptitude test to steer them in a certain direction of choosing which faction to spend the rest of their lives in. For Beatrice, the choice is between two; she can stay with her born-to faction or leave her family and all she has known and go to the faction she really belongs to. Her choice surprises everyone including herself.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it's definitely a real page-turner, I found myself unable to put the book down all the way through (I did manage however, sleep did end up taking priority).The characters were so believable and we really got a sense of who each individual was and why they belonged with their chosen faction.

One thing I didn't like though was the ending. Without giving away any spoilers, the most enjoyable parts for me really focused on the characteristics of each faction, their members and the initiation process showing the rules, ranks etc etc. And most of the book does follow that route. 

However, towards the end the book suddenly takes on a new direction and focuses on uprisings, military style wars and politics surrounding the factions. It almost felt like just as we were getting to know each faction, the book pulled them all apart, and far to soon in my opinion. I think this sort of thing would have best suited to the end of the series, rather than the end of the first book. I do still this this is a brilliant read and would highly recommend this book.

The ending aside, I found myself left with a real interesting question and discussion point: If you had to chose only one faction to live in for the rest of your life, which faction would you choose? 

Abnegation - the faction that values selflessness. 

Candor - the faction that values honesty.

Erudite - the faction who lives in pursuit of knowledge.

Dauntless - the faction who tests their bravery by attempting death defying tasks.

Amity - the faction who values peace.

or

The Factionless - the group of people who failed their initiation process and now live in poverty doing the jobs no one else wants to do. 

Which faction would you choose?