Madeline Cheung

Divergent is a very speed-jarring novel, often labeled as a teenager’s favorite. It is known for focusing on the emotional, struggling part in every human being, and for being a book that’s impossible for readers to put down. It is often reread by teenagers, and was even made into a movie. Divergent is mainly known for showing depth in emotional and intense ways, and the different flaws and strengths of each virtue. The five factions that the city is split up into are Abnegation, Candor, Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite. Each faction focuses on one of the five virtues; selflessness, honesty, bravery, intelligence, and peace. Being selfless in Abnegation can lead to self-harm, from only caring about others and not putting yourself first. Being an honest Candor can lead to hurting others in situations where lying could turn out better. Bravery in Dauntless can lead to aggression, and often unreasonable conflicts with others. An Amity’s love for peace could lead to being naive and clumsy, and intelligence in Erudite can lead you to be manipulative and careless. The novel efficiently teaches young adults about these five important virtues, and which ones are more valuable in different situations. The main character, a young adult Beatrice Prior learns this as she is titled as Divergent instead of one of the five factions. Using her virtues from each part, she learns to overcome her challenges. Many questions remain until they are answered later in the book, which gives the reader anticipation. The storyline is strong and keeps moving forward, with very few unnecessary and dull parts. Every event builds up to the climax of the story. Unexpected events surprised plenty of reviewers and the different characters’ responses kept the reader interested throughout the entire story. Another unique aspect of this book is it’s amount of focus on the importance of friendship and community (or faction) with family. The main character is put in plenty of situations where she has to make choices between her family and her faction. Sometimes, she also has to make choices for herself instead of for her parents, such as choosing a different faction and a completely different way of living that’s better for her. The author uses plenty of character development to make the characters unforgettable and contribute to the novel. Many of the characters are interesting and have a detailed personality that the author inputs in order to keep the story rolling. Tris is curious and “selfish” at the beginning, but later on is brave, smart, and just misunderstood by her friends. Her tendency to not follow rules makes the story more compelling. Four is strong, clever, and fearless, but later turns out to have many fears to deal with. After different events happen, the different characters feel a need to change themselves in order to survive in their environment. Divergent is one of the most engrossing books to indulge yourself in. It teaches the importance of the five virtues, has one of the most consistent storylines, and the best character development to keep the story going. There’s a reason it’s one of the most recommended books for teenagers.