Review: "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

Title: Divergent
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre:  Science Fiction, Dystopian, YA
Publication Date: April 25, 2011
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books
Pages:  487

Rating:  1 out of 5

Amazon Book Blurb: 
  

One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior's society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions. Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she's determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.

Review:  Published in 2011, Divergent is Veronica Roth's first novel.  The first of a series by the same name, Divergent reflects the voracious appetite readers at the time had for post-apocalyptic literature.

The story is entirely from the viewpoint of sixteen year-old Tris who's forced to undertake a social sorting test that separates them into separate and distinct factions—not unlike the houses of Hogwarts—that dictate their members' roles in society.  These factions come complete with initiations and manifestos that emphasize their respective ideal virtues.  It's discovered during Tris's sorting test that she doesn't fit neatly into any one group.  In other word's, she's special.

I'd heard of this book when I came across it on Amazon but I was immediately snared by the potential the world setting offered.  An entire society formally divided into factions by their values?  I could just imagine the possibilities.  Unfortunately, I found that potential to be largely wasted.

I was quickly bothered by the facile nature of the world Veronica had built.  Perhaps I've been spoiled by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin, but I expect my fictional worlds to survive the most cursory of internal logic tests.  In this, Divergent fails.

The characters tended to be fairly shallow and predictable in the extreme.  Their goals rarely extended further than than the scene that contained them.  I found the dialogue to be similarly shallow and unrealistic.

The plot twists were predictable.  The writing was often as subtle as a Leslie Nielson movie.  Maybe I'm giving the young adult genre too much credit but the characters and plot were about as surprising as a form-fittingly wrapped Christmas present.

I'm genuinely surprised at the praise this book has received.  There wasn't anything exemplary about the book except for the setting's concept which turned out to be poorly developed despite its potential.  I'm fairly certain that the reason Divergent obtained such an impressive level of success can be narrowed down to its impeccable timing.  Publishers and readers alike were hungry for another Katniss Everdeen story.  Another story about a young women who had more handsome romantic prospects than she knew what to do with.

Now, don't get me wrong.  I try to support new authors.  I wish Veronica the best in her writing endeavors.  It could very well be that I'm not a fan of the simplistic style she uses, a style exemplified in her website's biography:

I’m Veronica. I write books for young adults. Specifically, I wrote the books Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, and Four: A Divergent Collection. 

I like things. Some of those things are (in no particular order): Harry Potter, rain, YA, books, puns, cute animals, tea, sitcoms, grammar, writing, Chicago, Doc Martens, trains, flat stretches of prairie land, cold weather months, and so on.

It's very possible I'm missing something that her fans are picking up on.  After all, her books are adored by millions.  They can't all be wrong.

Were you a fan?  Let me know why I'm wrong in the comments below!