Divergent

By: Veronica Roth

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, 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 to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating 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 a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves.... or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series - dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.

©2011 Veronica Roth (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Though Galvin’s narration is concentrated on giving Tris the perfect voice, she never neglects the secondary characters. Poignant moments with Tris’s mother and Four, her leader and love, are subtly nuanced to let listeners hear the terror Tris often hides.... listeners will hold their breath waiting to see if she can survive the day." ( AudioFile)

Adult Addicted to Audible, YA and this book...

I've just recently joined Audible when I got my Kindle Fire---and I'm telling you I'm a complete addict... I love listening to books---really helps make my work day fly by.

I loved Emma Galvin's narration on this one--and thought her voice completely stepped this up. She did a great job with all the voices but best of all her really connects as Tris. I have listened to this many times now... and probably will go back again. And again.

I keep wavering on how many stars I should give this story though... I felt like it was well paced and I was completely invested in it... until the end.

** MAJOR SPOILER ALERT**

I am quite willing to suspend disbelief on a lot of things---like for instance I don't actually think believe this society could ever happen in the future... this is a world Veronica Roth created and I can respect that.

But I thought the "war" portion felt rushed... and a little contrived maybe?? I felt the sacrifice by Tris' mother could have been a little clearer----I mean, is there a reason why she couldn't have tried to escape with Tris? I think the intention was self sacrifice and bravery. That Tris's mother was actually Divergent---and maybe that's something we'll get into in the next book. But I just wish there was a little more clarity on her death.Also Tris shoots one of my favorite characters---killing him---and I felt like she had no remorse for that...and barely acknowledged it. Then they make it into Dauntless headquarters---and Four's father, who specifically came to help with the computers doesn't go with her in the elevator toward the computer lab? Really? He stays out front? And did she really have to lose both her parents in one day? I felt like there was a lot that could have been explored in Tris's relationship with her Dad---how he would have reacted to Tobias---and I also felt like it lessened the impact of her mom's death. But, I am sure there must be a reason.


But, overall---I really enjoy it. I keep recommending it to all my peeps who love YA. Why? Adventure, Stakes that keep getting higher, strong female character---and romance. I have read that some people felt like their relationship was a "hot for teacher" romance---I felt like it was more like "hot for camp counselor"---Four/Tobias is only two years older than her, and was only really showing the recruits how to do things during the initiation period. But, I can see where if I were a parent that might be something might not translate well. Especially since she's 16 and he's 18.

If you, like me, are an adult who digs dystopia's---I really think this one is worth a listen. I will probably listen to it again tomorrow.

Awesome!

I downloaded Divergent after a friend said it was as good as The Hunger Games (which I loved). I have to say, I like it better! Get it, you'll have a hard time turning it off.

Fantastic

This story is one of my favorites. I could not stop listening.Veronica Roth has created a captivating adventure laced with convincingly realistic characters. Beatrice, the character who's viewpoint this story is written from, is what I would consider the perfect portrayal of all the conflicting angles clashing and welding inside a young woman. The mental and physical frustrations Beatrice faces are nothing short of real.
The only downfall I could find to this story is that many of the gun references were actually inaccurate. As a firearms instructor and competitor who puts about 4,000 rounds down range per year, it was a mild irritation. However, I did not let it get in the way of my enjoyment of "Divergent". Emma Galvin narrates this book beautifully.

Excellent!

This is a well-written (young-adult) dystopian action-adventure that I feel is compelling for readers of all ages. Any "romantic" scenes between the main characters are sweet and age-appropriate (as far as the "target" audience). The narrator does a great job at the same time as she conveys the heart-racing scenes without a lot of extreme emotion..she is rather stoic but as you go through the story you realize that that is the girl's nature. The main characters are compelling and will win you over during the course of the story. I also like a story that leaves enough loose ends that it could certainly be continued as a saga or series but does not leave you with an extreme cliff-hanger, (while you wait How long? for the next installment) and that is the case with this adventure.

Mediocre light reading

I had high hopes for Divergent since so many people seem to have enjoyed it. In the end, however, I found that while it was fast-paced and entertaining, it was also predictable and the romance was saccharine.

There are a lot of good action scenes in here, and the plot moves along quickly and keeps the reader's attention. The world itself, however, lacks depth and comes across as contrived. Plot points are too heavily foreshadowed to come as any surprise and left me feeling impatient with the characters as they blundered through to realizations that were clear to the reader chapters ahead of time. The book was heavier on romance than I expected and the romance itself was cliched (and in some instances painfully hard to listen to).

Divergent was OK light entertainment. Just don't go into it expecting greatness.

Not hunger games

Not hunger games but not bad....
Wish it had a more realistic time frame, for this little mouse of a girl to become a real badass and heal from the beatings she took would have taken years

Editor should have cut this book's length - a lot

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This was not time well spent - even though I was multi-tasking. The book dragged out horribly - especially in scenes where the action should have been fast and cutting - the author moved at a snails pace. The editors should have addressed this.

If you’ve listened to books by Veronica Roth before, how does this one compare?

No, and I won't be buying or reading any more.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narrator was not my favorite female narrator (Kate Reading)- but I think she did a good job with what she had to work with.

Did Divergent inspire you to do anything?

I was inspired to complain vocally, something I reserve for only the worst books I make the mistake of buying.

Any additional comments?

It would be nice if there were a clear indicator (warning) that a book was for the teenage market.

Did not live up to the hype

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would only recommend it to a female friend in her teens.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The required choice of faction was most interesting.The major part of the book was slow moving with little excitement 'til the end, perhaps because it is a trilogy? There was not enough appeal for audiences of more mature ages; the focus was on the teen girl heroine. This book did not have enough character development and the secondary characters did not become "real" to me.

What does Emma Galvin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Hearing the first person narration by someone who seemed to fit the age of the heroine was great. I think Emma did a wonderful, convincing job.

Any additional comments?

This book should be more riveting to younger teen girl audiences. It was an easy listen but just not memorable enough for me.

Not Impressed

What disappointed you about Divergent?

The story was weak. I understood the basic premise, but I think the dystopian society created in this book was a little too far-fetched. The romance was lame. The suspense leading up to the reason "Four" was called "Four" was a big letdown. By the end of the book, I had no desire to read the next of the series.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Not sure...

What about Emma Galvin’s performance did you like?

Aside from my disapointment in the book, I thought Emma Galvin's performance was very good. She may be the reason I stuck with the story! She has a pleasing tone to her voice.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

My teenage self probably would have LOVED it. The adult me craved more substance.

Any additional comments?

It's not fair to compare this book to The Hunger Games because there is no comparison. The Hunger Games is in a whole other league.

Absolutely loved it!

Would you listen to Divergent again? Why?

Already have, and yes i'd listen to it a third time!

What other book might you compare Divergent to and why?

I cant think of any book that compares to it, maybe a teen sci-fi fantasy novel where the world is split into virtues

Which scene was your favorite?

I cant say or i'll ruin the story :)
Its the moment where she finds where she really should belong.