Divergent

 We do know something about dystopian government. But what if the government who controls you is all selfless and works for the good of everyone involved..?? This is what happens in Veronica Roth’s ‘Divergent’. Where you know exactly what to expect from people, where every emotion, every norm, every action is defined, or is it?
Beatrice Prior of Abnegation never feels like she belongs. And her aptitude test before the choosing day proves this. But is she brave enough to leave behind everything she has known, because even thinking so means going against everything she has been taught. The city has been divided in five factions, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, Candor and Erudite. These factions are exactly as their names suggest. Where the abnegation are selfless and form the government, the Dauntless are fearless, and provide protection, the Amity are happy go lucky, the Candor believe in truth, and the Erudite who provide technology for these factions. There are also the factionless, who do not belong anywhere, and then there are the Divergent, and being Divergent is dangerous. And though everything is defined, something is not right. Something is changing.
It’s hard to believe that a society can be divided so rigidly. But it’s also interesting to see how it will function if so divided. The characters are likeable, if somewhat extreme sometimes. (But I am sure you won’t mind that by the end of the series.) The book is fast paced, and thankfully you don’t have to go through the dissection of every emotion faced by every character. Though the starting of the initiation might come across as violent, later it makes sense. The concept is quite different from the ones we have come across. The book is a quick and interesting read. And other than a few deaths, which I find unnecessary, I would suggest this book for your to read list.
If you like this book, check out its sequels ‘Insurgent’ and ‘Allegiant’.