Divergent

Title: Roth, Veronica.  Divergent.  New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011.  Print.

Summary:  At the age of 16  boys and girls alike are sorted into one of five separate factions.  Those who value honesty the most become the Candor, selflessness the Abnegation, knowledge the Erudite, bravery the Dauntless, and peace the Amity.  On the day of selection Beatrice Prior makes a choice that will shock everyone.  In the days that follow she begins an initiation that will push her to her limits and test who she really is.  If only she can keep the truth a secret, because it's the truth and not the initiation that could truly hurt her.

Critical Analysis:  One of the first things I heard about this book before I read it is that it's "just like The Hunger Games."  Honestly, that's what made me wait so long to read it.  A few of the girls at work read it and were saying great things so I picked it up and read it as well.  I can see how people might say it resembles The Hunger Games, but I don't think it really does.  Other than being set in a dystopian world, there's a lot of differences in the stories.  The majority of the book describes Beatrice's initiation into the faction she chooses on the day of selection.  I found it fascinating the way that the society was broken up.  While the story was wonderful and hard to stop reading, it was obvious that the book is the first one that Veronica Roth has written.  The writing style has an amateur feel to it, but it in no way detracts from the story the author is telling.

Book Recommendations With Similar Themes:

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Every year a male and a female from each of the 12 districts are selected to participate in The Hunger Games.  The 24 contestants are put into an arena where they are forced to fight for their lives until only one remain.  Everything is shown on every television in every district, all for the Capitol's entertainment.  When Katniss Everdeen takes the place of her little sister who was chosen fro the Games, she learns the truth behind them and has to become stronger than she ever thought possible if she hopes to survive.