“One Choice can destroy you.” Veronica Roth brings this quote to action in her book, Divergent.
Beatrice “Tris” Prior, the protagonist, is a 16 year old girl who learns that she has the power of Divergence. Being Divergent means that you don't believe in one specific trait as what humans should highlight in personalities, you believe in multiple. The power of Divergence helps Beatrice escape the mind when she goes through battle simulations. Most people don't even know when they are in the simulations but, Tris, not only knows she is in the simulations, but also has the power to change the simulation. Jeanine is a middle aged woman who believes education is the most important thing a human could possibly have, and that ignorance should not be tolerated on any level. Feeling this way, Jeanine uses her high IQ to develop a serum to put a person under mind control. The serum is injected in the entire dauntless faction, a city filled with those who believe bravery is the most important characteristic. Jeanine then uses her mind control army to attack on other factions, places who believe a certain trait is more important than the others, and try to make the whole world believe as she does.

Veronica Roth definitely strengthens in cliff hangers, each page gives you one more reason to continue on the the next, but this also become a weakness. There can only be x amount of cliff hangers per plot, and in Divergent it seems like there are more than one plot. These plots come together to form one giant storyline that keeps readers on the edge of their seat. This giant story lines move from internal conflict, or a problem developed mentally, to external problem, or a problem happening with an outside force. Having little plots to make up the main plot may seem a bit confusing to you, but with the flow of the story, it is done well. Divergent is definitely a book you will read any given chance, I spent 17 hours of one day just reading it without even realizing the time. Divergent really inspired me to find that one trait (or traits) inside myself that I feel really makes me, me, and embrace it with a passion.


The theme of Divergent is Good triumphs over Evil. This is a good theme because if somebody decides to go down a wrong path, why would they continue knowing they will have no success. Once the person realizes that the evil never wins and the good never loses, they will most likely change course to the side that always wins. You will see this theme multiple times within the book.

Divergent by Veronica Roth is truly an inspiring tales and I would recommend it to anybody 13+. The things Tris and her friends go through kind of represent what teenagers go through today. Difficult choices, second guessing yourself, and difficulty with forgiveness.