Divergent

By Veronica Roth
Genre: Science fiction (Dystopia)
Rating: 4 stars

In a future ruined world of Chicago, people have separated into 5 factions: Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (always tell the truth), Amity (tolerant), Erudite (the smart ones), and Dauntless (the brave, army-like ones).  At the age of 16, you are tested and then allowed to choose your faction.  Although most get results for their own faction, Beatrice's results are inconclusive, meaning she is "divergent."  Her tester is alarmed and promises to cover up the results, although she doesn't explain why being divergent is bad.  To everyone's surprise, Beatrice (now Tris) chooses Dauntless as her new faction, and is soon thrown into harsh physical training as an initiate.  But then her mother visits and warns her about being divergent.  And Tris also overhears some other disturbing talk of divergents. What is so wrong with being one?  And why can no one ever find out?  As Tris struggles through training, she also makes friends for the first time and puts her toe into the waters of romance.  But the rumors around divergents don't go away--will Tris survive training to become a true Dauntless?  This is a very compelling story that will draw fans of books like The Hunger Games in.  It moves a bit more slowly than that, but readers will stick with it until the end to find out what happens.