Release Date: May 3rd, 2011
Genre:  Dystopia, Action, Mystery, Romance
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 496
Rating:
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Summary:

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.

Review: Ho. Ly. Cow. The end.

Just kidding. I have WAY more to say about this book.

First of all. It's amazing. I actually have very little doubt that it will be April's book of the month. As well it should be. All those awesome things you've been hearing about this book? All true.

The plot is just so unique! The idea of these factions and how they've managed to coexist for so many years had my head spinning. And the society isn't in any way dictatorial (unlike most dystopians). Each faction is free within its faction, and generally among the other factions too. For me there was no doubt on which faction I would have chosen (And I bet, being book people, a lot of you would say the same): Erudite. No question.

This book is so well-crafted,that I don't know if many people will notice how well-crafted it is. The whole story buoys you along on a perfect current. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, always so smooth that you don't even notice you're reading a book! (ooh! Look out! The analogies are coming out to play!) The majority of the book focuses on one faction, but Roth is careful to let you see inside all of the other factions. So cool and thorough! Plus the characters have such dimension. They have strengths and weaknesses and vices. Every page showed me a new side.

If I had to find something I didn't like (and I'd have to look pretty hard), it would be that I thought one of the love interests (yes, there's more than one. But don't worry, there's no triangle) was really weird. Their whole relationship was weird. Of course, this may of had more to do with the fact that I thought that the guy was in his 30s (compared to Beatrice's 16) for most of the book. Heh. He wasn't. So then it got less weird, but it still made me a little iffy towards their relationship for the whole book.

Oh. I also just want to throw in that I LOVE that Veronica is only 22 AND her book is amazing. I just think it's uber-cool. Probably 'cause that's closer to MY age than most authors. And that just makes me happy. There are some "young" authors out there who have gotten a lot of hype, but aren't that great of writers (you know who I'm talking about). Now so of Veronica. She blows my mind. I want to be her best friend.

So, in conclusion, this book is awesome. Resugo, I am forever your slave for letting me borrow it. I've already pre-ordered my copy, and May can't come soon enough.



*I am an amazon affiliate. If you purchase this book using my link, I will get a tiny fraction of the purchase, which goes toward contests.