November Book Club: Divergent

November marked the second book club meeting for my apartment complex. It was a little disappointing that it was just me and the apartment complex employee who read the book, but it was still fun. Another woman stopped by and we explained the book to her. So the discussion was a let down, but the book was not!

Synopsis: In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, 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 16-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 alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating 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 unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My thoughts: I cannot say more about this book. It is soooo good! I'm not usually one to absolutely love young adult books. I wasn't sure I would like this one either because the description reminded me of the Hunger Games, which I really don't like. Somehow though, I do love it and I've already read the second book. The main character, Beatrice and the main male character, Four, are so interesting. The whole storyline is interesting too.

I will say the one thing I haven't liked about the series is that each book doesn't really end; it just leads into the next one. It's more like one big story, not three books that revolve around the same characters and settings.

Book club thoughts: One thing we did discuss was how the factions within this society and how they valued different traits and had different rules, could very much apply to society today. I think one of the biggest problems with people is not understanding that we all have different values, we all communicate differently.

Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5/5 stars