The B'East Side
Summer Reading List: "Divergent" and "Insurgent" books captivate readersMonday, May 21, 2012 By Sara Mihor, Staff Writer
One choice can transform you and another can destroy you. Divergent by Veronica Roth was the start of an adventurous series that transports readers to another world. Taking place in Chicago many years ahead, the city has been transformed into five different factions. Each faction is designed to fit the certain needs of the city: those who protect, those who obtain information, etc. At the end of the year, all the sixteen-year-olds from the factions get the chance to decide which faction they will chose to live in for the rest of their lives. For the young Beatrice Prior, the decision isn’t as easy as she thought it would be. Once she makes her choice, there’s no going back. She must train and prove herself worthy to the other initiates or she may turn into one of the factionless (those who either fail to prove themselves or quit). Will Beatrice make it? I had a great time reading Divergent . It was honestly hard to put the book down. The series kind of reminds me of The Hunger Games , so, if you liked those novels, you’d probably enjoy this book. Divergent was released a little over a year ago and has sparked the interest of many everyday readers. The book received an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars on Barnesandnoble.com, but I would give it a 4 out of 5. It was a great book, but not too spectacular to deserve a 4.5. Insurgent is the next installment of the Divergent series and was just released at the beginning of May this year. Insurgent takes off right where the previous book left off. Beatrice and her friends must find out their place in the faction community and try to find a way to stop a war from blowing out of control. With twists and turns at every corner and people double crossing each other, it’s time for everyone to decide what side they’re on and what fraction they will stand by. While I was reading Insurgent I found myself struggling to keep reading. Don’t get me wrong, there were some parts where I couldn’t stop reading, but there were more dull parts than fascinating ones. I also found myself getting slightly confused with all the switching of locations and the bipolar-ness of Beatrice. Some of her actions just seemed weird and not like her character. This book was rated another 4.5 out of 5 stars on Barnesandnoble.com , but, sadly, I have to give it a 3.5 out of 5. The book and series is well worth reading, but it could’ve been better. The third book in the Divergent series is due sometime nest year in spring. |