Divergent by Veronica Roth

   I loved this book! I could not stop reading the entire time. I give props to the author--she did a fantastic job writing and telling the story. The characters had lots of depth, which I enjoyed a ton, because I could easily know who was where, which made me think differently, I was literally placing everybody just like in the book.
   The book is set in future Chicago, bearing similarities to the Hunger Games in ways because it takes place in North America and the main characters, both female heroines, are similar in personality. It begins with the main character Beatrice, or Tris, as she decides later in the book. In the future, after a large war, people disagreed on what caused the war. Those who blamed selfishness were the Abnegation, those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless, those who blamed aggression formed Amity, those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite, and those who blamed duplicity created Candor. At age sixteen, teenagers must choose which faction they will reside it for the rest of their lives. Staying means being with your family, but switching means leaving them behind, which is considered betrayal. They use the phrase 'Faction Before Blood' many times, implying that your faction matters more than your family.
Tris, whom is very nervous about her choice, must go to school to take an aptitude test, which will tell you where you belong. You go through a series of simulations which decide which way you act and putting you into a faction. As Tris goes through the simulations, she faces many obstacles, resolving each a little differently. When she is out, the woman taking the test informs her that the results were inconclusive. Normally, you are supposed to receive one faction, but Tris receives three. Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. People who receive that type of result are called Divergent. She is warned not to tell anyone about her results, because being Divergent is dangerous. Once home, she decides she will not choose Erudite, because Abnegation has tension with them. Tris is still faced with a choice however, Dauntless or Abnegation?
At the choosing ceremony, she is still unsure. Her parents assure her they will always love her no matter what, but she feels like she isn't selfless enough to be in Abnegation. While being called to choose, her brother Caleb switches factions; to Erudite. Tris is confused, mainly because her brother seemed like the person who would always be Abnegation. When she is called, she is sure will choose Abnegation for her parents, she has to be the one that stays. But when she gets there, she suddenly switches and chooses Dauntless.
Once at the Dauntless compound, she learns of their initiation process, which says that they must rank themselves high in their training, or they will become factionless. Tris immediately wants to get through initiation and become a Dauntless member, once saying she thought it would be worse the be factionless than dead.
The story heats up quick, and it becomes a tale of romance, tragedy, and the character realizing who she is. Many times the book turned around and surprised me, along with times when I was extremely excited for what the character would do next. She learns that being Dauntless ins't just hitting people to look tough, it's about who they are, as they say in the manifesto, 'We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.'
Overall wonderful book, few flaws and incredible and unique plot line. I can easily give this book an A.