by Veronica Roth
YA lit exploded in the last 15 years. When I was in highschool, I was stuck with R.L. Stine books and Goosebumps. More options probably existed but the marketing machine didn't get rolling on them, and so I didn't find them. Love it or h ate it, the marketing machine does serve a purpose. High Schoolers and Middle Schoolers today seem to have an almost limitless selection of options. Surprise surprise a lot of it is very good.
Divergent and Insurgent are a pair of distopian sci-fi novels. In this world, people live in a highly structured caste system based on idealized character traits. Each group is called a faction and there are five of them: Abnegation (selflessness), Erudite (Knowledge), Candor (Honesty), Amity (Friendliness), and Dauntless (Courage). Each faction has a role in society and, in theory, they live in peace.
Beatrice was born into Abnegation but during her aptitude test she discovers that there is something very special about her brain. Where most people have aptitude for one faction, Beatrice confounds the system and shows aptitude for three factions. This flexibility makes her something called divergent and being divergent is dangerous.
Soon Beatrice's personal problems are overshadowed when faction attacks faction and their carefully ordered society falls apart.
Overall, it's a pretty good pair of books. The plot combines elements of Ender's Game and 1984. The relationship angst got to be a little much, but the rapid pace kept the story moving.
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