Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Reviewer: keapendragon

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five fractions, 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 fraction 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. (Inside cover)

Before this novel was published, I had heard of a lot of hype centered on this book. I love a good dystopian book just like the next fan, but I’ll admit I was a little sceptical. I was afraid this book would turn into another generic novel. I am glad to say this was not the case.

From the very first page to the last I became completely and entirely consumed with the characters, the romance, the danger and the overall plot line. I, in all honesty couldn’t put it down and read it within 48 hours. Veronica was able to create a believable setting for her novel and her writing style is flawless. At some intervals in the story I could feel the frustration, fear or at times the anger that different characters were feeling—an amazing feat for a new author.

Tris was a symbol of strength and courage through the story and her determination to survive and fight for herself is admirable. Roth has created such an inspirational character that I have no doubt will carry this series and the lesson’s intertwined within the pages to being one of the most popular books of the summer—if it hasn’t already. There are also some clever plot twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

I hate it when I get around to writing a review for a good book and I have a hard time expressing my feelings for it. Divergent is one of those books. I can't explain how much I enjoyed reading and low I've come to love this book. It is difficult for me to explain in simple words. Tris and her world have become something that I look forward to reading more about! I would recommend this novel to anyone who is looking for something different to their normal genera and also for someone who loves a good adventure and action packed novel.

5/5 fears.

Covers to Gush Over (3)

This week, in honor of zombie awareness month, this   CTGO theme is Dystopian & Apocalypse! What does this have to do with zombies you say? Well being a zombie doesn’t always mean you're a dead flesh eating monster. Also,  zombies and apocalypses tend to go hand in hand.  

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more gorgeous and gush worthy cover then Lauren DeStefano’s cover of Wither. It’s honestly my, Megzarooni, favourite book cover to date. I love how elegant the coloring scheme and model positioning are, not to mention the dress is to die for! Where can I get one? The caged bird is very pretty and adds a nice visual use of foreshadowing for the events in the novel. I also like the connected lines, box, and circle patters used on the cover. They really attract the eye and are a wonderful visual description of the novel. Beautiful girl. Wedding ring. Caged bird.

 Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari

At first glance it's easy to see what this book is going to be about. The buildings in the foreground automatically thrust your imagination into overdrive. You start to wonder about how and why the city ended up in ruins. I love how the title is in big, bold and bright yellow font. It contrasts with the dismal blue and grey hues. It also catches the eye and then, brings attention to the two main characters underneath. I adore how the novel is like a little story within itself, it's so intriguing!

Matched by Ally Condie

Ally’s cover for Matched is very simplistic, but that’s what makes it so stunning. Mint is an amazing colour and the gradually darkening silver background is a nice balance for the bright green. I like the lettering used for the book’s title because it fits well with the book’s futuristic setting. Matched is another book that features an excellent use of visual foreshadowing, which is also used on its sequel Crossed.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The first thing I looked at on this novel is the burning symbol. I love how the glowing red and whips’ of the fire automatically catch the eye. The grey clouds in the background really make the fiery symbol 'pop'. The skyline and swamp area are a nice added touch to represent the feel of the novel. Finally, the title is nice and clean with an appealing silver color that appears to have a slight violet tinge as it progressively darkens downwards. Oh, and who could forget the tagline at the top? "One choice can transform you" sent chills down my spine! Overall I love how such simple colors can create such an eye-catching and appealing cover!

The Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

The Uglies series just recently got new covers...and I love them all. I don’t think any one of the covers is my absolute favourite, so I’ve decided to explain why I love all of them. For started I like that each of the covers shows the most common thing people in today’s society tend to want change or improve about themselves. The new covers really personify the fact that Scott’s books are about people who are brainwashed into thinking they’re hideous Uglies until they turn 16 and get a special operation to turn them into Pretties. Aside from that I love how the makeup they did for the Extras cover matches the nail polish on the cover of Uglies.