Veronica Roth’s Divergent: A Book Review

BACKGROUND:
Divergent is quite the modern book with its utopian world of faction systems created to prevent war. By
diving deeper into the depths of Divergent and closely analyzing the ideas in text, one can discover that
Divergent also has a historical significance as it can be related to the revolutionary ideas of communism
and capitalism.
The factions were created with the hopes of eliminating future war and violence. It was believed that if each
person selects their faction and focuses only on their faction’s morals everyone will be equal and there will
be no conflict. This idea of creating a world in which all people are equal with the hopes of eliminating war,
can be related to communism. A communist society is one in which resources are created and distributed
equally among all members. On the other hand, capitalism promotes free enterprise; in this society
individuals benefit and prosper based on their own innovation and productivity. Selfishness arises in a
capitalist government as people compete to sell the ideas they think are best. Whereas in a communist
government, selfishness fails to exist due to the encompassing sense of equality and selflessness.

SUMMARY:
Tris Prior lives in a futuristic world in which society is divided into five factions. As each person enters
adulthood, he or she must choose a faction and commit to it for life. Tris chooses Dauntless -- those who
pursue bravery above all else. However, her initiation leads to the discovery that she is a Divergent and will
never be able to fit into just one faction. Warned that she must conceal her status, Tris uncovers a looming
war which threatens everyone she loves.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Veronica Roth, born in 1988, is a renowned novelist and short story writer of American origin. She is best
known for her New York Time Best Seller trio that has also been adapted as high grossing movies of same
titles. The trio was: Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant. The first book of the trilogy, Divergent, was also
listed as the Favorite book of 2011 and 2012 by GoodReads. The book also won the Best Young Adult
Fantasy and Fiction.
Roth’s love for fantasy and science fiction motivated her to pursue her Linguistic studies in Creative Writing
Program of Northwestern University. She was initially attending the Carleton college however, her love for
creativity forced her to quit the college after first year and transfer herself to Northwestern University. It was
during the winter vacations of Northwestern University that she wrote Divergent. Followed by phenomenal
success of her first science fiction trio, she also wrote four spun off short stories that narrated the point of
view of Tobias Eaton – protagonist of her famous novel.
Currently, Veronica Roth is working on two young adult novels that are being sponsored and will be
published by HarperCollins in 2017 and 2018. Meanwhile she is also anticipating the release of two films
based on her last divergent series by the titles of The Divergent Series: Allegiant and The Divergent Series:
Ascendant.
Besides writing Veronica has a cute little Schnauzer that she posts a lot of pictures of on her very popular
Instagram profile. She loves to travel especially visit the grand capitals of Europe, like Wonderful
Copenhagen in fairytale Denmark, Amsterdam with its many beautiful canals, or the old capital of Germany,
Berlin.

EVALUATION:
Divergent is about a girl called Tris. She lives in a world which has a divided society. Tris doesn't fit in to
any of the societies, she is different. She is forced to live a life she doesn't want. She wants to find where
she belongs, so she leaves her family behind and ventures out alone. However, she finds herself in a brutal
new life where she can trust nobody. Along this journey she becomes drawn to a boy who seemed
dangerous but safe.
The book was very intriguing from the very start to the end. The plot line was unique and kept me reading.
Many people say it is just like The Hunger Games, but I have read and enjoyed both books and I can tell
you they are very different.
Divergent was based around many different aspects, but what I liked the most about this book was that it
displayed not only the relationship that Tris had with Four, but it was also based on her friendship with the
other characters and her family. I feel like other books are generally based around one relationship and
don't really show the character's relationship with their friends and family as much as Divergent did, and
that's what I think made Divergent a great book to read.
Tris was a very strong character and it was very interesting to read about her because she had her own
mind and did not follow rules. She was a very determined character which made it so much better to read.
And to top it all off there was a bit of romance in the book, which made it even better to read.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy adventure books and love books like The Hunger
Games.
 Kristen Simmons’ Metaltown: A Book Review

Metaltown, where factories rule, food is scarce, and hope is in short

supply.Poverty and child labor is one of the major issues that are being addressed in
this story.
The rules of Metaltown are simple: Work hard, keep your head down, and watch
your back. You look out for number one, and no one knows that better than Ty. She’s
been surviving on the factory line as long as she can remember. But now Ty has Colin.
She’s no longer alone; it’s the two of them against the world. That’s something even a
town this brutal can’t take away from her. Until it does.
The book was written by Kristen Simmons who is the critically acclaimed author
of the Article 5, The Glass Arrow, Pacifica, and The Deveivers. She has worked with
survivors of abuse and trauma as a mental health therapist, taught Jazzercise in five
states, and is forever in search of the next best cupcake. Currently she lives in
Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, where she spends her days supporting the caffeine
industry and chasing her son.

Lena’s future depends on her family’s factory, a beast that demands a ruthless
master, and Lena is prepared to be as ruthless as it takes if it means finally proving
herself to her father. But when a chance encounter with Colin, a dreamer despite his
circumstances, exposes Lena to the consequences of her actions, she’ll risk everything
to do what’s right.

In Lena, Ty sees an heiress with a chip on her shoulder. Colin sees something
more. In a world of disease and war, tragedy and betrayal, allies and enemies, all three
of them must learn that challenging what they thought was true can change all the rules.

METALTOWN by Kristen Simmons is a young adult dystopian. However, it has a

certain timeless quality to it, which feels as though this story could have played out in
the past, in the present, or in the future as is written. The book is narrated by shifting
perspectives between three main characters, Colin, Ty, and Lena. Colin and Ty are two
down-on-their-luck factory workers, while Lena is the privileged daughter of the factory’s
owner. While they come from different worlds, the three of them soon learn they have
more in common than they ever could have imagined.

In a lot of ways, METALTOWN reminds me of LES MISÉRABLES by Victor

Hugo. Ty, like Éponine, ends up poor and in the streets, fending for herself. Also, like
Éponine, Ty is secretly in love with her best friend, a boy who does not share her
romantic feelings. Colin, on the other hand, like Marius, has a slightly rebellious nature,
making him want to protest and change life around him for the better. He, too, bands
together with his friends to form a plan of action. Lena, conversely, like Cosette, has
grown up largely sheltered from the world. She has lived a life of luxury, but feels like a
trapped bird. Lena’s relationship with Colin is forbidden and unexpected, and has the
potential to be very dangerous, similar to Marius and Cosette’s.

With that being said, METALTOWN is still quite original and compelling. Kristen
Simmons’ writing is a breath of fresh air, her specialty being well-defined and crafted
characters that are brutally realistic and multi-layered. The injustice of the world
Simmon’s creates is devastating, and because I care so much for Ty, Colin, and Lena, I
want them to have happy endings. As a result, much like the characters, I found myself
wanting to hop on the bandwagon and fight against “The Man” alongside them.

Overall, METALTOWN is an absolutely heart-wrenching tale about survival,

friendship, and love. The ending of the book had me in tears, but it was breathtakingly
powerful and worth every minute.