Based on the fact that I loved "The Hunger Games", I was eager to see if the "Divergent" trilogy would be just as good. Alas, it is not. At least, the first book is not. And, after reading the first book I won't be reading the rest of them. Here's why (warning spoilers):
In the book society is divided into 5 "factions" (at least, the society that exists in the city formerly known as Chicago. We're never told what's happening in the rest of the country). One is expected to be loyal to the faction he/she is born into, until the age 16, at which time the kids undergo an aptitude test that determines which faction(s) he/she would be best suited for. After this test, the kid gets to make a choice as to which faction to join, and is then expected to be loyal to that faction for the rest of his/her life.
The main character, Tris, undergoes this aptitude test with the other 16-year olds, however, she is told that her test results are "inconclusive". The proctor tells her that the test "typically...eliminates one or more of the factions, but in your case, only two have been ruled out". It is this "inconclusiveness" that makes Tris what they call "Divergent".
But here's where I see the flaw...first, the proctor's statement makes no sense. She says the test eliminates "one or more" of the factions, but that for Tris "only two" have been eliminated. Two is "one or more" so that makes no sense.
Secondly, it's this notion of choice that all the kids have that is a major flaw. All the kids walk away with test results that tell them they would be well-suited for any one of a couple of the factions, and they then have the freedom to choose which one they will join. This is essentially the same thing that happens with Tris. Her test results show that she could fit into several of the 5 factions.
The whole point of the book (supposedly) is that this being "Divergent" means something significant and has serious implications for Tris. I read the entire book, but this flaw in the logic of the plot kept niggling at me. It would have been a much stronger story (and more logical) if the kids were given a test that showed them the one and only faction they could join, and there were given no choice. That would have made Tris' "divergent" test results actually mean something, because otherwise everyone is, in a way, divergent.
Add to the fact that I really didn't like Tris' character, I don't think I'll be reading the rest of this series.
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