“Divergent” by Veronica Roth is a gripping dystopian novel that takes place in a futuristic version of Chicago. Beatrice Prior, who is about 16 years old, lives in a world where people are divided into factions based on what they value. She has only ever known the selfless ways of her faction, Abnegation. However, at 16 she can decide what faction she wants to be a part of.

Before the day she gets to choose her faction, Veronica has to take a test to see which faction’s beliefs she values. After the test, she finds out that she got more than one result, which is extremely rare. The test administrator tells her that she is Divergent, meaning that she can belong to more than one faction. The administrator tells her that this is very dangerous, and she must keep it a secret. On the day of the choosing ceremony, she doesn’t know what choice she will make. Will Beatrice decide to abandon her family’s faction forever to gain more freedom in another? Or, will Beatrice stay and live a quiet life with her family, but have to follow an ideology she does not believe in?

This is an amazing book for all kids age twelve and up. It explores how hard it can be to make the decision between staying where you are comfortable with family or forging your own path, something teens can really relate to. The characters are realistic as many of them have true human flaws. Between the different characters, the action and the gripping plot line, “Divergent” is an intricate book that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end.