Before I begin, I must confess that I had read Divergent by Veronica Roth before. It was a high school wide assigned reading in the summer of 2011. I read it, I liked it, I didn’t read the rest of the series. It was the timing more than the book itself. It became a hit following The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, which is precisely why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. At the time, the stories were too similar; the only change I detected was how a person could choose their affiliation (factions) rather than being segregated simply by location (districts). Other than that, Roth’s trilogy didn’t strike me as special enough to pick up the rest of the series.

One - pretty basic - thing that I enjoyed on this second reading was how the characters referenced the past. Setting the story against a futuristic Chicago was an interesting decision, one that allows for the city to feel as expansive as its own country. Roth provided just enough detail that we could draw up mental images of the city, but it was also shrouded in enough history that it wasn’t like the city was an exact copy of its current state. It made the present feel like a distant past, one that the people of the future had forgotten.

I picked up on a number of things I probably would have skimmed over as a younger reader.

The one that sticks in my mind the most was the teasing of political unrest. Right there, on page 6, Roth tells readers the Erudite are stirring up public opinion. It was a small detail that let us know Tris did not cause the city to go into upheaval, and that the average citizen was aware of the tension in the city. I usually see dystopian stories where the group opposing the government is brewing in total secret when I don’t know if it could work like that in reality. 

I also enjoyed the diversity in Tris’ inner monologue. While you could say it was to underline her divergent nature, but I just found it realistic. In particular, I like how she noticed Tobias; she wasn’t hyper focused on him at all times, but did spend some time on him if something caught her attention. Speaking of Tobias, I also appreciated how Tris was shown as uncomfortable with intimacy. I would probably be freaked out by casual touch, too, if I were raised to only expect it in private between married couples. While her Dauntless friends (and enemies) may have ragged on her for it, I didn’t read the story as ascribing any value or judgement on Tris’ hesitance. I appreciate it being a simple fact with as much cultural value as Tris having blonde hair.

Additionally, Roth draws a valuable comparison between Tobias and Eric. They were shown as extremely similar, but there were the key differences of motivation and worldview. They portrayed bravery versus cruelty, pride versus understanding. In fact, I think the only character I can’t empathize with to some degree is Eric. It think he’s the only legitimately evil person.  

The last thing I want to touch on is this one line that I think was really important in understanding the Dauntless: “The point isn’t to become fearless.” It’s a common occurance to reduce groups of people down to some simplified versions, and it’s especially easy to do that to groups in novels. It’s been done to Hogwarts houses, Panem’s districts, and other segregations like them. However, this line explicitly denies that being brave is equivalent to being fearless. I also think that is was just a novel idea to include for the readers as well. I’m thinking particularly of the young readers that might draw strength from the books they read. My controversial opinion would be that if there were only one lesson from the series I could ensure would stick in reader’s minds, then I would pick this one.

As for now, I am pleased I decided to return to the Divergent Series. Now, that I’ve had the time away from The Hunger Games, I was able to notice the things that made it different and truly enjoy Roth’s novels. Roth’s realistic characters and event progression were able to shine as they should. I am eager to learn more about this previously abandoned story.