I honestly sought out this book because the movie is coming out. I'd love to say I knew about it well before Hollywood did, but, however hipsterish that statement would be, it'd also be untrue. Still, I'd heard the books were good, and I enjoyed reading The Hunger Games Trilogy, which this has been oft compared to, so I thought I'd try it out.
Beatrice, or Tris, as she comes to be known, is the 16 year old around whom this story centers. She lives in a society divided, not by race, religion, or politics, but by personality type. There are five factions: The Abegnation, those who believe selflessness is most important; Amity, who seek peace above all; Candor, who believe truth, through transparent honesty from all, is imperative; Dauntless, who believe in bravery above all; and Erudite, who believe Intelligence is the greatest pursuit. Those who choose not to join a faction, or who are rejected from their chosen faction, are called Factionless, and are the untouchables of this society. At 16, every person is tested for faction inclination. They then must choose which faction to belong to, possibly leaving behind their family permanently in the process. Beatrice must choose, and deal with the consequences of her choice, but with the added challenge of bearing information through that choice, which, if found out, could mean her death.
I downloaded the iBooks version of this, and I stayed up till 3:30 am the first night reading. I got through a little over half the book before I had to put it down to get sleep. The story is fast paced, with great character development and a crazy amount of plot twists. Similar to the Hunger Games, I would NOT recommend this to a younger audience, as there is a great deal of violence, some torture, and some death. That being said, it's an intriguing take on society's differences, and I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who enjoyed reading The Hunger Games, and anyone who enjoys a twist on the usual futuristic fiction.