“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another.”

Divergent, written by Veronica Roth, is yet another story about a strong young woman who has the ability to change the world that she lives in. Although this is a recurring idea, Roth approaches the story in a refreshingly new way.

Beatrice Prior doesn’t know who she is. She doesn’t know where she belongs or what her next step should be. She eagerly awaits for the test to show which faction she should go to. Is she brave, intelligent, selfless, kind, or honest? The test will choose her path.

Divergent is set in a dystopian future in what used to be Chicago, Illinois. Everyone is raised in a certain faction, but when you turn 16, you decide which faction you want to live in for the rest of your life. There is a test that tells you specifically what you are best suited for, but the choice is ultimately yours. Beatrice puts all of her faith in this test to make her decision, only to find out she is Divergent, meaning that she fits into more than one faction. She chooses Dauntless, or the faction fixated on bravery, changes her name to Tris, and starts her new life, which is harder than she expected. She has to fight for her right in the faction while hiding that she is Divergent. As the city turns into chaos, it is up to Tris to save the people.

Tris’ fate is placed into her own hands in this action-packed story filled with love, violence, and hope. Being surrounded by many male leaders, Tris learns how to stand up for herself. Tris is an inspiration for many young teenage girls who need to find their “ordinary acts of bravery.”