Out of all the dystopians that have been or will be coming out this year, Divergent is the one I was most excited to read. Everyone I knew of that had read it had loved it, and the hype building it up was unavoidable. I jumped on the chance to read this book, starting it the night I got it. And believe me, you should do the same if—no, when you get this book.

While reading, Divergent made my heart race, my palms sweat, and it made me shutter. Reading this book was more of an experience than anything else. At first, I was a bit apprehensive of the story being set up. But Veronica Roth doesn’t even need to drag on about the completely unique and brilliant dystopian society she has created, because you are living the story.

Speaking of the dystopian society, let me just say that it was brilliant. In a futuristic Chicago, surrounded by fences and barriers, there is a small world all its own. In this world, citizens are divided into five factions. When a person turns sixteen, they choose which faction they will spend the rest of their life in. They can either choose to create a life with a faction other than the one they grew up in, ultimately betraying everyone they know and love, or they can stay where they have always lived. But it doesn’t stop there. Once you arrive at the new faction, you are put through a month-long initiation that can destroy even the weakest of people. And when factions begin to do something that caused factions to be made in the first place—war—nobody is safe.

Veronica Roth has such a brilliant writing style that I didn’t even realize it was in present-tense until about three-fourths through the book. I was so immersed in the story that I had no idea what type of writing Roth had, but that it was able to transport me to this world without haste. And really, what else does one need from a book? When I can clearly visualize the entire story while I read it, I know a book is good.

I loved Tris. She is so strong—vicious when she needs to be, even—but she still has compassion and wit. She, along with the rest of the characters, had such a natural and moving progression of character. I had no problem seeing the story through her eyes, and I had the time of my life as I lived as her. The rest of the characters have such realistic personalities and traits, they really couldn’t have been done better. And when romance comes into play, Roth does it perfectly.

Do not hesitate to pick this book up if you see it. In fact, I urge you to do so as fast as you can. Read it the moment you get the chance, because honestly I would not change a word of it, if given the chance. I don’t know how I am going to be able to wait for the next book. Divergent is simply brilliant.