Being able to do it all over again is not something authors get the chance to attempt in their careers. Not fix things, but make slight tweaks the change the course of a story while also maintaining the same vibe. Veronica Roth is one of those few authors to get that opportunity with The Sixth Faction, a new Divergent tale that tells a new story with the same characters that is just as gripping as the original tale.
Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives. She has a plan: she’s going to make the bravest choice and leave Abnegation to join Dauntless, even though it means abandoning her family. But when tragedy strikes at her choosing ceremony, everything changes—her world, her plans, even Beatrice herself. Her decision will thrust her into the crosshairs of an underground rebellion, where a boy with secrets as dangerous as her own—a boy with only a number for a name—may be the only person she can trust.
As a fan of Marvel Comics, I had my fair share of alternate universe stories to read. However, this is not something you see everyday in the world of prose novels, especially one that has been a best-selling story selling millions of copies and spawning multiple feature films. That story is usually protected beyond comprehension, so for Roth to be able to revisit her original tale and craft something fresh with the characters we grew to love is usually unheard of and is what makes it special to begin with. It also is worth noting that because of Roth’s success with Divergent, also is the reason why she was given the green light to explore an alternate version, is my guess.
What The Sixth Faction is on the surface is new version of the events that take place surrounding Choosing Ceremony and the life-changing decisions that are made on that day. Following Beatrice Prior and her journey to uncover the truth behind some of the things she has been taught her entire life. However, what Roth does with The Sixth Faction is alter the decisions made which then has a ripple effect on how the story progresses. So, as I mentioned, this is similar to what most of us would call an alternate timeline, a fresh look at the core events and characters of a story we all have read.
Roth takes the core from Divergent and explores more of the what the factions purposes and focuses even more on those without a home faction, called the factionless. Which, as the title implies, is really the sixth faction in this world as once you band together for a certain cause are you really the free-thinking and no-conformed group you thought you were.
When entering The Sixth Faction, I had this slight fear it would be just tiny changes with the same story and that I should’ve just read Divergent again. However, there is still a huge level of secrecy and those who look for complete control as you know from the original story, but things are a bit different. The story is a gripping new journey that features a lot of the same characters but some with different motivations or storylines, but all the same vibe we have come to love in the original series. There is this blend of new story and nostalgia that Roth nails, making a book that feels familiar but brand new at the same time.
Having been 15 years since the original book hit shelves, Roth has had time to sit with these characters and places. With The Sixth Faction, it seems the author was able to dive a bit deeper into the characterizations and locations to bring a bit more of it to the story. All while keeping the feeling we get from reading her first novel in this series. This is just the beginning as well, the second book in this new duology hits shelves in February 2027.
The Sixth Faction is a wonderful new take on the story of Divergent. New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth revisits her 15 year old story with a fresh new direction that will scratch the itch of the original story, but gives a new outlook on these beloved characters. Divergent isn’t going anywhere, but The Sixth Faction gives you a chance to relive it in a new and unique fashion.
The Sixth Faction hit bookshelves everywhere on October 6, 2026 from HarperCollins. The audiobook, narrated by Emma Love, Charlie Thurston & Max Meyers, is available via Libro.fm!
