The Divergent series by Veronica Roth is one of those young adult dystopian franchises that has been nearly impossible for someone to ignore, given the series’ popularity over the years. So I felt giving them a read was doing myself a favor. Across the four books, Roth crafts a series filled with action, emotional conflict, identity struggles, loyalty, and sacrifice. It’s not a perfect series, but one that was worth the journey and I am all the better for reading in the end.
This dystopian series set in a futuristic Chicago has captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers.
Divergent
I first read Divergent by Veronica Roth a few years back having seen the films, I felt I should dive into the stories they were inspired by. The first book was definitely entertaining and had me hooked from the outset. It’s definitely a story that was not geared towards a 40-year-old dude, but definitely can see why the intended age-range would love reading this book and by the end had me wanting more from the world crafted by Roth.
One choice can transform you. Beatrice Prior’s society is divided into five factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). Beatrice must choose between staying with her Abnegation family and transferring factions.
Her choice will shock her community and herself. But the newly christened Tris also has a secret, one she’s determined to keep hidden, because in this world, what makes you different makes you dangerous.
I can definitely see how some people were saying Divergent was the start of the next Hunger Games, but really only because of the initiation Tris goes through when choosing her faction. It has the competition and while Hunger Games led to death, Divergent really just would lead towards living a life faction-less. The stakes are way higher in Suzanne Collins‘ story, at least at this point.
Tris has to make some pretty grownup decisions at the age of 16, some decisions making at age 40 would be difficult enough, but having a teenager make decisions such as leaving your family behind or to keep serious secrets hidden. This alone made for an excellent story, but what takes place within this first book of the series was exciting and emotional at the same time. Divergent as all the things that make this type of book popular and is fairly well.
Divergent is a fun read, but definitely geared towards a young adult audience. Although, any adult can enjoy this dystopian tale filled with heart, action, and a budding love interest. I understand why it has been so popular and why a feature film was made from the story, but I am hoping for just a bit more from the rest of the series.
Divergent is available at bookstores everywhere from HarperCollins. The audiobook, narrated by Emma Galvin, is available via Libro.fm!
Insurgent
With the followup book in the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, Insurgent is a much more in depth story of fighting back and fighting for what you believe is right.
As war surges in the factions of dystopian Chicago all around her, Tris attempts to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.
Now, after finishing the second book in this series, I can see why people compare the Divergent books to the work of Suzanne Collins‘ Hunger Games series. There is the sense of facing off against those in power, those hiding the truth from the people. While the factions are still mostly intact, it’s the factionless and those who have abandoned or separated from their faction who want to do what they believe is right.
This book has a slightly different vibe than Divergent, while also still staying true to itself. While it does feel like a book than belongs in this series, it really gives off the feeling that Divergent was only a setup for this story. Like the first book in the series is almost a prequel to the main part of this tale. I know I might be the only one who feels this way, it’s just a vibe I was getting while reading the second book in the series.
Insurgent takes the foundation that made Divergent interesting and pushes it into something that is darker and far more emotional. Veronica Roth delivers on expanding the world in a way that makes the conflicts feel larger, plus the stakes are more personal. All this while also keeping the heart of the story centered around Tris. This book feels a little less of a sequel and more of what this series was preparing for all along. Let’s see how the next installment lands.
Insurgent is available at bookstores everywhere from HarperCollins. The audiobook, narrated by Emma Galvin, is available via Libro.fm!
Allegiant
I would be lying if I didn’t say that I am continuing to read these books by Veronica Roth to complete the series as a completionist. Allegiant has veered enough from Divergent that made it a bit different from what I had hoped for, yet I didn’t hate the book either.
One choice will define you. What if your whole world was a lie? What if a single revelation—like a single choice—changed everything? What if love and loyalty made you do things you never expected?
Told from a riveting dual perspective, this third installment in the series follows Tris and Tobias as they battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and their selves—while facing impossible choices of courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.
Allegiant succeeds at answering a few questions that have been nagging at me throughout the first two books, such as the world outside the factions, even if these reveals felt a bit overcomplicated compared to the simplicity of the initial book. While the pacing drags at times and the dual point-of-views between Tris and Tobias kind of blended together instead of feeling distinct.
While this is technically not the FINAL book in the series, as the prequel collection of short stories based around Four is next, it is the final book in the linear story. With this the ending felt a bit rushed by Roth leaving me wanting a little more emotionally. It wasn’t the fact the story went a bit darker in direction, it was just I wasn’t fully invested by this point.
Allegiant may not have recaptured the spark I felt during Divergent which made me want to continue with the series, but it still has enough to give some answers that have been festering. Allegiant is a bold and emotionally heavy conclusion to the series but didn’t stick the landing I had hoped for when it was all said and done.
Allegiant is available at bookstores everywhere from HarperCollins. The audiobook, narrated by Emma Galvin & Aaron Stanford, is available via Libro.fm!
Four
The focus of the three Divergent books is on Tris’ story, from her aptitude test on, but what the Four short story collection by Veronica Roth gives us is the story behind Tobias and his evolution. It’s nice to revisit this universe, but with a fresh perspective. Four is not just a prequel to the main Divergent series, but features stories from before as well as those that run parallel to what we all read.
We first encountered Tobias as “Four” in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Now we find more of this charismatic character’s backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection.
When read together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias’s life. The first three pieces in this volume—”The Transfer,” “The Initiate,” and “The Son”—follow Tobias’s transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his Dauntless initiation, and the first clues that a foul plan is brewing in the leadership of two factions. The fourth story, “The Traitor,” runs parallel with the events of Divergent, giving readers a glimpse into the decisions of loyalty—and love—that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior.
Roth gives us a glimpse of the hurdles Tobias has to overcome to get to where he is when Divergent kicks off adds depth to not only his character but the overall plot of the series. Crafting each of these four stories (which is fitting) in a way that gives us different moments in Tobias’ journey and not just a prequel story full-length novel allowed for us to give a bit deeper into key moments.
I enjoyed getting to see more of what it took for Tobias to switch factions early on, seeing where his nickname originated from, but also how he was being trained as a leader in Dauntless. Not to mention to see his struggles when first meeting Tris and what it was like from his side of things getting to know her.
The Four collection also introduces us to some characters we got to know in the main series, but earlier on and of course features a touch of Tris towards the end. This gave the collection even more connective tissue with the main series, allowing those who wanted more from the Divergent series.
This book is definitely for those who were fans of the entire series, as it gives more context, background, and insight into characters we followed when reading the series. While some of the stories are before Divergent, it was nice to read them all after finishing the first three books as a little look back at the series.
Veronica Roth expands the world and characters in such a meaningful way, giving us a deeper understanding of Tobias’ struggles, leadership, and budding relationship with Tris, all while revisiting familiar events from a new perspective. What seems like a bonus book became one of the better books of the series as a whole.
Four is available at bookstores everywhere from HarperCollins. The audiobook, narrated by Aaron Stanford, is available via Libro.fm!
