Review: Divergent Series by Veronica Roth

Divergent (Goodreads summary)

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is--she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are--and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, Tris also learns that her secret might help her save the ones she loves . . . or it might destroy her. 

Insurgent (Goodreads Summary)

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Allegiant (Goodreads Summary)

The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Told from a riveting dual perspective, Allegiant, by #1 New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth, brings the Divergent series to a powerful conclusion while revealing the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of readers in Divergent and Insurgent

"Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing."

"Well," he says, "I would only go if there was cake.”

Divergent is a series following the story of Tris. After war plagued the world, there was a group that broke into 5 factions that embody all things virtuous.  Candor values honesty, Abnegation honor selflessness, Dauntless are brave, Amity believe in peace and harmony, and the Erudite seek knowledge.  When children turn 16, they get to choose which faction they will live their lives by.   After learning a big deadly secret about herself during her aptitude test, she now has a big decision to make.  On Tris’ choosing day, her choice will forever change the course of her life.   She finds herself struggling to figure who she is, and whether to follow what others want or expect of her.    Her world is changing.  There are a lot of behind the scenes deals and secrets being made.  With the looming war, what side will Tris choose to side with?

I am breaking this review down a little differently.  I am reviewing it as a series as a whole instead of individual books.  As such I have to be a little vague so I do not give away any plot points.   However, I will have a short review on each book.

GREATNESS ALL AROUND

This series as a whole is a very strong well written series (with the exception of book 3- we will stick a pin in that and come back).  I read the 3 main books and the 4th book that is a compilation of short stories.    I must say from page one I was HOOKED.  I couldn’t put the books down.    The story was different, fresh, and fast paced.   Beatrice struggles with who she was raised to be, and who she feels she is deep down inside.   You can see her natural transformation from Beatrice into Tris.  She is a very strong lead character, but still weak and vulnerable enough to be believable and relatable.  She teams up with Four, a strong Dautless leader.  I loved loved loved them as a team.  They are both strong characters, but they have a weakness when it comes to each other.  The story about these different factions is unique.  It seems to be a good system at first, but people will be people.  Anytime there is someone in power, there are always secrets and power hungry people.   So it is no surprise that war is inevitable.   This series will appeal to everyone.  There is love, comedy, action, and even sadness.  It is a roller coaster of a ride.  And I love roller coasters.  A lot of people hated the way the series ended.  I however enjoyed it (it’s the one thing that saved the last book for me). I love authors that aren’t afraid to take risks and do the unexpected.

The first book was good but definitely the set up for all the non-stop action in book 2.  Insurgent was my absolute favorite in the series.  It was back to back-to-back action.   I read it in a matter of a few hours.   Allegiant was not my favorite, but it was still a good read.   Four is a collection of short stories that mostly follow Four’s story before he met Tris.


“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.” 

OH THERE WILL BE FAILURES

With all the greatness in this series what is its flaws?  Well, I would say none until I got to book 3.  It was VERY hard to get into.  The story line kinda fell flat after such an explosive story in the previous book.  Then it was told from Tris’ point of view in some chapters and Four's in others.  That is not a problem if the author gives each character a unique voice.  That was just not the case with this one.  I constantly had to flip back to the first of the chapter to see whose point of view I was reading from.  It was a slow moving story toward the end.  I was so expecting the same greatness from the first 2 books.


 “Politeness is deception in pretty packaging.”

OVERALL

I love love love this series.   First new series I have started in a while that I just couldn’t put down.  It started out with as a flaming hot light.  It does kinda fizzle in the last one and then picks right back up toward the end.  The movie does not do the book justice.  This series will appeal to all ages and all genres.

“I feel like someone breathed new air into my lungs. I am not Abnegation. I am not Dauntless. 
I am Divergent.”