Title: Allegiant
Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: Dystopia, Speculative Fiction, Young Adult
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: October 2013
Hardcover: 526 Pages
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?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.
Stand alone or series: Book 3 in the Divergent Trilogy
How did I get this book: Bought
Format (e- or p-): Ebook
Why did I read this book: I have had a mixed experience when it comes to the Divergent books. I loved Divergent book 1 for its good, albeit slightly ridiculous, popcorn fun quality. However, I found Insurgent to be uneven, repetitive and mind-numbing in its fixation on the PG teen angst romance between Tris and Four. I wasn’t super excited about reading Allegiant… until The Internets exploded. I’ve stayed far away from spoilers, but I know many fans were very angry with the way things turned out in Allegiant, which OF COURSE intrigued me more than any marketing plan or blog tour ever could.
Needless to say, I had to read the book and figure out what happened for myself.
And dudes. I do not regret reading this book for a second.
**WARNING: This review contains unavoidable spoilers for Divergent and Insurgent. If you have NOT read books 1 and 2 in this trilogy and wish to remain unspoiled LOOK AWAY! You have been warned.**
Review:
Everything can change with a single decision.
Tris has revealed the secret that her faction, Abnegation, has been killed for, broadcasting the shocking truth to all within the city’s walls:
The factions were created in the city of Chicago in order to cure the corruption and chaos of the world outside. The Divergent are not a problem that need to be killed, but an indicator of strength – when those identified as Divergent increase in number, the city’s walls are to be opened, and the city’s wisdom is to be shared with the outside world.
This truth, however, comes at a great cost. Tris’s home city is in chaos, the factions – those carefully ordered and selected tribes based on dominant personality traits – are no more. After opposing the Erudite, the Factionless led by Tobias’s mother, Evelyn, have taken over the city and their rule is as absolute as it is unyielding. Faction colors and allegiances are outlawed, the Dauntless are disarmed and disbanded, and the traitors who have collaborated with the Erudite’s schemes for power are sentenced to death. Evelyn’s new rule is rife with unrest, however, and a new rebellion brews – the “Allegiant” (aka those loyal to the city’s original founders and the original mission of Chicago) are recruiting, and they want Tris and Tobias to join their cause and venture beyond the city walls.
What Tris and her friends find beyond Chicago’s borders, however, will once again upend everything they thought they knew about their world. The world is much larger than they ever could have imagined; the truth of the factions, of the founding of the city, of their very way of life, is not what it seems.
Once again, Tris must make a choice. Once again, everything will change.
The third and final book in the Divergent trilogy, Allegiant is an ambitious, gutsy novel. It is packed with revelations upon revelations, twists upon twists; it takes huge risks when it comes to the fate of its protagonists and the decisions with which they are confronted. At the same time, Allegiant stumbles in its ambition, with developments that don’t quite make sense; plotholes, ludicrousness, and deus ex machinas abound. But… at the end of the day, it is this reader’s opinion that Roth’s gutsiness pays off. To use a Divergent image, even though Allegiant doesn’t quite make it down that zipline from the Hancock building in a triumphant, graceful streak of glory, it goes for it. And I appreciate that very, very much. But I’m getting ahead of myself again. Let’s talk specifics:
I have always had a problem with the basic setup for the Divergent books – the idea that there are only a handful of dominant personality traits, of ways of living in preset factions that seem completely arbitrary, has always rubbed me as incredibly reductionist and compartmentalized. I initially wrote this off as a failing of oversimplification of a dysotpian setup (after reading as many of these so-called dystopian novels, believe me, I’ve read plenty worse a setup). Imagine my joy, then, when Allegiant takes a step outside of the insular world of Chicago and examines the faction system and the city from the outside-in. (I’m going to try to do this as spoiler-free as possible, so bear with me if I start to sound vague, or ominously cloak and dagger.) The revelations that Tris, Tobias, and their friends uncover beyond Chicago’s walls are shocking and explain this didactic, reductionist city in a way that mostly makes sense. Mostly. while the setup for cities like Chicago and and the “genetic” impetus for the for the creation of these setups is utterly ludicrous, at the same time, I appreciate the attempt to tie everything together in a cohesive, unified way.
More than the grand unified theory of Divergence and factions, however, the thing I appreciated the most about Allegiant, lies with the shifting nature of the book’s allegiances and revelations. That sounds confusing, but hear me out: Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant are books about upheaval, of personal choice, and the dramatic implications of change. In many dystopian novels, especially of the YA variety, a government is framed as an evil body, corrupted often by ideals – the solution to such a heinous system? Why, rebellion, of course! Rebellion, however, is not a solution in itself, and in Allegiant this concept of change and struggle against corruption is laid bare. Rebellion does not automatically mean a happy ending, or that all the wrongs of a previous regime are magically healed. No, often rebellion sows chaos and deeper unrest – in Allegiant we see that the Factionless are not the end-all solution to what is broken with the city of Chicago; that the government outside the city’s walls is not all-knowing and benevolent; that the fringe fighters on the edge of those government enclaves are completely right in their righteous rage. Everything is flawed, everything is broken. There is no simple, right solution. I love that Veronica Roth explores the messiness that is political change in Allegiant in a way that is convoluted and infinitely complicated – but ultimately it’s a way that rings as incredibly genuine.
While I’m singing the book’s praises in terms of development and scope, however, there are numerous issues with the text. The pacing of the novel is front-loaded with a ton of exposition, followed by some truly good meaty stuff (in which Tris and Tobias discover the truth of the world outside), followed by an insanely rushed conflict and finale to the novel. Suffice it to say, the pacing is uneven. I also wasn’t crazy about the ridiculously PG romance that pervades the first third of the novel (in which Tris and Tobias melt into each other with each passionate kiss, grasping at belt loops and marveling at the sexiness of… collarbones). Similarly, initially I wasn’t a huge fan of Allegiant‘s narrative technique, flipping between Tris and Tobias as alternating protagonists (there’s only so much I can take of Tobias marveling at how small but how strong his lady love is, how delicate her collarbone with bird tattoos, how beautiful she is with her hair falling over her eyes while she’s asleep, yadda yadda yadda, excuse me while I try not to gag). Skepticisms voiced, however, the narrative technique actually pays off BIG TIME as the divide between Tris and Tobias becomes substantial, especially in the second half of the novel.
Which brings me to: THE ENDING (aka, the source of all the internets rage). Opinion is split when it comes to the efficacy of the ending, and what readers are owed by the author when it comes to Allegiant‘s particular finale. I don’t think I’ll get into the discussion of reader expectation and what obligation, if any, authors have when finishing a book or series (suffice it to say that I feel like in Allegiant‘s particular case, this has more to do with marketing/publicity approach failure). And… I have to say, I thoroughly, wholeheartedly appreciated the way Veronica Roth chose to end this book. I think it makes sense, I think it’s completely believable and one of the few endings I would have accepted of the book. Frankly, I’m surprised that more dystopian novels – especially of the violent persuasion – DON’T end this way. While there are certainly contrivances that abound in the book’s final act – SERUMS UPON SERUMS! (there are death serums, and memory serums, and zombification serums, and fear serums) – the more I think on the fate of our intrepid protagonists in Allegiant, the more I appreciate the book’s bittersweet ending.
Ultimately, Allegiant is a book that has its many flaws and missteps, but it’s an ambitious book that goes for all the marbles. Even though it doesn’t quite hit that high sweet note, I appreciate its gusto. I don’t regret reading this book – or this series – for a second, and can earnestly recommend it to fans looking for a thoughtful dystopian YA trilogy.
Notable Quotes/Parts: From Chapter 1 (Tris):
I pace in our cell in Erudite headquarters, her words echoing in my mind: My name will be Edith Prior, and there is much I am happy to forget.
“So you’ve never seen her before? Not even in pictures?” Christina says, her wounded leg propped up on a pillow.She was shot during our desperate attempt to reveal the Edith Prior video to our city. At the time we had no idea what it would say, or that it would shatter the foundation we stand on, the factions, our identities. “Is she a grandmother or an aunt or something?”
“I told you, no,” I say, turning when I reach the wall.“Prior is—was—my father’s name, so it would have to be on his side of the family. But Edith is an Abnegation name, and my father’s relatives must have been Erudite, so . . .”
“So she must be older,” Cara says, leaning her head against the wall. From this angle she looks just likeher brother, Will, my friend, the one I shot. Then she straightens, and the ghost of him is gone. “A few generations back. An ancestor.”
“Ancestor.” The word feels old inside me, like crumbling brick. I touch one wall of the cell as I turnaround. The panel is cold and white.
My ancestor, and this is the inheritance she passed to me: freedom from the factions, and the knowledge that my Divergent identity is more important than I could have known. My existence is a signal that we need to leave this city and offer our help to whoever is outside it.
“I want to know,” Cara says, running her hand over her face. “I need to know how long we’ve been here. Would you stop pacing for one minute?”
You can read the full excerpt online HERE.
Rating: 7 – Very Good
Reading Next: Fortune’s Pawn by Rachel Bach
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61 Comments
hapax
November 5, 2013 at 10:15 amI am so happy to read this review, because my reaction was almost exactly the same: loved the messiness, appreciated the conclusion, was frustrated by the science, the info-dumping, and the sickly-sweet “romance.”
My biggest annoyance: the way that the alternating voices of Tris and Tobias sounded EXACTLY THE SAME. I am not joking; I lost count of how many times I had to flip back to the chapter heading to remember which point of view I was supposed to be reading.
Biggest positives (that you haven’t mentioned already) — I really liked the story’s metaphorical stand-in for racism (trying to avoid spoilers here). Such aspects as the corrosive effect of racism on the victims’ own self-perception, and the inability of the privileged (no matter how sympathetic) to “get” the pervasive oppression, are very seldom addressed in these kinds of books.
Also really admired the way that both Tris’s and Tobias’s final choices quite explicitly united all the different virtues of the factions — selflessness, courage, rationality, honesty, and peace-making — albeit in very different ways.
(And, although I usually hate epilogs with a burning fiery passion, this one did make me sniffle, in a good way)
Lauren
November 5, 2013 at 1:01 pmHapax, I’m really glad you also found the two points of view ridiculously similar in tone. I feel like Tris and Four are not dissimilar enough to warrant their own POV chapters, but I understand why V. Roth decided to do it that way, considering how it all turns out
One of the only things I did enjoy and appreciate was the ending. I am not angry in the least, and think it was a ballsy move on Roth’s part.
Overall, I was really disappointed with Allegiant. I wasn’t excited by it, and it felt like more of a chore to read it. Yes, there were some action-packed sections, and interesting ideas, but overall, as Thea said it got too bogged down in over-explanations of the science, the serums, the political shifts. The ending is the only thing that saved Allegiant, in my opinion, and it was so rushed that I barely had time to feel anything about it, until after I closed the book.
Emily
November 5, 2013 at 7:08 pmThea, did you see your name in the back of the book? My friend told me that there were thanks to the Divergent faction blogs, and Roth put names of the participants of each blog. I saw your name under Abnegation–Ana’s too. And I’m pretty sure I saw you mention that you were Abnegation, right?
Misti
November 5, 2013 at 8:25 pmGreat review. I’ve tried to stay away from a lot of the spoilers, but I’m glad to see a review from someone who liked it. I have enjoyed the first 2 books, but think “popcorn book” is a good description for them. I’m not invested enough to care how the series ends but I will definitely borrow it from my library to read.
Amalia
November 5, 2013 at 11:09 pmI agree with your point that this book had many potholes, especially in the beginning half. There were at least three times within the first five chapters in which I thought, “I would be perfectly happy with the book ending right here…except for [insert one teeny nagging question]. I appreciate the ending and Veronica Roth’s bravery for writing it and then putting it out there in this really good series that so many people stuck with. It wasn’t a fairytale ending, that’s for sure.
Jennifer
November 6, 2013 at 4:58 amI disliked nearly the entire book, and the only thing that was kind of ok, was more thanks to the fact I disliked the book… though I also felt it was more a shocker to make easier to accept the rest.
There were too many plot-holes, characters behaving out-of-character, not a real conflictual entity. I got bored with the too many kissing times. Well I was a sceptic during all the book. I also hated sometimes Four et Tris. Too many naive things or conveniently solved things. To me in a way, it was a fairy tale ending except one thing.
I should have stopped with the first book (since I didn’t enjoy the second one) and I regretted I advised it.
Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books
November 6, 2013 at 8:46 pmI appreciated reading your review – it’s one of the few well-rationalized reviews that actually finds merit within Roth’s work. I understand what you have to say, and upon finishing Allegiant I spent a bit of time struggling over how I truly felt about it as a whole (and of course about that ending). In the end, I completely agree that this was a gutsy, ambitious novel, but I don’t think that it was well-executed for all the ambitions that Roth has. And while I agree that the ending is believable in terms of what happens, I don’t think it makes sense within the broader context of the world that Roth developed. After all, O’Hare is only one small part of a much, much bigger governmental system that has the capability of quelling rebellion. But that’s just me. I really am enjoying reading others’ reactions to this work, and it’s awesome that this one did seem to work out for you overall. 🙂
Bibliotropic
November 7, 2013 at 8:06 amYeah, the serums thing kind of made me raise an eyebrow more than once, too. I get that “death serum” sounds really dramatic, but what’s wrong with the simple word “poison?” Or “toxin?” Sure, the amount to the same thing, but the overreliance of the resums was starting to get a little tedious.
I was actually very impressed by the ending, mostly because it was so different than most other novels of this type that I read. You get into the mindset that no matter how bad things get for the characters, the protagonist will live and be with the one she loves and live happily ever after to book. And them BAM, this book throws the genre a bit of a curveball, shocking people out of complacency. I thought the ending made the book as a whole that much stronger.
Meaghan
November 12, 2013 at 6:39 pmI was really upset with the ending of Allegiant. The main reason I loved the series was because of Tobias and Tris’ relationship. I balled my eyes out the last few chapters. One thing I did admire about the book was the way Tris did die, she did not go without being stupid for once. Overall I thought it was the worst out of the three books. I completely agree with everyone, he whole serum this was pretty stupid. I wonder how this will play out as a movie; especially the alternating
perspectives. I literally just finished the book and am stunned with the ending. I really wonder what sort of other ideas Roth had writing the ending of this book. Although I feel like Tris and Tobias living happily ever after would a been a really easy way to close the books for Roth.
Joleen
November 18, 2013 at 2:25 pmI really enjoyed this book, but it seemed to really fall apart at the ending. I was really hoping to see what happens with Tris and Tobias, and how they would fixed their world together.
But I did love it, how she relized that she didn’t belong to anyone, and her family was the most imporant thing to her, even after what her brother did.
Adrianna
November 23, 2013 at 8:50 pmI definitely would not mind, or be surprised, if when Allegiant becomes a movie, the screenwriters will change the story to fix the plotholes of this book. I honestly can’t see how they can split this book into two movies like Twilight Breaking Dawn and how Mockingjay will be either.
CT
November 27, 2013 at 9:37 amI have never felt so angry, disappointed or upset at the end of a book. I understand that this is the authors work and she is entitled to end it any way she likes. But through two and a half books I felt hope. Hope for the characters who were broken from violence and loss. Even though i disliked the sudden change in perspective and some of the less than believable plot twists, underdeveloped thought processes and the use of words most teenagers wouldn’t even imagine using, three quarters of the way through this book I was prepared to read it again. But now I can’t even face it. In the end I felt nothing but emptiness, sadness and despondency. Even if the ending made sense to the author she must have known that the fans would not appreciate it. There were so many options open to her which the fans would have been satisfied with. It didn’t have to be happily ever after but it could have been anything with our two heroes side by side. I mean, for goodness sake, even JK Rowling didn’t kill Harry Potter, although that’s clearly what she could have done. Just because it can happen it doesn’t mean it has to.
Unfortunately, I am lost to Roth as a fan. And I am sure many others are as well. I will never buy another Roth book again. To think that she would like fans to now purchase her Four book is beyond laughable. Especially after hearing of her apathy towards the books fans. It would be wise for her to remember without fans there would be no sales and hence no books.
Anonymous
November 27, 2013 at 7:22 pmIt’s quite ballsy to kill off the protagonist, I’ll give her that. I didn’t even cry when Tris died. Not out of heartlessness. But between the confusing voices of now two indestinguishable protagonists and the bogged down genetic/serum attempt at explaining away this world I lost attachment to the story. I love her general writing style, which can pierce to the soul of humanity, but too any collarbones and glassy eyes and genes dulled the luster.
Anonymous
November 27, 2013 at 7:37 pmI think if Tris had sacrificed herself to truly make the world a better place, and there was direct evidence of her saving everyone, there would be less backlash and more satisfaction. Her death felt pointless, and that’s the worst pill of all to swallow.
Mary
November 28, 2013 at 2:28 amWhat ever you do …… DO NOT READ THIS TRILOGY! I would skip out on the movie, too.
Minuri
December 3, 2013 at 1:02 pmI agree with all of you guys. I have a 15 year old friend who really wants to read this book, but I don’t want to give it to her because of the ending. She is a huge fan of Tris and I really don’t want to be the one who ruins it for her.
There were so many directions in which the story could have gone. I admit, I did forsee this when she announced that the book was going to be in both Tris’s and Four’s perspectives, but I honestly thought Four was going to be killed off, not Tris. Though it was a gutsy choice, it was completely unnecessary.
I was uber excited for Divergent the movie (before I read Alleigant that is), but now I think I’m gonna skip it.
Anna
December 4, 2013 at 7:33 pmI loved this whole series very much. Veronica Roth stole my heart right after finishing the first book, and I was hungry for more. Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant all give a reader a reason to be hooked. I couldn’t focus on my internship over these books! Reading under my desk, bringing it to my lunch hour, simply being addicted to the works of Veronica Roth. I do wish that Insurgent could have had Tobias’ POV. And I wish maybe we could have included the other characters in a POV style. (Christina’s POV, Uriah’s POV, so on…) But I do recommend this book. It was amazing, and young readers should give it a shot.
Samantha
December 6, 2013 at 12:51 pmI was on the fence, but after reason your review I think I’ll take a chance and buy the book!
Autumn
December 8, 2013 at 10:47 pmThe perspectives did get kind of messy and I noticed both POV’s were written in the same way, but I did understand it. I agree there was too much love scenes going on in Allegiant but I truly enjoyed how Tris and Tobias broke apart for a while and you could see things from his perspective. The ending however; I may be the only one to say this but: was amazing! Yes, I cried when (you know who) died and it was a very horrible, honorable death with revelation as well. I believe it was truly a horrible death but what books do you know that end like this? Most books; the main character gets away scott-free in the end! (Twilight, Hunger Games, Harry Potter) and this ending really got me and left me crazy thinking about what happened! The epilogue especially saddened me but I believe this is a great book for young readers. It truly teaches about equality, selflessness, and much more! It also shows how not all rebellion has a good after-effect which I very much appreciate.
zack
December 10, 2013 at 9:39 pmI loved the first two books took me 4 days to read them you should all read it it gets really good at the end
Joshua
December 10, 2013 at 9:43 pmOf you like suspesful books this series is the way to go I enjoyed them all READ THE BOOKSSSS if you don’t you will ne sorry
jessica
December 10, 2013 at 9:44 pmLoved them
Jennifer
December 14, 2013 at 11:39 pmBut someone sacrificed oneself and made the world a better place… or I haven’t read the same thing than you. Well if it was shown to be a even more obvious worthwile sacrifice, I think it would be rains of flowers, rainbows, candies and unicorns everywhere. And well I would still hate this book, since from the start it was plothole after plothole, and the end too was a plothole. Power of love… when before everyone agreed to kill each other, finally understanding. Everything going smoothly in the right direction.
But I actually didn’t enjoy the second book, that seems more like to me senselessy running away with deaths. And it’s true that even if I liked the first book, I thought the qualities separation wasn’t really that believable.
jo
December 15, 2013 at 5:54 pmWhy?! I enjoyed the first 2 books in this series, Divergent and insurgent . The first will be a major motion picture this April, which I will now not be attending or suggesting others go see. I’m always searching for books and stories with a strong female lead and this had one until the author decided to kill off her main female character at the end of the last book. I teach reading to young adults so it is part of my work to read and suggest reading material and I feel responsible for what I recommend. Of course, I’m not happy about it, but it is Ms. Roth’s prerogative to write what she wishes and it is mine to think she is an idiot. She stated she killed off her main female character because Tris needed to learn how to be self-sacrificing. What about the male main character, why not kill him instead and keep the brave, intelligent, fearless female lead alive. Have her learn how to become stronger and forgiving after she loses her loved one. Why create what could have been a beloved heroine and a shiny example to young girls and then kill her off. To me it feels like she is saying to the millions of young girls who read and loved her books, “Fuck you, you can try to be amazing but in the end you will be nothing if you don’t sacrifice everything you are and could be for a man.” What a great message, Ms. Roth. Yes, it is gutsy to kill off your main character but it almost feels like she does it to shock her readers, as if Tris’s death will suddenly turn this popcorn crap into the great American novel. It doesn’t and she has lost a large part of her fan base because she needed to be different from the other YA books. We’ll it doesn’t make it different, it only makes it bad!
Clark
December 18, 2013 at 9:03 amI think all of the talk about Veronica Roth owing anything to her fanbase in terms of narrative is selfish entitlement. Simply put, Mrs. Roth wrote the story that she wanted to tell, and considering the past of the character that passed away, it felt like a real, true character moment, and not something that just happened for the sake of a shocking ending. It made sense, it felt like something the character would actually do, and it was not contrived in the slightest. Yes, there were a lot of problems with the book, but the ending was not one of them.
SAKUU
December 24, 2013 at 11:14 amI’ve read the reviews so far and I agree with people who actually confused between the point of views if Tobias and Tris.
The romance was perf. That actually kept me going further and their strong relationship was the reason was the reason that kept me going on.
The whole serum thing was so confusing I couldnt understand what the author was upto and where did she intend on leading it with..?
But whatever it shattered me and my heart was ripped into pieces. The ending was an utter disappointment because considering it looked real and all but still Tobias didn’t deserve that.
I loved Tobias’s and Christina’s character. The death were really stupid, ridiculous and heart breaking.
I was literally sobbing by the end of it and I couldn’t stop my tears from streaking down my cheeks.
Such tragic ending can really effect fans and its significance can really change a reader’s mind. And just because of the ending I didn’t like it. I mean why did i even bother reading it after all altho I really don’t know Im kinda at loss for words.
sam
December 29, 2013 at 11:54 pmwhy roth? why…? honestly I don’t know if I should cry or not. I feel empty now that tris is gone… even if it is just a story… i’m sad and broken because tris has already sacrificed a lot for a lot of people.. including tobias… I felt connected to the series before, but now I feel empty. I feel in love with tris and her relationship with tobias… you made the story based on being brave or being a coward and I think you’re being a coward! tell America that you made a mistake and fix it! I know you can. I love your writing style and I know that you’re a strong woman… please do the right thing…..
disappointed
December 31, 2013 at 1:56 amo I just have to say it, you suck Veronica Roth. I just read all 3 Divergent books in less than 5 days and I cannot believe Allegiant. I mean really? I have read ALOT, I mean ALOT, of books and I have never been more disappointed in a book in my life! This coming from the person who cried for weeks (over exaggeration, kinda) after reading The Half Blood Prince. Wow, guess there is no reason to go see your movies now…
Grumbles
December 31, 2013 at 4:18 pmThe authors decision to kill off a main character was not brave in my view. It was a potential career limiting one. It felt amateur somehow and the shock factor VR may have been going for is outweighed greatly by the disdain that follows for a) reading the rest of the book and b) watching the movies. Hugely disappointed. Felt VR also cheated the readers by skimming over ever so briefly when Tris and Tobias finally come together. This could have been an amazing trilogy, but sadly, in my view, fell short by a long shot.
Julia
January 6, 2014 at 2:20 pmI have to admit like many other fans of the trilogy that I enjoyed the first two books and probably the first half of Allegiant, although the POV from tris to tobias got a littl confusing at times.
What disappointed me was how tris decided to sacrifice her life instead of caleab after all he did. I was pretty ticked off when tris dies and tobias loses it.
Although the epilogue explains everything being okay and united again, it was upsetting how tris is not there alive. I will admit that i see y Roth decided tht tris dies, taking a diff turn from most YA books, but i would agree that letting tris live and finding another way to end the story wud have been a lot better.
Elizabeth Taylor
January 7, 2014 at 7:21 pmI just…there are too many words to all put down. I have never found myself so attached to a series before I read this one, and when I read a good series I will read it again and again…not so with this one. The first two books were amazing, but then the third one was utter crap. The switching between narratives was so confusing I had to continually look back to the beginning of the chapter to see whether it was Tobias or Tris. And more than that, Roth’s first two books were from Tris’ point of view, you can’t just go switching it on the last book, confusing all of the readers, that’s not good writing style; not to mention all of the gaps in the story. You left me with so many questions, and not the good kind making me want to read more. …now to the worst part of the book. And I’m not necessarily talking about the fact that Tris died, I was almost expecting it, no. It’s HOW she died. I had to reread those few chapters to make sure she really was dead! What Ms. Roth did here was not heroic or of good writing style, it was just plain lazy and sloppy. It felt as though she was tired of writing and just needed the book to end so she quickly killed off Tris and called it a day. Her death was so passive it was like she didn’t mean a thing, like he whole struggle she was put through was worthless. Tris was this amazing, strong, brave, incredible example for all young women to never give up hope, and the first two books helped me through the loss of my grandmother, the woman who raised me. Tris was strong despite being haunted by her parents death, her example inspired me and always left me with a sense of hope, of happiness in the end…and for her to die as though it meant nothing was discguisting. She died just as quickly as any other character in that book had. Readers and fans everywhere were in love with this book, Roth…and you had to go murdering the person who made the books, the MAIN CHARACTER…really? You couldn’t have thought of a better ending? I know you say that that’s what she gets for always flirting with death, but I expected more from you. And then how you responded to people who had seen you in person and expressed their disappointment, for you to just tell them ‘go get an ice cream and make yourself feel better’. That’s low. Not even giving a reason, just essentially telling them to get over it. That’s not a good writer, that’s not a good person. You’ve lost me as well as a lot of other fans. I was so excited for that movie, now I don’t think I want to waste my time watching it, especially not my money to pay for it because you, Ms. Roth, don’t deserve the monetary nor the congratulatory benefits of making such a series. Good luck ever gaining back the fans you’ve lost. I for one, am not going to waste my time with any of your books again.
Erin
January 12, 2014 at 7:54 pmMy favorite series of all time was Divergent… until I read Allegiant. The ending with Tris dying? To me, personally, I wouldn’t like that, it just ruined my image of the perfect couple; Tobias and Tris. I mean, if she did die, at least in the epilogue say something like; Tobias grew older and died at age 67. He met up with Tris in the afterlife, happy to be able to see each other… I mean, lots of fan are grieving on the fact Tris died, not just because the main character is gone, but the whole romance was for no reason. There’s no ending to the love, it was just like first 2 book: love and talks about if they’re right for each other, then book 3: we are right for each other, but one of us has to die (I don’t mean to sound sarcastic, but that’s how I felt about the book) Veronica Roth is a talented writer, but I wished that ther relationship shouldn’t just end like that.
Europa, Slovakia
January 22, 2014 at 1:25 pmif you wanted to write about veronica concerning parents, she wrote another story … if you wanted to write about sacrificing life of a young girl, she wrote another story …
Fantasy stories have to give people hope, the triumph of good over evil … such a negative feeling I had long ago and I do not have one, sorry saga ends in my library
Ella
January 22, 2014 at 9:42 pmI actually totally agreed with you…wow, that’s rare!
But I do want to put in one more merit of the book: the fact that I COULD NOT STOP. It was so gripping, even if the pacing was uneven.
I know a lot of people hated the end, but I actually loved it- the risk Veronica Roth took. It completely makes sense with Tris’s character, to me.
Four lover
February 15, 2014 at 2:51 amI thought she would make it and she was hallucinating her mom and skipped over the Tobias chapter and cried for hours till my friend said to quit it because tris would be looking down from heaven calling me a pansycake 😭
Four lover
February 15, 2014 at 2:55 amI love the divergent series and personally think the song counting stars was written by Tobias for tris but why did she make the epilogue so sad
May
February 16, 2014 at 7:05 amBefore I begin my rant, my grievance is not mainly with the series and it’s end, but with the writer. This series had me hooked, I couldn’t stop… through the first 2 books. I really had to push myself through Allegiant. I was like so many of you, flipping back trying to figure out which character’s perspective I was reading. I knew that something terrible would happen to Tris in the final book. Whether it was with her and Tobias, her and David, etc. I just did not expect this ending. After I thought back on Divergent and Insurgent it made complete sense for Tris to die, just not in the way it happened. It was so quick and ultimately so pointless that I was doubting if she was actually dead. To be left with what Veronica Roth left me with is insulting. I am an avid reader and I really can’t remember a time when I was so dissatisfied at the end of a series. It is insulting that she would tell fans to, “Just get over it”. She apparently has no idea the power a writer and the stories they weave hold over an audience. I understand the ending, on some levels I agree with it, but it was so rushed and sloppy that I could barely read the pathetic attempt at an ending. I am also among the ex-fans. Not because of the ending, but because of the way the fans were treated afterwards. Of course a majority was upset, what did she expect? I have lost almost all love for the series solely because of Veronica Roth and her terrible behavior. Simply because the feelings of the fans seem to mean nothing to her. Many of the bestselling authors of today are loved because of the love and respect they have for us, the fans. Roth is not among them.
Shanaya
February 20, 2014 at 5:19 amThis is one series in which the sequels get progressively worse. I completely disliked this book. For starters, Tobias underwent a huge transformation from a badass to a broken down, sentimental and mindless version of himself. The plot itself was so anti climatic, highly depressing and overall very boring with no real justifications. Also, after reading Allegiant the first two books get spoilt for the reader because you know that Tris dies and Tobias isn’t actually divergent and they’re all part of some lame experiment and are under constant surveillance. So everything they do seems like a pointless waste. Divergent started off with a brilliant concept, strong characters and a very good setting, and was an amazing read overall. Insurgent I found to be not so great, but still a good story. However Allegiant just killed it all for me. Also, I feel that Tris’ death takes away the main focus of the book, and though I was shocked and couldn’t believe that she was dead, it didn’t leave me in tears for two reasons- first, that the book was so bad that I didn’t care what happened in the end, and second that Tris could have been given a better death, and her final message for Tobias was the worst parting message anyone can give for someone they love. The epilogue was still okay, but overall I was thoroughly disappointed with the book and it’s ridiculous plot
Shanaya
February 20, 2014 at 5:20 amThis is one series in which the sequels get progressively worse. I completely disliked this book. For starters, Tobias underwent a huge transformation from a badass to a broken down, sentimental and mindless version of himself. The plot itself was so anti climatic, highly depressing and overall very boring with no real justifications. Also, after reading Allegiant the first two books get spoilt for the reader because you know that Tris dies and Tobias isn’t actually divergent and they’re all part of some lame experiment and are under constant surveillance. So everything they do seems like a pointless waste. Divergent started off with a brilliant concept, strong characters and a very good setting, and was an amazing read overall. Insurgent I found to be not so great, but still a good story. However Allegiant just killed it all for me. Also, I feel that Tris’ death takes away the main focus of the book, and though I was shocked and couldn’t believe that she was dead, it didn’t leave me in tears for two reasons- first, that the book was so bad that I didn’t care what happened in the end, and second that Tris could have been given a better death, and her final message for Tobias was the worst parting message anyone can give for someone they love. The epilogue was still okay, but overall I was thoroughly disappointed with the book and it’s poor plot
JaneAustman
February 20, 2014 at 5:36 amDivergent may have been among my favourite books, but that went to hell with Allegiant. Insurgent was a good book, Divergent a spectacular one and Allegiant probably one of the worst books I have ever read. For one, I was so confused about who’s perspective I was reading the book from, and for another, the plot was so terribly bad, undramatic and so pointless that it completely ruined the other books for me. All that nonsense about genes, and the whole thing being an experiment was utter bullshit, and Tobias’ transformation from one of my favourite characters to a foolish, desperate person didn’t help. I felt no excitement upon reading the book and had to drag myself across the pages. I get the fact that killing Tris makes the book seem more realistic, but a main character deserves a much better death and Tris’ death in this book was pointless, rushed and a complete waste. And I had to finish the whole book before realising that Tris was actually dead, and not because I couldn’t believe that the main character had died but because of the shitty way in which she had. This was a poor excuse for a book and a pathetic attempt at trying to do something different. I’d definitely not recommend this book to anyone, especially if you’ve read Divergent and Insurgent. Better to have a good opinion of the series than read the last book and be disappointed and want to kill yourself because of how bad the book is.
RN
February 24, 2014 at 3:41 pmI love to read. This book almost ruined reading for me… Reading Allegiant simply made me regret reading the series at all. Waste of time. Sorry VR, you have lost a fan.
Jenny
March 4, 2014 at 2:46 pmI actually agree how she ended the book and granted she died for her brother. Even though we all now what he did. If it was my family I would have done the same thing . And we all probably would have. Everyone needs to stop hating on this lady. Because she is awesome . And is such a talented writer.
Chanel
March 22, 2014 at 7:44 pmI have to say I was very upset with the ending to the series.. I balled my eyes out! Like some said, I liked what Tris and Tobias had going.. And then what? You just take that away? I would say I liked the series except for the ending. Horrible depressing everyone. Please write an alternate ending or something..
Anonymous
April 6, 2014 at 5:34 amAlleging means to die for a cause. I love the way that Veronica Roth finished the book because it made the reader realise that even though Tris had gone through so much and escaped so many risky things, she was NOT invincible and was still capable of dying. Also in a way it made me connect more with her because she made me love her even more because of how she sacrificed herself to save everyone. This is why Roth named the book Allegient because Tris died for a cause.
Anonymous
May 1, 2014 at 5:41 pmI really loved these books they had me hooked I could not stop reading them. I was very sad about the ending but I still really liked it it cuz Tris died saving everyone. I could actually see Tris doing something like that it wasn’t out of character. I really liked the action and the romance I’ve already seen the movie and I thought it matched the book very well and was very good.
Annie Culley
May 2, 2014 at 9:05 ami love dogs and insurgent and divergent but didnt like allegiant
oatus
May 4, 2014 at 6:26 ammy name is oatus and i like fairy floss. i am 12 years old and i would like to say something VERY important:
………pimples are yucky
oatus
May 4, 2014 at 6:27 ammy name is oatus and i like fairy floss. i am 12 years old and i would like to say something VERY important:
……………….pimples are yucky
blagggghhhhh ewwie buk buk
[ihbyucfgvbujkl[l
May 4, 2014 at 6:38 amhi
DOG LOVER ANNIE CULLEY
May 4, 2014 at 6:39 amDOGS ARE PAWESOME!!
VERONICA ROTH RULES AND…
DIVERGENT IS THE BEST BOOK EVER
THEN INSURGENT
AND ALLEGIANT ENDING IS TOO SAD 4 MEH
mimimimiu
May 4, 2014 at 6:40 amhttp://thebooksmugglers.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_biggrin.gif
mimimimiu
May 4, 2014 at 6:40 amhttp://thebooksmugglers.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif
lorca garcia
May 26, 2014 at 12:42 amLoved the two first books, they were recommended by my middle school students who love Tris as a heroine and are completely in love with Four! I agree with everyone that did not like the ending. There were many possibilities to end a trilogy like this one with the two protagonist facing a destructed world or something dramatic, but together. It did not necessarily needed to be walking toward the sunset together, but killing the protagonist! come on that was not gutsy of the writer, it was selfish. All that crap about “Abnegation” and selflessness and her mother dying for Tris to live and at the end it is that same mother that takes Tris’ opportunity to live and fight for what he believes with Tobias. The author said in a interview that from the beginning she knew Tris was going to died.”she came close in the first and second book, but it was not the write time” of course it was not the right time, if she killed her then, she won’t have a story, so that type of comments are out of place. I think that she thought that everyone was going to cheer her up, but she needs to learn and respect her audience, if she is going to address young readers, she better be careful how she present her characters and the end she gives them. To finish up, one of my students (7th grader) was crying when she told me that it looked like Tobias was going to get together with Christina at the end and that was betray for her. Sorry Veronica Roth, but if you only care about the story as you have said in your interviews, then write only for you!
idk
November 8, 2014 at 11:36 pmOkay, I don’t get how these series got a 7, they are VERY predictable, i mean the strong heroine it’s different (OMG she is divergent!*sarcasm*) and the boy that she loves it´s like her. And, yeah, obviously she was going to die, because they were trying to put a good ending in a bad book.Honestly I started reading divergent, and I get bored in less than a half of the book.
Neha Shayar
November 28, 2014 at 10:46 amI actually liked the ending as there was a message in it. It was sad and made me cry a little too. Even now whenever I go through the last pages, tears show up in my eyes.
I admire Tris and Four. The characters are great and so is the story.
The real problem with it is that it didn’t meet my expectations. The last two books were great but this book was lacking in something and that was- thrill. It is adventurous, through but is more inclined towards sci-fi and less towards action and adventure. The conclusion was perfect and couldn’t have been better. It taught me so many things but was missing the essence of Divergent and Insurgent.
These are my views but if you like sci-fi more than you must check it out.
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cheyenne cantwell
September 16, 2015 at 5:03 pmon what page in allegiant is the word avid on? I need it for school! PLEASE HELP BEFORE NEXT THURSDAY OR TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous
March 31, 2016 at 7:39 pmi really enjoyed the book it is really good everyone should read it its amazing trust me
Jenny
July 5, 2016 at 6:08 amI loved the ending. Out of the whole book I think it is the most justified action and comes full circle. I think those last few chapters were well written and packed with emotion. I really loved how in one chapter Four ( Or maybe Tris? It was kinda hard to tell who was who) was thinking about how different everyone is in the morning from Cara to Christina. I know that many people ate angry at it but I actually think it was better than Insurgent for some reason. “I suppose a fire that burns that bright was not meant to last.” Just broke my heart. Tris really was such a great character, she wasn’t nice all that much yet she is the one who saved thousands of lives.
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