Content warning
Minor ending spoilers for Allegiant, by Veronica Roth
I listened to the audiobooks of this series because I'd watched the movies, only to find that Allegiant movie is only part 1 of 2, and that part 2 never got made, so I was left wondering how it ended.
Having finished the book, and found (unsurprisingly) that the story is a little different from the movies, and that the ending was… bittersweet, I think it's fair to say that while I would've been frustrated continuing to wonder at the ending, it's certainly not the most satisfying!
This series is quite obviously targeting young adults; much of the language is fairly simple (there are so many different words for "they said", but Roth doesn't take many opportunities to use them), but I didn't mind it. What can I say, I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction.
The conclusion of the Divergent trilogy, but unfortunately each consecutive book seems to make less sense. Characters continue to do blatantly stupid things. The Purity Wars and origin of the faction system are explained, and a new conflict is introduced between the genetically pure and impure, which are all potentially interesting plot points, but there are many baffling questions left unanswered about the whole situation. The decisions Tris & co make to resolve the new conflict are poorly thought out and illogical. Several characters just completely change personalities for no clear reason. Tris has apparently near-magical abilities for no good reason. Four turns into a big baby. And the alternating viewpoint between Tris and Four is just kind of confusing. Ending felt forced and rushed. Overall a disappointing finale to the trilogy.
I wasn't sure what I thought about this right after finishing it.
A few days later, I think I really liked it.
The series as a whole definitely had its flaws... particularly, I feel like it could've been two books instead of three, as Insurgent and the first half of Allegiant seemed a little bloated.
But.
I LOVED the relationship between Tris and Four. Especially after reading so much about 50 Shades and Twilight and thinking about what sort of relationships are being modeled there.
Their relationship is so healthy, so real. And it's not some fairy-tale, either: they disagree about things, they make mistakes, they hurt each other. But for the whole series, they talk, they love each other fiercely, they raise each other up. They make each other better people, they give each other strength.
All the way home I thought about what Amar said, about every relationship …
I wasn't sure what I thought about this right after finishing it.
A few days later, I think I really liked it.
The series as a whole definitely had its flaws... particularly, I feel like it could've been two books instead of three, as Insurgent and the first half of Allegiant seemed a little bloated.
But.
I LOVED the relationship between Tris and Four. Especially after reading so much about 50 Shades and Twilight and thinking about what sort of relationships are being modeled there.
Their relationship is so healthy, so real. And it's not some fairy-tale, either: they disagree about things, they make mistakes, they hurt each other. But for the whole series, they talk, they love each other fiercely, they raise each other up. They make each other better people, they give each other strength.
All the way home I thought about what Amar said, about every relationship having its problems. I thought about my parents, who argued more often than any other Abnegation parents I knew, who nonetheless went through each day together until they died. Then I thought of how strong I have become, how secure I feel with the person I now am, and how all along the way he has told me that I am brave, I am respected, I am loved and worth loving.
...
“And,” I say, “I think you’re still the only person sharp enough to sharpen someone like me.” “I am,” he says roughly. And I kiss him. His arms slip around me and hold me tight, lifting me onto the tips of my toes. I bury my face in his shoulder and close my eyes, just breathing in the clean smell of him, the smell of wind. I used to think that when people fell in love, they just landed where they landed, and they had no choice in the matter afterward. And maybe that’s true of beginnings, but it’s not true of this, now. I fell in love with him. But I don’t just stay with him by default as if there’s no one else available to me. I stay with him because I choose to, every day that I wake up, every day that we fight or lie to each other or disappoint each other. I choose him over and over again, and he chooses me.
How could you not love that?
It's not just the central romantic relationship. There are all sorts of really good, interesting, complex relationships in this series. It's about the bonds between people -- family, romantic, friendship -- and how those change, and what they mean.
So, yeah. The plot is a little wobbly sometimes. The writing is sometimes heavy-handed. But it doesn't even matter. These books are great.
Whole trilogy The Divergent trilogy starts in a dystopic Chicago where people are divided into 5 factions that represent their character. Around their 16th birthday, the teenagers need to choose their faction. To help them choosing, they take a test that places them in one or the other factions: tehy can stay in their family faction or be transferred in another that would match them better. Tris' results are rare and somewhat inconclusive: the test puts her in three factions at a time. Tris chooses to be transfered from Abnegation to Dautless. The first book describe her initiation in this faction (which is not easy). The following books tell about the society's evolution, including, in the third book, why and how the society was formed.. A pretty nice trilogy overall, I may go watch the movies.
Como nos tiene acostumbrados la autora, esta última entrega de la trilogía Divergente comienza donde terminó la anterior. Jeanine ha sido no solo derrocada, sino asesinada, y los Sin Facción toman el poder de la ciudad. En esta situación tan desfavorable para Tris y Tobías, un grupo inconformes autoapodados "Los Leales" les dará la oportunidad de conocer lo que hay más allá de las vallas de la ciudad. Esta última novela, he de decir, que no me ha dejado el mismo sabor de boca que las dos anteriores. La autora parece haber alargado su idea hasta puntos inalcanzables y en muchos momentos se vuelve tediosa. Más que un pasatiempos, se convierte en una continua lucha contra las letras que parecen no estar contando nada nuevo página tras página y, aunque es cierto que cada una de las preguntas que pudieran plantearse en las dos anteriores queda respondida en esta, no …
Como nos tiene acostumbrados la autora, esta última entrega de la trilogía Divergente comienza donde terminó la anterior. Jeanine ha sido no solo derrocada, sino asesinada, y los Sin Facción toman el poder de la ciudad. En esta situación tan desfavorable para Tris y Tobías, un grupo inconformes autoapodados "Los Leales" les dará la oportunidad de conocer lo que hay más allá de las vallas de la ciudad. Esta última novela, he de decir, que no me ha dejado el mismo sabor de boca que las dos anteriores. La autora parece haber alargado su idea hasta puntos inalcanzables y en muchos momentos se vuelve tediosa. Más que un pasatiempos, se convierte en una continua lucha contra las letras que parecen no estar contando nada nuevo página tras página y, aunque es cierto que cada una de las preguntas que pudieran plantearse en las dos anteriores queda respondida en esta, no parece suficiente para alcanzar el listón que la misma Veronica Roth había puesto a niveles bastante altos. Es más, el final, ese mismo que ha creado tanto resquemor entre los lectores, parece una decisión, al menos a mi parecer, poco acertada y tomada con prisa. Creo que no habría sufrido demasiado si no hubiera leído este libro. ¿Tú qué opinas? http://www.letrasenlasnubes.blogspot.com.es/
As with the previous two books in this series I finished this one quickly. I had read spoilers about the book and was quite apprehensive how bad it might turn out. I am surprised now that I was fine with what the people complained about. I think it fits with the story and characters and avoids some "happy-ever-after" pitfalls that I tend to abhor. This wasn't the best of the three books but the trilogy overall was made better by it and I think I should upgrade my initial rating of the first book ;)
