Allegiant by Veronica Roth
Allegiant by Veronica Roth is the final book in the young adult science fiction trilogy, Divergent. The copyright date was October 22nd, 2013 and is about a teen Tris Prior and her friends as they rebel against the authority that divides them. In the beginning of the series, Tris lives in a world where you have to choose to live in one of five factions: Abnegation (the selfless), Candor (the honest), Erudite (the intelligent), Dauntless (the brave), and Amity (the kind). Eventually by the third book, Tris is living in a world where the inequality and discrimination she finds is between people labeled genetically pure and people labeled genetically damaged. There are "tests" placed in the world to cure people of being genetically damaged but much like the Chicago test where Tris and her friends escaped from, they usually fail. The final book is about rebelling against titles that separate the community and world. The overall theme of the book is to always fight for equality, and to always be thinking of the greater good.
The story is told through first person point of view, alternating between Tris and her boyfriend Tobias. The book begins with Tris and a group of friends escaping Chicago, their test city, and making it into the outside world. They discover a government research facility that monitors Chicago that takes them in and discover that life outside of the city isn't necessarily better than inside it. The government tells them about tests to see if they're genetically pure (normal people), or if they're somehow genetically damaged from a genetic war in the past. When everyone but Tris discovers that they're "genetically damaged" it upsets them, especially Tobias. While he struggles with coming to terms with being genetically damaged, he becomes cohorts with rebels inside of the government facility, along with Tris and her friends. Though some things go wrong with the group, they end up making the world a better place for equality through sacrifice and forgiveness. This book is intended for audiences around 13-18 and it fits into the science fiction genre because of it's futuristic dystopian setting where genetic warfare has dramatically altered the world we know now. The author uses constant dramatic plot twists and heavy foreshadowing to keep the reader anticipating and interested. The style the author uses seems somewhat distant at first, but becomes more engaging as you read on, making you become more attached to the characters and more affected by the traumatic events of the book which I believe is fitting for teens.
This book taught me the importance of sacrifice and working for a common goal, not in self-interest. However, it did leave me pretty gloomy after the end. The end made me feel like we, as people, can never get a solid happy ending, and the book left a bitter sweet feeling in my mind for days. Allegiant made me feel how important it is to live life in the moment and to take action, when before I would've felt more timid. To me, the heroic actions in the book struck home, and connected well with my personal views on how to go about life. Single choices can change your life forever. Allegiant reminded me of another extremely popular science fiction trilogy The Hunger Games because of the similar traits in the heroines and the dramatic life changes they endure.
Overall, I thought that Allegiant was an interesting close to the Divergent series. However, with every turn I wanted it to be going in a different way. I accept that happy endings aren't realistic, but some of the plot points were dissatisfying to me. But still, I would recommend the book because it's well written and the themes of forgiveness and sacrifice are themes that need to be shared.
Mary White
12/17/13
RATING: *** 3/5
The story is told through first person point of view, alternating between Tris and her boyfriend Tobias. The book begins with Tris and a group of friends escaping Chicago, their test city, and making it into the outside world. They discover a government research facility that monitors Chicago that takes them in and discover that life outside of the city isn't necessarily better than inside it. The government tells them about tests to see if they're genetically pure (normal people), or if they're somehow genetically damaged from a genetic war in the past. When everyone but Tris discovers that they're "genetically damaged" it upsets them, especially Tobias. While he struggles with coming to terms with being genetically damaged, he becomes cohorts with rebels inside of the government facility, along with Tris and her friends. Though some things go wrong with the group, they end up making the world a better place for equality through sacrifice and forgiveness. This book is intended for audiences around 13-18 and it fits into the science fiction genre because of it's futuristic dystopian setting where genetic warfare has dramatically altered the world we know now. The author uses constant dramatic plot twists and heavy foreshadowing to keep the reader anticipating and interested. The style the author uses seems somewhat distant at first, but becomes more engaging as you read on, making you become more attached to the characters and more affected by the traumatic events of the book which I believe is fitting for teens.
This book taught me the importance of sacrifice and working for a common goal, not in self-interest. However, it did leave me pretty gloomy after the end. The end made me feel like we, as people, can never get a solid happy ending, and the book left a bitter sweet feeling in my mind for days. Allegiant made me feel how important it is to live life in the moment and to take action, when before I would've felt more timid. To me, the heroic actions in the book struck home, and connected well with my personal views on how to go about life. Single choices can change your life forever. Allegiant reminded me of another extremely popular science fiction trilogy The Hunger Games because of the similar traits in the heroines and the dramatic life changes they endure.
Overall, I thought that Allegiant was an interesting close to the Divergent series. However, with every turn I wanted it to be going in a different way. I accept that happy endings aren't realistic, but some of the plot points were dissatisfying to me. But still, I would recommend the book because it's well written and the themes of forgiveness and sacrifice are themes that need to be shared.
Mary White
12/17/13
RATING: *** 3/5
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