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Title: Allegiant (Divergent #3)
Author: Veronica Roth
Year Published: 2013
My Allegiant (#3) Pre-ReadingMy Insurgent (#2) Review
My Insurgent (#2) Pre-Reading
My Divergent (#1) Review
My Divergent (#1) Pre-Reading
Paul's Allegiant (#3) Review
Paul's Allegiant (#3) Pre-Reading
Paul's Insurgent (#2) Review
Paul's Insurgent (#2) Pre-Reading
Synopsis: 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.
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Review: Oh my goodness, this book. I'd read mixed reviews before going into Allegiant (although I somehow managed to avoid spoilers even though I was still active on websites where this book was discussed... thanks for being awesome, internet people!), so I was a little afraid this book might let me down. But it didn't. It definitely didn't.
The beginning was a little slow for me, and other parts seemed really rushed, but I think part of that was from having to create an entirely new part of this world. Everything Tris and Tobias know is questioned, and everything has to be rebuilt from the ground up. I think there was a lot more telling in this book instead of things being inferred, but I'm not really sure how else it would have been done all in one book. The world-building was a little lacking in this book compared to the other ones, but it didn't bother me as much as it typically would.
I did really enjoy that this story was told from two perspectives though. It was a little jarring at first - since the first two are solely from Tris' perspective, Tobias took a little bit to get used to. But then, I don't think this story would have worked any other way. Divergent and Insurgent were definitely Tris' story to tell, but this one belongs to both of them in so many ways. Tobias has issues that he has to deal with, and Tris has her own problems, and it wouldn't have made any sense for Tris to really be able to explain Tobias' problems and thoughts and actions. It was a risky choice, but I think it's one that definitely enhanced this last book.
As I was reading this book, I felt like it had a Maze Runner feel to it. I don't want to spoil anything for either series, but I think people who have read The Maze Runner will understand. One of those "society isn't always what you think it is, we're doing this for your own good" kind of things.
The pacing in this book was definitely very fast-paced, but I think the rest of the series is too so it wasn't off-putting. The whole series is a gigantic roller coaster ride, and this book was true to that. Especially with all of the feels. Oh, the feels. So many emotions on opposite ends of the spectrum that I should have been prepared for but wasn't really. So thanks for that, Veronica. You win.
I don't want to say too much about the ending, because it's one I think everyone should experience on their own (if you haven't had it spoiled yet, keep avoiding those spoilers!), but I will say that I thought it was excellently done. It was risky, and I know quite a few people were outraged by it and hated the book because of it. I, however, think it remained true to the characters. After reading it, I don't think this series could have ended any other way.
If you've read Divergent and Insurgent, you will definitely want to read Allegiant! It has its flaws, but I think it wraps up the series well. I mean, even the epilogue is true to all of the characters. Usually I hate the epilogues, but I enjoyed this one. Any fans of The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner series would most likely enjoy this series, as well as any fans of YA dystopias. 4/5 for this final book in an amazing trilogy!
--Ashley
