Allegiant

Divergent Trilogy, Book 3

By: Veronica Roth

Narrated by: Emma Galvin, Aaron Stanford

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 explosive conclusion to Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times best-selling Divergent trilogy reveals the secrets of the dystopian world that has captivated millions of listeners in Divergent and Insurgent.

©2013 Veronica Roth (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Takes us in a different direction than anticipated

Allegiant concludes the trilogy about a girl who made changes - changes to herself. her family, and the world she inhabits. Those who are giving poor ratings are likely looking for popcorn ending and complaining when the get a steak dinner. It is worthy of the investment to read Allegiant even though the conclusion is not what most readers likely expect. I hope it is the story Ms. Roth wanted to tell because she did so with style and dignity for Tris Pryor - putting Tris's story above easy fortune.

Great stories and characters challenge us to be better than we currently are. They should force us to realize time is short and heroes are few. The story of Tris Pryor should get us to question the changes going on us and, more importantly, the lack of change heading towards the better. Tris stands for questioning and acting against the status quo. Tris is a hero, even before the start of Allegiant. Although she may not 'officially' be thought of as one at the end, the change she brings forth is indeed heroic in so many unstated ways. Take time to think about the story beyond the words on the page. Contemplate what this diminutive teenage character accomplishes from the time she walks home from school wondering which faction to choose until the final confrontation with David in the laboratory. Recognize Tris's sacrifices for people who knew her and the thousands of others who never had that privilege. Let go of your on selfish expectation and see the change in you the author is trying to develop today, so that a Tris in the future doesn't have to end like the one in Allegiant.

Expect to be moved by Allegiant instead of handed another formulaic and marketable conclusion. Congratulations Ms. Roth, for choosing to be Divergent. Emma Galvin will forever be the voice of Tris Pryor - an accomplishment for which she should be proud.

Very disappointed. Didn't want to finish it

Would you try another book from Veronica Roth and/or Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford ?

Yes

Has Allegiant turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

What about Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford ’s performance did you like?

Very good narrators. I will not hesitate to listen to them in the future.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Not a all. I am not going to see the movie on the first book now.

Any additional comments?

While reading the first two books I was singing the praises of the books and author. I was amazed that such a young author wrote about such a complex world so well. Halfway through the third book, I was glad that Audible gave refunds. It was as if Ms Roth had taken an upper level writing class and turned this in for her final exam. She has a lot of potential and I do hope she doesn't give up.

Felt like I was reading a rough draft.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The first two books were great. This book did not have the character development the prior books had. This book seemed hurried and unfocused.

Wonderful end to Divergent Series

What did you love best about Allegiant?

Veronica stayed true to the characters. As tragic as it is to lose some of them, not every story can have a happy ending. I think this series came full circle, and I'm OK with how it ended. I especially love the Epilogue.

What did you like best about this story?

I love that we were able to see the main characters grow. They learned from their experiences, much like in real life. This book felt the most real to me of the three. They all tug on my heart strings, but this one really reeled me in.

What about Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford ’s performance did you like?

They are Tris and Tobias. That's it... They brought them to life so perfectly. It will be strange to hear other voices reciting their lines in the film adaptation.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I think the chosen tag line for the book is perfect. One Choice Will Define You.

Any additional comments?

Thank you Veronica Roth for this wonderful series. It is by far one of the best I have ever read. I look forward to reading them over and over, along with anything else you pen in the future. You are brilliant.

Heart Wrenching

What did you love best about Allegiant?

Dynamic ending to a great series.

What did you like best about this story?

Triumph over human fallacies and diversity.

What does Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narration brought the characters to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Avoid all the reviews! Spoilers abound!

(So naturally here I am writing one. But don't worry, this will be completely spoiler-free!)

I’ve been struggling with the best way to review Allegiant. I think the best way is discuss it as lightly as possible.

AVOID ALL THE REVIEWS! Spoilers would ruin the story, and this is one of those books where everyone will be tempted to spill the beans! Seriously, if you’ve gotten this far you already know if you want to continue, so close your eyes and put in your earphones and go for it.

Now, without giving anything away, I’ll say these few things. The first book in the series showed us Tris’s view of the world through a very close lens. The second book still showed the world through Tris’s eyes, but expanded the focus outward – her world expanded a bit. This third book shows us the broadest view yet. The camera lens has gone wide focus, and part of that includes showing us the world through Tobias’s eyes. Tris and Tobias take turns relating the story to the readers, giving us their inner thoughts and impressions along the way, which is why there are two narrators this time around. It’s very well done. I loved hearing more from Tobias, and seeing how Tris and Tobias try to embrace their chosen values from different directions.

If you avoid reading anything in advance you’ll have no idea where this book is going. You may think you do at several points along the way, but the road to the end result takes a few dramatic turns. I can see why the reviews are so very mixed. My own opinions on the way things ended up are…divergent. I can see several sides but don’t want to risk saying more than that.

Overall, this was very good, not quite great, and never the least bit boring. Left me a little bit stunned. The narration was excellent, and if you’ve read the previous books than you already know if you want to read this too. Now close your eyes and run away from the vast sea of potential spoilers!

Very brave author.

While this book was easily my least favorite of the series, I don't know why people didn't like it, other than the obvious of course. I really enjoyed this book, and while there are a few holes that I felt could have been filled out, I think the author did a remarkable job. The gd and gp explanations helped divergent make a little more sense to me, and while I wasn't really ok with the ending, part of me feels it had to be that way. After all, it takes a very brave author to allow that kind of series ending for their heroine. I would read it again.

Full of deep messages and worth the listen

I really liked this book and didn't plan on writing a review until I saw all the negative reviews that were out there. I thought I might offer another opinion to consider.

Other reviewers say they didn't like the choice the author made for ending the story. I get that. I didn't like it either, but not because it was poorly written. I didn't like it because I was so attached to the characters I didn't like the outcome for them.That's an important distinction, I believe. Being so attached to the characters that I disliked the ending means the author did her job - she got me to care!

One reviewer wrote that she had wanted the story to leave her feeling uplifted and Allegiant did not do that. I get how someone could feel that way - certainly I wished the ending was different too. But - if you read deeply the messages of this book, they are really profound. And with that profoundness comes a hope that individual readers can take away from the book if they want to.

Here are a few messages I picked up on (but before you read them... there are a few statements that could be considered spoilers):

- how we each change and impact those around us
- how we are each more than our genetics - we are our choices
- regarding the pain that comes from loss - although we all wish we didn't have this, and wish to forget and put away the pain, it is important to have our memories of the past because they make us who we are.
- Sacrifice is a gift when it is motivated by love.
- And here's a quote I liked a lot: "There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater. But sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through the pain and work of every day; the slow walk toward a better life."

For me, the book was worth the listen for the depth of thinking and reflecting I experienced while listening.

I would recommend it to others.

A fitting end to a marvellous series

I loved the philosophical political view presented and the ending is well done and true to the spirit of the characters. (I should have revisited the first two books before listening to this as it took me a little while to get back into the rhythm of it.)

Not sure what all the fuss was about?

I am surprised at all the 1 star reviews. I did not think this story was a let down. If you know anything about eugenics, or the writings of Margarent Senger and George Bernard Shaw then this was quite an interesting book. I would not skip this book at all!