Book Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant
Divergent #3
Author: Veronica Roth
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopian
Released: October 22nd 2013
Review Source: Purchased

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.

 

I've been dreading to review this book. I've been a fan since I'd first read Divergent. I was in dark moment where all I wanted to read was Twilight fanfics. After forcing myself to stop, I didn't pick a book for a while. I was going over "withdraws". After many months, one day, Yara tells me to read Divergent & tells me all the great things about it. So I decided to give it a try.

After reading Divergent, I just couldn't wait to get my hands on Insurgent, but unfortunately I had to wait for a while. To make a long story short, I'd loved the first two books of this series. Veronica Roth did an incredible job at maintaining my attention throughout the years & I just couldn't wait for the ending. Now that the ending is here, I just wish I could've avoided reading it. I didn't enjoy it at all. Memory serum is indeed needed.

Throughout the book, I just felt like I was reading a textbook. So much information was provided with very little of action. It felt like I was back in school, having to listen to a monotone professor for hours - ouch that was painful! GP, DP, you said what professor? I mean come on, this is a dystopian series, give us some action!

Anyway, after finally getting to ending, I felt like I was slapped in the face. Seriously, she survived the death serum just to get shot after? I just couldn't believe it. I was in denial for days. If she would've died right there and then due to being brave and selfless and not surviving the death serum - totally understandable! Go Tris! But she survived... just to be shot within minutes after overcoming THAT!! I mean come on, that was BIG! Cant you give a girl some credit? I was happy for the first time; I was overjoyed to read the news! But, why? I just couldn't believe it. And the way it was just left off the way it was. I flipped through pages and returned to the same page of that chapter back and forth. I mean, that's it?!

After days passed, I was a bit okay, but then I remember Four. I just couldn't deal with the fact that he was heartbroken and his character was completely broken.

The way he was described in this book, with the many doubts and making himself inferior of whom he really is... This is not the Four I grew to love! The Four I loved is strong, sure of himself, and most all he knows how to control his fears. God, I couldn't stand him! This child couldn't think straight. I wanted to shake him, to wake him up from this nightmare. His fears were finally in control of him!

Let's not even go the "world outside the fence". It was just a loop of the same story.

I was completely caught off guard. I was not expecting this, at all. I felt cheated, used and I still cannot believe the ending. I'm not basing my rating on the ending but the book itself. I was bored for the most part. The only reason I kept going was to know the ending.

Trust me, I love angst. I love sad stories (a sucker for heart-breaking stories) but this was not it for me. Some people see it as a true sacrificing heroine story, I do not. If she wouldn't have survived the death serum, I would've been okay. If more action was given to us, like a real war between the "outside" and the "inside the fence" and killed everyone, I would've been okay. Or if a time frame was provided in which the "genetically pure" would've been able to reproduce more generically pure. This would’ve reduce the number of the genetically damaged. Right? Yes. No. To get to the other side. Uh, 1.77245... Okay, now I'm sounding like the monotone professor.

Moving on.

Over all, I felt like the third book was not necessary, I mean this third book was not necessary. It was completely rushed. Unnecessary information was provided. No action at all. Monotone. I. Just. Can't. The character I loved was destroyed. Knowing the ending just kind of changed my perspective of the series.