The Divergent series by Veronica Roth had me feeling like this:
I was all like WOOOOO!!!!! and then I was like blah blah blah. The world in Divergent, the first book, is faction-based with every citizen sort of pledging allegiance to a particular personality type: the smart, the brave, the kind, the honest, and the selfless (aka Erudite, Dauntless, Amity, Candor, and Abnegation). As is the case with a people divided, problems they do arise. Tris, a newly minted Dauntless, and Four, Mr. Sexy and Self-Composed, have their romance and it's relatively hot; however, much to my delight, their love is not the focus of this book, nor the series as a whole. The focus is a culture war, a fascinating argument of focus where both sides have their merit. The world is awesome, the characters are awesome, the central conflict is awesome, and it all was awesome.
I got into Insurgent, and everything was still awesome. Tris and Four - and the rest - are in the fight now, and all the details of the battle kept me fascinated;although I didn't find the story as captivating as Divergetn. Then came Allegiant. Blah. Not only was I unsatisfied with the explanation, the back story of the world, I was also relatively disgusted with the characters who make rather ridiculous choices that seem to be both illogical and in violation of their personalities as constructed in prior books.
And these choices are not just small little nothings; they are the choices which drive the entire plot. A very, very disappointing ending to a series I initially loved.
Totally totally absolutely agree with this review! My feelings exactly! Plus, Four's character reversal was absurd!
ReplyDeleteRight?!? It was like Roth created a new character. Bad bad bad.
DeleteIt seems like that was a formula for YA books for a while. I don't think this series is for me.
ReplyDeleteI usually like the first book best - because it's all new and shiny - but you're right; a few series were so bad in subsequent installments it was almost an embarrassment.
DeleteI barely made it through the first book in this series. All the fat-shaming and goth stereotypes did me in. Never, ever read onwards.
ReplyDeleteMy son, however, really liked the first and second books. He started reading the third, got bored, and returned it to the library.
Tell him I feel his pain; I almost stopped reading Allegiant, but it was like watching a train wreck; you want to look away, but you just can't.
DeleteI completely, completely agree. Such a disappointment.
ReplyDeleteIt was so sad as there was so much potential.
DeleteThis is basically how I felt about Hunger Games trilogy. Can we just be done with the trilogies and get back to single books? Since it took me almost two years to finish Mockingjay, I've decided never to read this series. I'll just watch the movies. :)
ReplyDeleteI liked Divergent, thought Insurgent was dreadfully boring, and sort of enjoyed Allegiant. I'm not sure if I agree with where the characters went, but the premise of how their society came to be was interesting to me.
ReplyDeleteSo glad I read this review. I felt the same way about Hunger Games. I had zero desire to read the follow up books. I like the movies but could care less about the books. I had planned on reading the Divergent series. Not now.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! I love how you called Four Mr. Sexy and Self-Composed. I instantly loved Divergent and then Insurgent fell so flat for me, so I probably won't rush now to read Allegiant. There so many series out there that are tempting, but I think this is all I'm going to take on this year.
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