Young Adult dystopias are hot right now thanks to the success of The Hunger Games. So with the final book in Veronica Roth’s Divergent series, Allegiant, merely a week away I figured I’d jump on this train while I can, pun wholeheartedly intended. I love a good dystopia and I love the YA scene right now, probably more than a 26 year-old should. The books being published right now are the books I longed for when I was actually in the target demographic. I wanted strong female protagonists, a little action, real characters I could care about and most importantly a story about more than just some boy. When I was a teenager I could choose from novelizations of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or shallow stories about landing a boyfriend. I hated even being seen in the YA section of the bookstore because it was so full of junk. So I’m indulging my inner teenager and enjoying this spate of actiony, kickass heroine centered YA while it lasts.
Divergent opens with Beatrice Prior receiving a haircut from her mother in front of the mirror, the use of which is restricted to once every three months and only for this purpose. You see, Beatrice Prior is a child of the Abnegation faction, who do not encourage vanity. But she cannot seem to stop herself from sneaking glances to see how her face has changed or watch her mother’s hands move. She laments that she does not show the same easy selflessness of her parents and brother Caleb. Abnegation life, which values selflessness above all, just doesn’t come naturally to Beatrice.
Beatrice and her brother head to school, where their classes have been cut short so that they, and all other 16 year-olds, may take their aptitude test. The aptitude test is given to determine in which of the five factions a person belongs. The factions were created based on varying ideas about where evil originates, so that by working together they can build a better society. Roll Call!
- Abnegation values selflessness, believing evil comes from greed. They all wear identical grey clothes, to help them forget themselves and focus on others. Maybe this is just my Pennsylvanian showing, but their lack of mirrors and photographs, emphasis on charity and putting others’ needs first, and modest dress code reads to me like they’re sort of technology-using Amish. But again, that could just be my roots showing. Their selflessness is believed to make them incorruptible, so they form the government.
- Next is Amity, who believes evil is born out of aggression. They value peace and kindness. Their faction colors are red and yellow- happy colors. They tend to the farms which provide food to all of the city. If you identify with Hufflepuffs you’d probably fit in well with Amity.
- Candor, the honest, believe lies beget evil. They are honest to a fault. Their clothing is black and white to symbolize how they view truth. There are no gray areas for Candor. Candor is said to provide trustworthy leaders in law.
- Dauntless is for the brave, who believed evil was a result of cowardice. They tend to wear black, though I don’t think it’s a requirement. They get around the city jumping on and off the trains which do not stop, only slow down to allow the Dauntless on. It’s basically thrill-seeking, tattooed and pierced Gryffindors. They provide protection to the city and the rest of the factions.
- Finally Erudite, the intelligent, who believed evil was born out of ignorance. (Whaddup, Ravenclaw! Sorry, I’m done now, I promise.) They are the researchers, scientists and teachers. They wear blue because blue is calming, and a calm mind is a clear mind.
Beatrice’s test results are inconclusive. She shows equal aptitude for Abnegation, Erudite, and Dauntless. Multiple results are not supposed to happen. Her test administrator tells her she will record her result as Abnegation, but that she must never tell anyone that she is “Divergent.” Basically, she is equally cut out for more than one faction. So in a society based around them, having an aptitude for more than one makes her dangerous to those who wish to control her. Beatrice goes home to think about her test and what it means, before the Choosing Ceremony the next day.
At the Choosing Ceremony Beatrice seems to have decided to switch factions and become Dauntless mostly by process of elimination. She knows she is not truly selfless enough for Abnegation, and she never even gives Erudite half a thought. However, the 16 year-olds (they’re not initiates until they choose a faction, and not faction members until they pass initiation) are called up in reverse alphabetical order because reasons. Because it would have been too difficult to give her brother an A name I guess. So when Caleb switches factions to go to Erudite, Beatrice’s resolve crumbles. She doesn’t want to abandon her parents now that Caleb has done so. She grapples with this for a minute but since she’s called immediately after Caleb she has to choose quickly. She chooses Dauntless.
A majority of the story takes place during Beatrice’s training and initiation. Upon arriving she finds her name doesn’t suit her in her new surroundings and calls herself “Tris.” She makes a few friends quickly among her fellow faction transfers. One of the things I really liked about this book was the friendship between Tris and Christina. It’s something so simple but it’s actually kind of tough to find a realistic portrayal of female friendship these days. Tris and Christina interact the way I remember interacting with my friends- every word dripping in sarcasm, faux maturity and childish glee. Tris finds herself becoming quite interested in her trainer, 18 year-old “Four.” The other initiates are a little scared of him and find his demeanor to be quite rough and intimidating, but Tris just finds him interesting. Tris can’t seem to catch on that Four likes her but when she eventually gets there they’re a nice fit together.
The night after becoming faction members (with Tris “graduating” top of her class) is when the plot shows up. The Dauntless around her begin to “sleepwalk” into the city, under the control of the Erudite, who have been planting seeds of dissent against the Abnegation throughout the entire book. Because she is Divergent, Tris is not under the same control as the others. She finds Four, who is also “awake” and the two attempt to stop the Abnegation bloodbath. Before long they’re caught. Tris takes a bullet to the shoulder and is deemed too injured to be useful; she is to be executed. Four is given an injection to confuse his brain, causing him to see friends as enemies, enemies as friends, and sent away “to the control room.”
Tris is knocked out and wakes up in a glass box that begins to fill with water. She’s saved just in time by her mother breaking in and shooting the box Tris is inside (not to mention all the guards). Tris’ mother is revealed to be Divergent as well, and transferred to Abnegation from her original Dauntless faction to remain hidden and safe. Before they get far though, Tris’ mother sacrifices herself for Tris and Tris is left alone to find her father, brother and what few Abnegation members remain.
When she finds them she realizes that as the only Dauntless around she is who they look to for leadership in this moment. Tris devises a plan to shut the simulation down, but it requires getting into the Dauntless compound and finding the control room. Tris, Caleb, their father and Marcus, an Abnegation leader, set off while the other Abnegation members flee to the Amity compound where they will be safe. Along the way Tris is saved again by parental sacrifice, and she loses her father so that she may continue. Once Tris gets to the control room she finds Four, mind warped and controlling the whole simulation. They fight for a bit before Tris gives up and simply begs him to see her. Her voice reaches him through the simulation and Four is able to break through it and regain consciousness. They quickly shut the simulation down and run like hell out of there, with Caleb and Marcus.
It’s not a light book. There is constantly something happening. Whether that something is important to the overall plot is up to you but there’s always something happening. It seems to me like Veronica Roth went out and wrote the kind of book I wanted to read when I was fifteen, probably the kind of book she wanted to read at that age. It’s refreshing that though there is a romantic relationship in this book, it’s not the main focus and it’s not a triangle. I cannot even tell you how refreshing that is to me.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I liked Four’s insistence that Tris was her bravest when she was being selfless. I loved the friendships Tris formed with Christina, Will and Uriah. I liked reading about the training exercises and I loved the game of Capture the Flag. I loved learning the little bit about Tris’ mother, and wish desperately to hear more about her backstory. I think it tells a great story. It’s an interesting story. It keeps me wanting to learn more. It keeps me turning the pages to find out what happens next.
I liked that in a YA book there was (a little) talk about sex and intimacy and how scary it can be. I could do without the abstinence message (Four says “someday”) but I admire the fact that it’s presented pretty honestly. It is kinda scary to be a teenage girl figuring out your first relationship, what the other person expects of you, etc. I admire the honesty of how it was presented.
There are a lot of things I don’t like. It is in serious need of an editor. I have seen people say it’s not well-written and you know, maybe Roth isn’t Shakespeare but I think a lot of those complaints might be better aimed at an editor. There are times you can see where Roth took her inspiration. Peter may as well be Cato from The Hunger Games. But other than that instance I think it’s more likely that she read something, enjoyed it and subconsciously wanted to write her own take. I can’t find anything that feels blatantly derivative.
It can be heavy-handed at times, particularly the two dreams Tris has near the beginning, where she reveals her Divergence and must face the consequences of doing so. There’s a bit of a tendency to tell rather than show. Tris notices the lock is on the outside of the fence surrounding the city, locking them in instead of keeping things out. I had a few issues with Tris being sexually harassed twice and she just kinda blew it off like it was nothing. I wish Tris had thought of these situations in as serious a manner as they deserved but she seems largely unaffected by them. She’s shaken for a bit but doesn’t dwell. And I’m sure there are people who react that way but I felt in a YA book it could have been handled a little better.
Overall, I liked the book. I didn’t love it, mostly because I was getting frustrated with the writing flaws/lack of editing. There were times I had to re-read something two or three times before I figured out what was going on or that a scene had changed. But I love stories. I will read something with less-than-great writing if I enjoy the story, and I enjoyed this one. I’ll probably see the movie when it comes out and it will probably be the incredibly rare movie that I like more than the book, just because it’ll likely be clearer. I like reading about overthrowing corrupt leaders and strong heroines who are smart. I like these characters and the way they interact.
So my plan is to get a review of Insurgent up either later this week or by next Monday. And then hopefully get Allegiant up by next Friday. It’s going to be Veronica Roth week here I guess, but once that’s done we will dive into more varied territory.
Keen Owl Books 