After three years, the wait is finally over. The final chapter is here. Veronica Roth’s Divergent Trilogy was met with not only excitement, but also disappointment as the books come to an end and its readers rage over the controversial ending.
“I loved the first book,” sophomore Ana Silverio said. “But the ending of the third book really disappointed me. I didn’t like what happened at all, it made me so mad.”
The books are set in a post-war scenario, where the people are separated into factions based on their aptitudes – Candor, the honest; Amity, the peaceful; Erudite, the intelligent; Dauntless, the brave; and Abnegation, the selfless. The series follows Tris (Beatrice), who is forced to make a decision and keep a secret that threatens not only her life but the lives of the people that she loves.
“I like Tris because she doesn’t follow the rules,” Silverio said. “She completely goes out of that mold that people put her in, and goes against what they believe she should do because she knows what’s right for herself.”
Each faction plays a different role in society, and on choosing day in their 16th year, teens must select their faction, losing all connections to their biological family.
“I would probably either choose Dauntless or Amity,” sophomore Baylee Pearce said. “Dauntless just seems like a lot of fun, but then nothing bad ever happens in Amity, it’s all peaceful and safe there so I would probably choose that one.”
Throughout Tris’ new experience as a Dauntless member, the readers are introduced to new characters and more emotion from Tris as she develops a crush along the way.
“My favorite character would have to be Tobias (Four),” sophomore Rachel Renshaw said. “I love how he is really adventurous, but he still has a good heart.”
The third book was released just before Halloween, and had readers very anxious to figure out what happens next.
“I didn’t pre-order Allegiant,” sophomore Kiersten Dunn said. “But I got it the day after it came out, and I’m still waiting to see how it ends. School makes it difficult to read constantly.”
The ending to the third and final book left many fans shocked.
“You can’t end a book like that, Pearce said. “It was absolutely horrible. I didn’t even read the last 50 pages I was so mad.”
But the ending doesn’t stop the excitement of our thoughts being brought to life in the release of the Divergent movie in March of 2014.
“I’m very excited for the movie,” sophomore Rachel Renshaw said. “The actors that are playing the characters, for the most part, are exactly how I pictured them, except for Tris, I pictured her younger and more blonde, but the actress that plays her (Shailene Woodley) is perfect I love her.”
Some would say that the Divergent Series is just a repeat of Suzanna Collins’ The Hunger Games, yet the third book, Allegiant, has already outsold The Hunger Games Trilogy in pre-orders.
“Personally I think it’s like a million times better than The Hunger Games,” Renshaw said. “And it’s by far way more action-packed.”
