Allegiant

October 28, 2013
Roth shakes up her storytelling (and will do the same to some readers) in this highly anticipated, largely satisfying wrap-up to the Divergent trilogy. First, the majority of the story takes place outside the city walls, since Tris and Tobias (aka Four) have joined the rebel group known as the Allegiant, whose goals are to fight the factionless and discover whatâs beyond the cityâs boundaries. Second, Roth alternates between Trisâs and Tobiasâs viewpoints as readers learn about genetic tampering that the U.S. government performed generations earlier, which gave rise to the faction system. Rothâs plotting is, as readers have come to expect, intelligent and complex. Dangers, suspicion, and tension lurk around every corner, and the chemistry between Tris and Tobias remains heart-poundingly real. The alternating perspectives are bothersome at times, due to the similarity between Tris and Tobiasâs first-person narratives. However, for those who have faithfully followed these five factions, and especially the Dauntless duo who stole hearts two books ago, this final installment will capture and hold attention until the divisive final battle has been waged. Ages 14âup. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media.

December 1, 2013
Just a few days after the events of "Insurgent", the world Tris has known and believed in is shattered, in part owing to her own actions. A new faction, the Allegiant, has approached her and Tobias, offering them a chance to see what is outside their city. They agree to go, but what they find shatters their worldview even further, as they come to realize that their lives, and those of generations of their ancestors, may have been nothing more than a social experiment. Once again, Emma Galvin voices Tris, and this time Tobias has a viewpoint, voiced by Aaron Stanford. Galvin's narration contains only the most minor changes among characters, making it difficult to distinguish one from another, especially since many start with the letter "J." Stanford's narration is not any better. VERDICT Even with these weaknesses, the audiobook will be popular with teens and adults wanting to get their hands on the trilogy's conclusion, whatever the format.--Suanne Roush, Seminole, FL

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Tris and Tobias and their friends and enemies continue their Chicago-area adventures, 200 years in the future, in Roth's trilogy closer (HarperCollins, 2013). Edith Prior's tape blew the lid off the secret history of the factions and how they evolved to be the organizing force in society. Now, one group shouts "Death to the factions!" while the other writes the Allegiant Manifesto, declaring that factions are the way society was meant to be. Divergents like Tris are no longer considered rejects, but instead are declared Genetically Pure. Tobias, once a proud Dauntless leader, now struggles with the knowledge he is Genetically Damaged and a second-class citizen in the eyes of many. The chapters switch points of view between Tris and Tobias as each struggles to come to terms with their respective family histories and their love for each other. Like the previous books, this story involves gun play, deaths, loyalty, forgiveness, romance, and lots of intrigue and double crossing. The powers of faction serums and vaccines, gene manipulation, and specific technologies expand to cover some gaps in the story line, but these leaps of imagination keep things moving along. The author's choice to kill a major character will shock some listeners. Narrator Emma Galvan returns as Tris, and Aaron Stanford voices Tobias with earnest and measured tones that complement Galvan's deliberate style. Listeners will fully believe these teens could outsmart self-centered and power-hungry adults to give society a brighter future. A must where the first books are popular.-Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2014
In the final installment of Roth's Divergent series, the factions are dismantled and the city is in upheaval. Tris and Tobias set out with a group of rebels to seek answers about the world beyond the fence. Amidst all the deception and betrayal, Roth provides meditations on love, loss, and sacrifice that ponder the complexities of free will versus genetic destiny.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)