Allegiant

I finished the third and final book in the Divergent series this past week.  I read the first two probably a year ago?  They were available on the Kindle through the library which made it super easy to get.  The third book is available only hard copy.  I tried to wait it out and see if they would get a digital copy, but after at least 6 months, I gave up and put a hold on a hard copy.

I really enjoyed the first two books.  I had asked people what they thought of the third book and they didn't have enthusiastic reviews for it, but kind of held back their two cents until I had read it.  You have fair warning - SPOILER ALERTS!  I was a bit disappointed with the great reveal of what was outside the fence.  The story still read fine, but knowing they were in the US and Chicago no less, I was kind of like, really?  That's all?  I don't know why either.  I guess with as different as the city and their functions had been set up I was hoping for something really unique to continue.  I also felt like this book shifted to talk about factions as genetically damaged versus the divergent being genetically healed.  That needed to be explained and the whole Purity war summarized.  I feel like the reader got the cliff notes version of the history that caused all of this including a few passages about the people that live in the Fringe which I don't think adds to the story a whole lot.  It provides some context, but those sections felt like that's all they were there for.  I was just as bewildered as the characters in discovering all of this information.  Maybe that's what you are supposed to feel like?  I have no idea.  Also, I'll say the love story between Tris and Four went through full teenage angst which I found a bit annoying.  Given this is a young adult novel, I would expect something like that, but I can usually overlook it.  It was just so painfully obvious.  The ultimate ending I was ok with, although surprised they would actually kill off a main character.  I almost give it points for doing the unexpected there, but I can't tell if that helped or hindered my view of this book.

Overall, I still like the story line, just not as impressed with the final book.  It didn't help that there were a random 5 pages missing from the book. They weren't ripped out, it's possible they fell out due to poor binding.  Just another random factor.  I don't think those would "make" the book though. :)

Also, I saw the movie version of Divergent not to long ago.  I would say, and I should preface this with - I NEVER say this, I liked the movie better than the book.  I think this is because they kind of gloss over that internal dialogue from Tris about her and Four.  They focus more on the discovery of the Divergent and drive the movie that way.  I would say that was a good call from Hollywood's perspective.  I don't think this will ever be as popular as the Hunger Games, but it's still an enjoyable story.  Definitely better than The Maze Runner and what I had read of the Atlantis Gene trilogies anyway.