Book Review: Allegiant by Veronica Roth(No Spoilers)

Allegiant; what can I say about you? The final instalment of Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy was a reading-experience I won't be forgetting for a while. I went into this book after reading awful reviews, and knowing that there would be an ending I would either love, or more likely hate, but I really enjoyed the conclusion! I will admit that there were problems within this novel, including the fact that Tobias' point-of-view was too similar to that of our main protagonist Tris to sink into the story, but I couldn't help but continue to turn-the-pages. This review will be made up of nothing more than incoherent thoughts.

 

She must make her final choice...

 

The faction-based society that Tris Power once believe in is shattered - fractured by violence and power-struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world outside the limits she's known, Tris is reading. Perhaps beyond the fence she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties and painful memories.

 

But Tris's new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love.

Synopsis from: Goodreads

 

As I mentioned above, I went into this book knowing that it would most likely be a complete disappointment, and the ending I have been waiting for since I first picked up Divergent over a year ago would end up in shards - unable to pick up the pieces. This means that I began Allegiant with low expectations, all of which disappeared as I got deeper and deeper into the intricate and detailed plot and premise that Veronica Roth had set up, and the truth about dystopian Chicago was found-out. Personally, for someone who loves knowing every-little-detail, this was a perfect choice by Roth, as not only did shock-revelations(and I promise you, these were certainly not what I was expected) make you gasp, but you were left with no questions. I put this book down content with how it ended - and trying to come to terms with what I'd just read.

 

This certainly though, was an emotional and heart-wrenching story, that will at times have you at the edge of your seat and when the climax comes, make tears - a lot of them - run down your face. I'll admit the writing was not the best I have ever read, especially when reading from Four's perspective, and even though the dual narrative did work to widen the world, I always wanted to go back to Tris' point-of-view. Tris is always going to be - despite the series finishing - one of my favourite heroines, as Roth created this character who never let anything get in her way. She was reckless in Insurgent, something I didn't necessarily like, but in Allegiant you could see she had grown up so much since the first time we met her, and the transaction made a person full of wisdom and courage, who thought about the consequences.  I'm sure that, what makes a reader admire Tris, is that she feels guilty for her actions, she feels grief and most of all, she feels upset and insecure, like she is too small for the world around her but has to step-up.

Four's perspective being included also allowed you to see more of his personality but, I didn't feel like the characterisation was as strong as it could have been or that Tobias had developed his own voice; it came across as feminine, and too similar to Tris'. Even so, I think it helped the progression and pace a lot; the romance between the pair was also tested, and was interesting to see from two perspectives. The romance was slightly 'sickly-sweet', for lack of a better word, during a large part of this novel. I'm really glad it did pick up - and just at the right point.

I loved the development of this story and world, and to talk about it is a struggle without revealing anything that could be seen as a spoiler. Characters that you don't know much about from the first books are looked at more in-depth, and you really get a sense of who they are. Christina became a loyal best-friend, and I think her and Tris' friendship was executed brilliantly; not cheesy or over-done, it was the small things and the forgiveness after Tris killed Will at the end of Divergent. Other secondary characters that I began to learn more about - not necessarily care about, you'll find out when you read some of the names - were: Marcus, Evelyn, Caleb and of course, Cara. The new additions were mostly great, although there were quite a few of them and I did find myself confused. One thing I don't like to do while I'm reading is have to turn back and hunt down where the characters are introduced again, and then doubt myself for the rest of the book.

On this note, the plot was planned-perfectly, having enough to constantly keep me entertained and wanting to know more. There was always something going on - along with twists and turns in fast-paced plot, where readers will not be able to see where it is going to go, and even when the ending is revealed, they will not believe it. It deals with so many important factors: self-sacrifice, most prominently, love and loss, all stood out for me, as well as dealing with grief and relationships. Everything made sense and what had been said previously by the characters worked toward an ending that stuck to their word completely.
 

Now, I think I should take about the ending, which is still indescribable a week after I finished the novel. I could never describe my thoughts for you, but I applaud Roth for ending the series the way she wanted to, and for writing it beautifully, while also breaking my heart. For an author to make someone feel so much emotion - it's incredible, as it shows she, over the course of the series, made me connect with her characters and their flaws. It's raw and real - and did not disappoint, it's reckless too, but well-justified and means the story made a lot more sense. My emotions scattered everywhere but, Veronica Roth, it was one of the most powerful endings I have ever read. Finally, there was an epilogue I adored! This was amazing!

 

Have you read Allegiant yet? What did you think of the ending?
How many tissues did you need? Would you like to see a spoiler-filled reaction?

I found myself crying in a maths exam, as I started day-dreaming mid-question and came back to Allegiant. Oops! I did pass though, so it's not too bad.

Please avoid spoiling the ending in the comments for people who haven't yet read the book.