This is the series everyone has been talking about for the past year or so, and the fangirls still haven’t calmed down. The film version of Allegiant: Part 1 is coming out this year and ticket sales of Divergent and Insurgent have shown they were wildly popular. So I’m guessing you all know a little about the plot and I won’t bore you too much (I hope)!
Dystopian Chicago is split into 5 factions: Erudite (the clever-clogs), Amity (the peace lovers), Candor (the brutally honest), Dauntless (the reckless), and Abnegation (the selfless). At the age of 16, each teenager is supposed to choose one faction they would like to join. They don’t have to stay in the faction they were brought up in. You knew that already though, right? But here’s the really interesting bit. Sometimes, people can have qualities of more than one faction. They’re different, they’re Divergent.
Beatrice Prior (though you may know her as Tris) finds herself labelled as Divergent. She doesn’t know why, but she knows that divergency is dangerous and should be kept a secret. The Divergent trilogy follows Tris’ story. Sounds cool, right?
Yeah, I suppose it’s okay, but why are people so obsessed with it? My view: it’s the characterisation. As readers, you really come to empathise with Tris. She’s a teenage girl, not exceptionally pretty, not popular nor perfect. But she’s got amazing qualities many teenagers would strive to have. She’s clever, she’s selfless, she is brave. She stands up for herself and others, and sticks with her beliefs and values. She is a really inspirational role model for young girls, and that’s why, when it’s World Book Day, you’ll see many young teenagers wearing black leather jackets and with three black birds drawn onto their collarbones, imitating Tris’ symbolic tattoo.
In truth (I’m going to be shot at by the fangirls, but I’m going to say it anyway), the trilogy is not amazingly written. I mean, yeah, it’s a good series, but why are people treating it like it’s so much more amazing than other books? I know some truly amazing, beautiful, powerful books by less well known authors which are barely spoken about, so how come Divergent is getting all this hype? It is actually written quite simply, meaning that most teenagers can read it with ease.
The plot is fast paced and interesting. And the story is original. Added to the brilliant characterisation, this trilogy combines all the right elements to make a thrilling story which has captivated teenagers all around the world. So why not have a read yourself? Go and join the fangirl club!
• Buy these books at the Guardian Bookshop
