Sequels seem ever-present in popular culture, thanks to both the movie industry and the literary industry. But many times, they do not live up to fan’s expectations, and often seem less exciting than the original. In this case though, fans have met Victoria Roth’s Allegiant with just as much excitement and joy as the first two novels in her series of young adult fiction.
Since its first book came out in 2011, Roth’s Divergent series has gained a great following from readers all over the world. It has been very popular and has spawned two sequels, 2012’s Insurgent and the new Allegiant, freshly released on October 22nd.
Allegiant is the third and final novel of the Divergent series, which revolves around the protagonist, Beatrice Prior. It takes place in a dystopian Chicago, where each person is placed in a different faction based on his or her values. Beatrice is originally from Abnegation, but there she feels like an outsider. When the government tests her to determine her faction at age sixteen, she does not fit into one specific faction. This makes her Divergent, a label that also serves as the series’ title.
To fans, the October 22nd release date of the latest chapter in the Divergent series was met with great anticipation, since they had been patiently waiting for a year for a new novel. “I’m so excited. I’ve had the book on hold since August,” confirms Avani Bhargava ‘16.
The preliminary reviews for the novel have been good. But the first priority for most fans is wondering whether their favorite characters will make it out of the story alive, and if there will be a happy ending for Beatrice and her boyfriend, Four.
But the end of the books doesn’t mean the end for the story. It will continue on the silver screen next when the movie, based on the first novel, is released. Shailene Woodley is scheduled to play Beatrice and Theo James is scheduled play Four. The film is being distributed by Summit Entertainment and will be released on March 20, 2014. Many have expressed their excitement for the film, and hopes are high that it will do well enough to produce a sequel, as Summit currently owns the rights to both Divergent and Insurgent.