I hate it when this happens

I'm judging this book harshly based mostly on two facts: the potential it had and the actual story. Normally I give the performance a greater rating but the great performance could not wash the taste of disappointment from my mouth. Maybe it's because I set myself up with these huge expectations based on the potential I saw in the books prior to this one but then this one...

The narration was great as I stated above, makes it absolutely bearable to listen to the book... Both Emma (who spoke as Tris) and Aaron (the voice of Four) really did awesome jobs at truly giving these characters a voice and even a body in a sense. The pacing wasn't rushed; the tones were great.... there really isn't much that can be taken away from the narration here. A star is removed from narration because even though it's great, a 5 star narration can only be achieved by a combination of great narration WITH a great story... The story let this down.

Now on to the story..... *glares viciously* This book reminded me of another book I had high hopes for which just fizzled.... fizzled into annoyance. Let me start with the MAJOR bone I had to pick with this book.... CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.... Yes... The major characters grew but every single one of them (and yes I get they should be damaged and scarred or whatever) became way too absorbed in their past and way TOO damaged. I also found them hypocritical, just so amazing hypocritical. I don't want to ruin the story so I won't actually say what happened but you will know what I am talking about when you actually going through it. The author seemed to have been trying hard to NOT be like The Hunger Games and ended up just being completely unbelievable to me (the government would/could not let it go like that if you ask me). The writer wanted to end it bitter-sweet and a bit tragic but by the end of the novel I had gotten so annoyed with the characters I saw the ending downright fitting (albeit unbelievable in a sense, again... you don't mess with a government branch and the government just sits passively by after the fact). The major problem with the trilogy.... it lacked direction.... I came away from this book feeling that the author had no idea how to end this book, she started the trilogy not knowing how to end the trilogy and for the sake of ending it at the trilogy rushed it and butchered what could have been a great novel. I absolutely HATE when this happens.... The good about this book is that it had some really good writing, in terms of the use of words. It also had some really nice quote worthy moments, quotes mostly about human nature that even though a bit cliché but absolutely resounding.

The book had potential but completely failed in realizing its potential if you ask me. A strong first book, an exciting second book and this... this was just upsetting to me.

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164 people found this helpful

What a let down!

What would have made Allegiant better?

If it were ANYTHING like the previous two!

Would you ever listen to anything by Veronica Roth again?

Probably not.

Have you listened to any of Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Love Emma Galvin - I have listen to other performances and love her.
Aaron Stanford did an ok job, didnt like his female voice but I went with it.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Allegiant?

I think I have to agree with most of the other reviews - I would totally change "the big event" and the last several chapters.

Any additional comments?

I absolutely loved the first two books! I pre ordered this one and was counting the days! But I truly would of been fine with waiting another year if that would of changed how this book came out. What a let down. Leaves you feeling like you wasted your time investing in the beloved characters and all of what happened in the first two books.
This is a seperate book and doesnt even belong with the trilogy except it has the same characters. I agree that stopping after two and making up your own ending is much much better than listening to this book.

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101 people found this helpful

Disappointing mismash

Allegiant is the third book of the trilogy. It is written in a style very different than the first two novels: that is the chapters ping pong back and forth between Trice and Four. I find the perspectives distracting and they do not add depth to the story for the complexity the method brings.

The storyline is Trice and company learn of the basis for the society and the factions. It is a complete let down and not very consistent with the first two novels. Too many underpinning of the first novels are ripped up and discarded like used confetti. There is way, way too much reversal. I especially did not like the deprecation in the characters in the first part of the novel.

This story could have been a whole lot better. It was as if the author picked the first storyline that came to mind. The novel didn't tie things up to my satisfaction. I don't usually recommend this, but you might just stand pat after reading the first two novels and wonder and imagine your own ending -- you'd be happier. If you simply must know --go ahead and read it.

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98 people found this helpful

Heartbreaking

The final installment of my favorite YA series was heartbreaking and disappointing. I'm sad over the ending (like most people) and disappointed by the overall plot and direction this book takes in the final installment. There were just too many gaping plot holes and total character assassinations. What happened to bad-ass Four? He turned into a wimp in this one. What??? Perhaps it was the dual narration and finally getting into his head, but it just didn't work for me. I also didn't buy into the whole "Truman Show" aspect of this one. Seriously? It felt contrived and a bit lazy by the author.

Overall this book broke my heart in so many ways. It could have been so much more but in the end just didn't live up to my expectations.

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93 people found this helpful

Anticlimactic and seriously disappointing

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

The first two books were great, but this one made me wish I hadn't read them. The ending to this story was all wrong, the cliff hanger at the end off book two made the reader think there would be an exciting conclusion to the series, there was not. The entire book seemed like Ms. Roth was bored with the characters and just trying to meet a deadline.

Has Allegiant turned you off from other books in this genre?

Just from more books by Roth

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Allegiant?

The entire direction was wrong, I would have told the author she should start over.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your money on this, unless Ms. Roth decides to redo book three, you won't get what you want as a reader.

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82 people found this helpful

Reluctant to write this review

First, the good: Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford are outstanding as narrators. I was already a fan of Emma Galvin, but Aaron Standord particularly impressed me. Well done.

Now, the rest: I pre-ordered Allegiant back in February. I loved the previous two books in the series, and to say that I eagerly awaited the conclusion to the trilogy is an understatement. So, now that I have finally finished listening to Allegiant, I am left feeling dissatisfied.

Veronica Roth showed such promise with Divergent and Insurgent that my expectations for Allegiant were high. She is a good writer but, at times, it seemed like new plot lines introduced in Allegiant weren't fully fleshed out, leaving me frustrated, and some of them seemed wholly unnecessary. I don't see what the Nita subplot added to the story, other than introduce an unlikable character who didn't advance the plot. The more I listened to the book, the more I wondered why Veronica Roth took such care to build her world in Divergent and Insurgent, only to completely change direction in Allegiant in such a rushed fashion. Underdeveloped is the word that kept coming to mind.

It's also really hard to write this review without revealing The Big Spoiler, so I'll just keep referring to it as The Big Spoiler. And it did spoil the book for me. Some of my favourite books end in a similar manner, so it's not the actual event that upset me. What upset me is the way it was delivered. It was rushed. It seemed out of place. It wasn't justified at that point in the story. I saw it coming a few chapters before it happened, but I kept listening, hoping I was wrong or, at the very least, that Veronica Roth would knock it out of the ballpark and redeem its occurrence. But that didn't happen and it was the tipping point for me.

Overall, I think this story would have been better handled spread out over two books. Two books would have given the author the time to develop the new ideas and plots she introduced in Allegiant, and The Big Spoiler wouldn't have seemed so out of place. She could have worked with it and made us understand why it was necessary to the story. As it is, I finished the book, deleted it from my iPod, and I doubt I'll ever listen to it again.

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73 people found this helpful

What if your whole world was a lie...

...or your first two books? Everything Roth wrote in the first two books is a lie and as a reader you end up feeling as confused and cheated as the characters. The reader who buys into the character development might enjoy the slow pace of this book as Roth delves into Trice and Four's differing reactions to the truth. But if you bought this book based on the fast-paced action of the first two then you will find this sequel with it's navel-gazing teenage narrators to be painful and unsatisfying. Thankfully Audible let's you listen at 2x or 3x speed.
Two questions to ponder:
Can Veronica Roth's career recover from sucker punching her readers?
What are the odds that the Hollywood studio head that bought the rights to this series is searching for a gifted screenwriter to re-write the last third of this trilogy?

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71 people found this helpful

Boooooo... I expected far better.

Is it just me or is everyone writing their storylines in anticipation of a movie deal?

The trilogy was never EXCEPTIONAL; however, it was entertaining UP until this book. I had high hopes for this third installment. Though Tobias (Four) played a significant role in the last book (I didn't *like* the voice talent for Tobias), it was disappointing the author seemed to take the easy way out. By writing 'he said, she said - he does, she does' scenario for the main characters, the dialogue was stiff and too simple for seemingly noble characters. She'd done well in the first two books, and I anticipated it would improve. It didn't. I just wish the characters' actions weren't so boring and one dimensional.

The storyline did make a dramatic upturn with its heart-tugging ending. As painful as it was to commitment to the book in its entirety, I was saddened by the end. It wasn't a surprise 'a-ha' ending; nevertheless, it was the only instance in the entire third book the author really wrote a picture so clear, I cried... :(

Collectively, the story told throughout the trilogy could make a movie I'd be interested in seeing, but I'd rather see adaptations of stories to movies than reading screenplays in book form.

Boooooo... I expected far better, and am I really disappointed the author just didn't take better care of her characters. I really had high hopes for all of them.

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60 people found this helpful

I can't believe it ...

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

NO SPOILERS
I simply don't know were to begin the story was slow pace, repetitive and It had nothing to do with the previous books (witch were great) I kept waiting for the story to pick up but it never did. And although I really wouldn’t have minded the slow pace and the turn the author gave to the story to explain what was outside the city in exchange for a great ending what I got was just so, and I mean, SO disappointing that I can't believe it . WHY? What was the point to end it that way? So to answer the question I would say that in order to give 3 stars to this book (don't think it could reach 4 stars) I would definitely change the last chapters.

What was most disappointing about Veronica Roth’s story?

The ending.
IT. IS. NOT. FAIR. I feel betrayed, angry, sad and frustrated.

Have you listened to any of Emma Galvin and Aaron Stanford ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I’ve heard Emma Galvin in other audio books and I think she’s an exellent performer.
I haven't heard Aaron Stanford before but think he made a good job.

What character would you cut from Allegiant?

All the characters in the bureau, specially David

Any additional comments?

I definitely DO NOT recommended this book I just can’t do it.

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58 people found this helpful

One of the most disappointing endings to a series.

What would have made Allegiant better?

This is a book that struggles to keep the core concept of earlier books and often seems to re-write them by inserting material that doesn't agree with earlier content and removing characters and ideas. In fact, the book goes so far as to subvert the behavior of groups that completely change for the negative how you would perceive the first two books. The final two chapters are amongst the worst endings of all time. Without spoilers, let me say great authors have worked that trick.. Card, Rowling, etc. but they do it in a way that provides some emotional satisfaction to the audience. This is one of the most unsatisfying endings of all time.

What was most disappointing about Veronica Roth’s story?

The ending is rubbish.

Which scene was your favorite?

The first few chapters as we get narrative from Four's perspective.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not really. The readers are quite good, too bad the material isn't.

Any additional comments?

This seems as though a better editor or an outsider reader was badly needed, but the rush to get a book on the shelves befoe the movies hit the theaters appeared was on.

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51 people found this helpful