I am reading Allegiant ... and it sort of sucks (NS)

Leeba25

I am only about 200 pages in, and I can't wait to finish, so I can put it behind me.  

Does it get better? 

I really liked Divergent ... and didn't love Insurgent but thought it was ok. It was just too cluttered and a bit forced. What I felt was wrong with that one, is back x100 in Allegiant. The relationships, the dialogue, the plot (oh dear me the plot) - all painfully contrived. 

I can't open any of the spoiler posts, which is most of them, so I thought I'd ask if other people's general impressions were as rough as mine. 

sfgiantsjo

It didn't get better IMO. That being said, I had to finish it just to finish the series. Not my favorite, though.

Hoycie

sfgiantsjo said:

It didn't get better IMO. That being said, I had to finish it just to finish the series. Not my favorite, though.

This!

I really did not like this book and I was counting the pages until it was over.

SnShne322

I had the same review of the first two.  I didn't like the third one.  I don't think it gets any better, but I would finish it.  You've already invested so much time in the trilogy.  It would have bugged me to not know how it ended.

Leeba25

Whew. I wrote this post thinking I had about a 50% chance of getting flamed. 

The good news is, it's a quick read, so it shouldn't be much longer. 

The other good news is, I'm listening to an audiobook that I absolutely adore: Graceling. I've read it a few times, and the audiobook does not disappoint. 

SnShne322

I love Graceling!

I don't think Allegiant was very well received here.  Some thought it was good, but there have been some unhappy posts about it. 

Leeba25

It's almost like the author had a great idea for Divergent ... and then sort of wrote herself into a corner with trying to build a world around her original idea. This is party of why I loved Hunger Games so much - she built a great world, with a believable history as to what got them there. Allegiant is sort of like the Maze Runner series ... like the author said, "ok, I picture this maze and a bunch of kids not sure why they're there ... hhmm, why are they there again? Oh yes experiments!" Like, huh?!

SnShne322

Leeba25 said:

It's almost like the author had a great idea for Divergent ... and then sort of wrote herself into a corner with trying to build a world around her original idea. This is party of why I loved Hunger Games so much - she built a great world, with a believable history as to what got them there. Allegiant is sort of like the Maze Runner series ... like the author said, "ok, I picture this maze and a bunch of kids not sure why they're there ... hhmm, why are they there again? Oh yes experiments!" Like, huh?!

Bingo!

jenndawnp

I've only read 10% and given up, I need to go back to it just to finish it, even in the little I've read so far it feels forced.

jkfranklin

I'm also reading it right now and I'm having a hard time concentrating on it.  This almost never happens to me but I feel like there is so much going on while nothing is going on!

I will finish it though because I just can't not.

booknerd226

I keep putting off this series because I don't want to be disappointed.

CTDec03Bride

jkfranklin said:

I'm also reading it right now and I'm having a hard time concentrating on it.  This almost never happens to me but I feel like there is so much going on while nothing is going on!

I will finish it though because I just can't not.

 

Ditto!  I'm also confused because I don't remember some stuff from the last book.

KSKim

I gave up and read the spoiler posts to get a plot summary.  It was due back at the library anyway.

Leeba25

CTDec03Bride said:

jkfranklin said:

I'm also reading it right now and I'm having a hard time concentrating on it.  This almost never happens to me but I feel like there is so much going on while nothing is going on!

I will finish it though because I just can't not.

 

Ditto!  I'm also confused because I don't remember some stuff from the last book.

Yes - this is another problem I'm having. There are about a hundred characters and I can't keep them straight. IDK which one is Johanna and which one is Jeanine, and the same goes for Cara and Christina ... blah blah blah. 

And while I'm complaining. She writes half from Tobias' point of view, and half from Tris'. But their voices are indistinguishable. I'm finding myself confused as to which one I'm reading at any particular time. 

j*&p*

I actually thought the last 25% was the best part of the book. It finally felt like I was reading the same series I loved in Divergent that got lost somewhere along the way. Overall it still felt rushed to me without time to implement a thoughtful edit, but the end felt more in keeping with the Tris's character and how the story started. 

brie&drew

I'm listening to it right now too, and while I don't love it yet, I think listening has actually helped with keeping the dual narrators straight. I'd be confused if I were reading it I think. I'm with the pp that said it's about finishing the series. Even if I contiune to like this one the least of the three I'll feel better for finishing the series.

GilliC

Leeba25 said:

And while I'm complaining. She writes half from Tobias' point of view, and half from Tris'. But their voices are indistinguishable. I'm finding myself confused as to which one I'm reading at any particular time. 

This. The two characters are already so similar, and she writes them with exactly the same voice. I keep flipping back to the chapter heading just to figure out who's talking!

Overall I don't hate it yet. I don't love it, and I'm afraid it's headed somewhere clichéed, but we'll see.

Jen748

I am the oddball, but I really loved this book, minus the confusing dual POV.

jenndawnp

I kind of feel like if you're not George RR Martin you shouldn't be writing in multiple POV, but that's just my opinion.

jkfranklin

Leeba25 said:

CTDec03Bride said:

jkfranklin said:

I'm also reading it right now and I'm having a hard time concentrating on it.  This almost never happens to me but I feel like there is so much going on while nothing is going on!

I will finish it though because I just can't not.

 

Ditto!  I'm also confused because I don't remember some stuff from the last book.

Yes - this is another problem I'm having. There are about a hundred characters and I can't keep them straight. IDK which one is Johanna and which one is Jeanine, and the same goes for Cara and Christina ... blah blah blah. 

And while I'm complaining. She writes half from Tobias' point of view, and half from Tris'. But their voices are indistinguishable. I'm finding myself confused as to which one I'm reading at any particular time. 

I find this annoying too!  I think I need a sticky note to put on the top of my nook with who the chapter is so I don't forget.

I feel like the dual voice worked well in Requiem but is not working well in Allegiant.

julie37619

I think it's worth finishing because the end is the best part of the book.  But it was just an ok read for me - I didn't love it.

krispy83

I just picked it up yesterday and started it last night, so I'm not very far in at all, but the dual POVs are already annoying me.  I will finish it because I need to know how the series ends, but I don't understand suddenly writing in dual POVs when the first two books were from Tris'.

Young_Love

This thread title made me LOL

lizabethann06

j*&p* said:

I actually thought the last 25% was the best part of the book. It finally felt like I was reading the same series I loved in Divergent that got lost somewhere along the way. Overall it still felt rushed to me without time to implement a thoughtful edit, but the end felt more in keeping with the Tris's character and how the story started. 

I felt this way as well. It wasn't my favorite of the three books but I didn't hate it.