Allegiant by Veronica Roth, a Woeful Tale of Author Lost

So many bad reviews for an author who was adored by so many loyal fans! This book was literally flogged for weeks on Facebook creating a frenzy of anticipation. I really think that Ms. Roth has misjudged her fan base, this is a YA book defined as younger teens up to about 17 years old -- adults can read and appreciate the trilogy but the true fans are the young ones, primarily female, who closely identify with Tris, her tender attraction to Four, her coming of age, her budding consciousness of her physical and spiritual powers. The point of the trilogy is to show how experience changes people, for better or worse, makes them grow and develop and gives them the power to forgive and accept. I really think that Roth's fans would have forgiven her even if she had put Tris or Four into wheelchairs, or blinded them for life, or any other such horrible fate, but to kill of the character with which her readers identify and whom they cherish and emulate, well that is really unforgiveable in a book written for this age group. It is a violation of trust. And I think it is an exceptionally bad message considering the group she is writing for -- To sacrifice yourself for another is an adult decision to be made by adults -- it is a dangerous decision to be handed to susceptible teenagers. Ms. Roth is a young and inexperienced writer, most of her characters are flat and speak with the same voice, her plots are uninflected, monotonous bordering on incomprehensible ( except in the first book, Divergent, which was a brilliant idea), but she created a fascinating dystopia and a vivid, endearing relationship between two exemplary teens and then she just gave it all up in exchange for what? -- to be judged as a bold, innovative author? -- death and suffering are common, teens don't go to fiction of this kind to repeat what is going on in their own reality, they go there for hope and pleasure -- to be excited and to dream about the future of their beloved characters and their own lives. I simply think that Ms. Roth should have considered who she is really writing for -- not for the odd adult who happens to like teen dystopian fiction, but for the very vunerable young person for whom these books are major milestones, highly anticipated events and beloved memories.

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