Divergent
The Divergent series by Veronica Roth has 4 known books (4 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Divergent (2011). Four: A Divergent Collection is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.
- Books
- 4 known books (3 novels + 1 collection)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 2011
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Science Fiction
Reading order
- Book 1:
Divergent
Divergent (2011, 487 pages) opens the trilogy in a walled-off, post-war Chicago divided into five virtue-based factions, following Tris Prior as she discovers she's Divergent -- unable to fit neatly into any one faction, a trait the system considers dangerous enough to kill for -- and chooses Dauntless, throwing herself into its brutal initiation and falling for her enigmatic instructor Four. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Divergent - Book 2:
Insurgent
Insurgent (2012, 525 pages) continues directly from Divergent as the factions edge toward outright war, pushing Tris to confront what the Divergent trait actually means and what she owes the people around her. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Insurgent - Book 3:
Allegiant
Allegiant (2013, 516 pages) closes the trilogy by splitting its narration between Tris and Four and pushing the story outward past Chicago's walls, delivering a bleaker, more morally complicated ending that split fandom right down the middle for how far Veronica Roth was willing to go with her characters. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Allegiant - Book 4:
Four: A Divergent Collection
Four: A Divergent Collection (2014, 261 pages) gathers four novellas retelling early trilogy events from Four's perspective, along with bonus scenes and world material -- written for readers who already know how the series ends, since it would spoil major trilogy reveals if read first. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Four: A Divergent Collection
Key facts about the Divergent series
The Divergent series has 4 books on our list. Since all 4 are out now, you can read the whole list today. 3 are novels, while the rest is a collection.
Start with Divergent, since it opens the publication order in 2011. Insurgent is book 2, from 2012. Allegiant is book 3, from 2013. Four: A Divergent Collection is book 4, from 2014.
Each title links to its own page, while the list keeps them in date order. Each book page shows its dates and editions.
Four: A Divergent Collection is the latest book with a full release date, out on 8 July 2014. Since the catalogue marks the series as complete, we list no next book.
The books came out between 2011 and 2014, while their length runs from 261 to 525 pages. That is a run of 3 years.
Veronica Roth has 12 books on our list. Additionally, they write Carve the Mark. We shelve the books under dystopian.
About the Divergent series
In a walled-off, post-war Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each built around a single virtue: Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Erudite (the intelligent). At sixteen, every teenager takes an aptitude test and chooses the faction they'll spend the rest of their life in — even if it means leaving their family forever. Tris Prior discovers she doesn't fit neatly into any one faction; she's Divergent, a trait the system considers dangerous enough to kill for. She chooses Dauntless, throws herself into its brutal initiation, and falls for her enigmatic instructor Four, all while the factions edge toward a war that will force her to decide what she actually believes rather than what she's been sorted into.
Veronica Roth's trilogy hit the same nerve as The Hunger Games — a smart teenage girl, a rigid dystopian system, a slow-burn romance — while building its own hook around the faction-sorting premise (readers still argue over which faction they'd choose) and a much bleaker, more morally complicated third act. Allegiant splits its narration between Tris and Four and pushes the worldbuilding outward past the city walls, delivering an ending that split fandom right down the middle for how far it was willing to go with its characters.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Divergent series?
Three novels — Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant — plus one companion collection of novellas, Four: A Divergent Collection, told from Four's point of view.
What order should I read Divergent in?
Publication order: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant. Read the companion collection Four last, since it's written for readers who already know the trilogy's ending.
Is Divergent finished?
Yes. The trilogy concluded with Allegiant in 2013, and Veronica Roth has not written a fourth main-series novel; her later books are set in different worlds.
Is Four: A Divergent Collection required reading?
No. It's a supplementary collection of short stories for fans who want more of Four's backstory and perspective; the trilogy is complete without it.
Does Allegiant switch narrators?
Yes. Unlike the first two books, which are narrated entirely by Tris, Allegiant alternates between Tris's and Four's points of view.