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Divergent

by Veronica Roth

The Divergent series by Veronica Roth has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Divergent (2011). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Four: A Divergent Collection.

Books
4 known books (3 novels + 1 collection)
Published
4
First published
2011
Status
completed
Shelved under
Science Fiction
Last checked

Start here: Divergent (2011) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of Divergent

Divergent (2011)

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. Divergent

    Novel

    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.

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  2. Insurgent

    Novel

    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.

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  3. Allegiant

    Novel

    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.

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  4. Four: A Divergent Collection

    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.

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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.

Reading order last verified .