Divergent Thinking: YA Authors on Veronica Roth's Divergent Trilogy

Leah Wilson (Editor), Elizabeth Wein, Maria Snyder, Dan Krokos, and Debra Driza

Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant) has captured the hearts and thoughts of millions of readers. In Divergent Thinking, YA authors explore even more of Tris and Tobias' world, including:

• What Divergent's factions have in common with one of psychology's most prominent personality models
• The biology of fear: where it comes from and how Tris and the other Dauntless are able to overcome it
• Full-page maps locating all five faction headquarters and other series landmarks in today's Chicago, based on clues from the books
• Plus a whole lot more, from why we love identity shorthand like factions to Tris' trouble with honesty to the importance of choice, family, and being brave

With a dozen smart, surprising, mind-expanding essays on all three books in the trilogy, Divergent Thinking provides a companion fit for even the most Erudite Divergent fan.


Contributor list:

Elizabeth Wein
Maria V. Snyder and Jenna Snyder
V. Arrow
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Mary Borsellino
Rosemary Clement-Moore
Debra Driza
Julia Karr
Dan Krokos
Elizabeth Norris
Janine K. Spendlove
Blythe Woolston

• ISBN10: 1939529921
• ISBN13: 9781939529923
• Publish Date: 4 March 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: BenBella Books
• Imprint: Smart Pop
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 256
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9781939529923

Reviews

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

I was so excited to see a collection of essays about Veronica Roth’s Divergent series. I read a similar collection of essays for The Hunger Games series and I gained helpful insight into the novels. I was hoping for the same with Divergent Thinking.

It took me a long time to finish Divergent Thinking. I found it difficult to engage with the essays as most of them focused on the psychology of Tris and/or the factions. The collection felt repetitious as many of the authors seemed to be examining the same points of the story over and over (why Tris is not Abnegation? Why did she choose Dauntless? What does it mean to be Divergent?). I was hoping for more examination of the political climate, how Tris’s World mirrors that of Nazi Germany and even our world when it comes to prejudices and long-held beliefs.

My favorite essay was by V. Arrow called “Mapping Divergent’s Chicago.” V. works through plotting the location of each of the factions throughout Chicago and its suburbs. Maps are provided (although on the Kindle version they are difficult to read) along with strong arguments why the locations that were selected fit each of the factions best. With V.’s directions, you could safely created you own Divergent faction tour through Chicago minus jumping on and off the train.

This collection of essays would be a good fit for anyone who is interested in the psychology of Tris and the various factions within the series. Otherwise, I would recommend passing on Divergent Thinking.

This review was originally posted on Second Run Reviews