Divergent Series

The Divergent trilogy is a series of three young-adult dystopian/science-fiction books by Veronica Roth and published by Katherine Tegen Books. It is set in the future of a dystopian Chicago. The society is composed of five factions, where members of each faction dedicate themselves to the cultivation of a particular virtue. Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant are currently available in bookstores.

Things You Should Know About The "Divergent" Series From Author Veronica Roth

source: buzzfeed

Veronica Roth chose the location for Abnegation headquarters before any of the other factions.

How did you decide where each of the faction headquarters would be?

Veronica Roth: I think I chose Abnegation first, on the north side of Chicago, mostly because there’s more neighborhood-y areas there. And then Dauntless is not supposed to be a real place. I don’t know any buildings that are set up in quite that manner or any underground areas or any underground rivers, so it’s kind of an impossible, fantastical place that’s further south. And then one of my favorite buildings is the Merchandise Mart, so that’s why Candor is in there. And Erudite, the kind of row of buildings across the street from the Art Institute, just seemed very Erudite to me. And then Amity had to be out somewhere, also in a place that does not exist.

Readers will find out (in Allegiant) how Tobias’ fear landscape has changed since he publicly beat his father in the second book.

In Insurgent, after Tobias whips his father with a belt, he returns to Dauntless headquarters and goes through his fear landscape. He says it changes, “but not in the same way.” Is the change addressed in Allegiant?

VR: Yes. I had to show it one more time, how it had changed.

We may never know what provoked Peter to stab Edward in the eye with a butter knife. 

Also in Insurgent, Edward’s eye injury is discussed and Tobias claims he heard a rumor that Peter was provoked, but he doesn’t elaborate. Do you specify what happens in Allegiant?

VR: No, I think it’s a little more ominous that way. I thought about it, but I just didn’t want to. I wanted to withhold that particular tidbit. 

Yeah, it seems like he’s secretly evil, but he didn’t appear that bad during Dauntless initiation.

VR: No, that’s kind of why I like it, because the people you think are nice are not always nice, and Edward’s the primary example of that. And Peter’s so upfront about his evilness, it was cool to have someone with a more hidden agenda. I don’t think [Edward’s] evil, I just think he’s a little more morally flexible than Tris thinks when she first meets him.

Amanda Ritter (aka Edith Prior) was in Abnegation

 What faction was Amanda Ritter in?

VR: Abnegation.

So Natalie [Prior] was originally Dauntless, and Andrew [Prior] was originally Erudite, but I don’t know how long they’ve been there. Is that discussed in the next book?

VR: It is discussed, this whole issue actually, I think in the first five pages [of Allegiant]. You’ll be able to know some things once you read it!

 Veronica Roth