Divergent Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide
Updated October 2026
Divergent Books in Order: The Short Answer
Veronica Roth's Divergent series is three novels, Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant (2011–2013), plus the companion collection Four and a short e-book epilogue, with a brand-new reimagining out in October 2026. Here are the Divergent books in order of publication, which is also the best reading order:
- Divergent (2011)
- Insurgent (2012)
- Allegiant (2013)
- Four: A Divergent Collection (2014) — stories told by Tobias, "Four"
- We Can Be Mended — a short e-book epilogue set five years after Allegiant
And the newest: The Sixth Faction, published on October 6, 2026 by HarperCollins, begins a new Divergent series. It is not a sequel or a prequel — Roth describes it as an alternate-universe retelling of the story, with a follow-up, The Last Testimony, planned for February 2, 2027. Details below.
In this guide:
- The Five Factions of Divergent's Chicago
- Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant: Spoiler-Light Summaries
- Four, We Can Be Mended, and Where They Fit
- The Sixth Faction: A New Divergent Series in 2026
- The Divergent Movies (and the One That Never Got Made)
- Divergent Age Guide and Content Notes
- Veronica Roth's Other Books
- Pick Up Divergent Used
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Five Factions of Divergent's Chicago
The trilogy is set in a walled-off, ruined future Chicago. At sixteen, every citizen takes an aptitude test and then chooses one of five factions for life, each built around a single virtue:
| Faction | Virtue | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Abnegation | Selflessness | Grey clothes, plain homes, running the government |
| Amity | Peace | Farming and conflict avoidance |
| Candor | Honesty | Law and blunt truth-telling |
| Dauntless | Bravery | Security, tattoos and jumping off moving trains |
| Erudite | Intelligence | Science, research and ambition |
Those who fail initiation become factionless. And a rare few test with aptitude for more than one faction. They're called Divergent, and the system considers them dangerous. Beatrice "Tris" Prior, raised in Abnegation, is one of them.
Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant: Spoiler-Light Summaries
One tip before you start: Divergent reads very quickly, but Insurgent and Allegiant are slower and more political. Have the second book on hand before your teen finishes the first. The story runs straight on from one book to the next, and a week's wait for a library hold is how a lot of readers stall out halfway through the series.
Divergent (2011)
Tris leaves her family's faction for Dauntless and fights her way through a brutal initiation, trained by the guarded instructor known as Four, while hiding what she is. The strongest book of the three and the one teens reread.
Insurgent (2012)
The factions have turned on each other, and Tris is grieving and reckless. Darker and more about politics than training. Some readers find the middle sag; the final pages reframe the whole series.
Allegiant (2013)
Tris and Four go beyond the fence and learn the truth about the city. This is the first book narrated by both Tris and Tobias in alternating chapters. Its ending is one of the most argued-about in young adult fiction — some readers still haven't forgiven Roth, and others think it's the bravest choice in the series. Either way, a parent may want to be nearby when a teen finishes it.
Four, We Can Be Mended, and Where They Fit
Four: A Divergent Collection (2014)
Published July 8, 2014, this gathers four Tobias stories — "The Transfer," "The Initiate," "The Son" and "The Traitor" — plus several short scenes from Divergent retold from his side. The stories run from just before his own Choosing Ceremony into the early events of Divergent.
When to read it: technically it's a prequel, and you could read it first. We wouldn't. It's written for readers who already know Four and want his history; it answers questions Divergent raises on purpose. Read it after Allegiant, or between Divergent and Insurgent if your reader can't wait.
We Can Be Mended
A short e-book epilogue, set five years after Allegiant and focused on Tobias and Christina. Read it last. It's brief, bittersweet and entirely optional, and it assumes you've made peace with the ending of the trilogy.
The Sixth Faction: A New Divergent Series in 2026
This is the big news for Divergent fans, and it's easy to misread, so to be clear about what's been announced:
- The Sixth Faction was published on October 6, 2026, by HarperCollins, and is in bookstores now. It's the first book of a new series.
- It is not a sequel, prequel or spin-off. Roth describes it as an alternate-universe reimagining of Divergent.
- Beatrice Prior is again the lead, facing her choice among five factions — but in this version an unexpected tragedy pulls her into an underground rebellion and toward "a mysterious boy known only by a number."
- The sequel, The Last Testimony, is planned for February 2, 2027.
Do you need the original trilogy first? Nothing announced says so, but we'd still start with Divergent itself: half the pleasure of an alternate version is spotting what changed. It should also make a good way back in for adults who read the originals as teenagers.
The Divergent Movies (and the One That Never Got Made)
| Film | Released | US rating |
|---|---|---|
| Divergent | March 21, 2014 | PG-13 |
| The Divergent Series: Insurgent | March 20, 2015 | PG-13 |
| The Divergent Series: Allegiant | March 18, 2016 | PG-13 |
Shailene Woodley plays Tris and Theo James plays Four. The first film is a close adaptation. The studio split Allegiant into two films, but after the first half did poorly at the box office, the planned finale, Ascendant, was shelved. A plan to finish it as a TV movie was later scrapped too, so the film series simply stops partway through the last book. If your teen has only seen the movies, they have never seen the real ending — which is a very good argument for handing them the books. Find the films among our used DVDs or in sci-fi and fantasy movies.
Divergent Age Guide and Content Notes
Divergent is published as young adult fiction, and we'd put it at 13 or 14 and up — a notch older than The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner series.
- Violence: Frequent. Fights during initiation are brutal, there are shootings and a mass-mind-control attack in the first book, and several major characters die across the series, including family members.
- Suicide: A secondary character in Divergent takes his own life. It's handled briefly but is worth knowing about.
- Romance: Warmer than The Hunger Games — plenty of kissing and physical closeness. There are no sex scenes, though Tris's fear of intimacy is part of one plotline, and a scene in Divergent involves an attempted assault by other initiates.
- Language: Mild.
- Discussion value: Can a person be defined by one virtue? Is safety worth giving up choice? Roth has spoken openly about her Christian faith, and faith-based families will find plenty to talk about in Abnegation's ideal of selflessness. Our best Christian books for teens list is a good companion for those conversations.
Veronica Roth's Other Books
For teens who finish Divergent and want more from Roth:
- Carve the Mark (2017) and The Fates Divide (2018) — a young adult space-fantasy duology.
- The End and Other Beginnings (2019) — short stories set in the future.
Her more recent books are written for adults: Chosen Ones (2020), Poster Girl (2022), Arch-Conspirator (2023), When Among Crows (2024), To Clutch a Razor (2025) and Seek the Traitor's Son (May 2026), the first of an adult dystopian duology. Parents should preview those before passing them to a younger teen.
For other authors in the same vein, our books like The Hunger Games list and our best dystopian books for teens pick up where the trilogy leaves off.
Pick Up Divergent Used
The trilogy is one of the easiest YA series to find secondhand, often as a boxed set. Browse our current Veronica Roth books, and find more in young adult and science fiction. We ship free on orders over $15.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Divergent books are there?
Three novels (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant), plus the companion collection Four and the short e-book epilogue We Can Be Mended. A new Divergent series begins with The Sixth Faction, published on October 6, 2026.
What is the correct order to read Divergent?
Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, then Four: A Divergent Collection, then We Can Be Mended. Four is a prequel, but it works best once you already know the character.
What is The Sixth Faction?
The first book of a new Divergent series by Veronica Roth, published on October 6, 2026. It is an alternate-universe reimagining of Divergent rather than a sequel or prequel, and its sequel, The Last Testimony, is planned for February 2, 2027.
Should I read Four before Divergent?
We don't recommend it. Four is set earlier, but it answers questions that Divergent deliberately keeps secret, so it is more rewarding after the trilogy.
Why was the last Divergent movie never made?
After Allegiant (2016) underperformed at the box office, the final film, Ascendant, was shelved. A plan to finish the story as a TV movie was later dropped as well.
What age is Divergent appropriate for?
We suggest 13 or 14 and up. The books include frequent violence, the deaths of major characters, a suicide, and more physical romance than The Hunger Games, though no sex scenes.
