Divergent is marketed as a Dystopia, but it seems to miss the fundamental part of dystopian literature, which is commentating on an aspect of society that could lead to it’s downfall. It’s supposed to be relevant to our current world to some extent. In The Handmaid’s Tale, misogyny/the dehumanization of women is talked about. In Hunger Games, it’s about our society’s love for violence and war/how easy it is to dehumanize people, which is relevant to today’s society. In 1984 it’s a lack of individual thought. What exactly is Divergent’s overarching message? How did we get to this world in which people are divided into 4 groups based on one personality trait?
Idk the series should’ve been marketed as maybe a fantasy or action but even then it misses the mark. It just seems very shallow. Like the characters are not well thought out at all, not even Tris and Tobias who are supposed to be since they’re divergent. The writing also isn’t great, it honestly just seems like the series was just a cash grab because YA dystopian literature was popular at the time
I just think it’s funny that they took inspiration from Harry Potter and tried to apply it to the post apocalyptic YA trend, but they only took what was like the 17th most compelling thing about the Harry Potter series (people being sorted into factions by personality type)
You say that but I also think it was Joannes best bit of world building (Along with getting a Hogwarts letter). It is the part with the most buy in from fans. Even people who have never read the book know what Hogwarts house they are in. If that is not immersive world building I don’t know what is.