Review | ‘The Sixth Faction’ is a twist better than the original

Review | ‘The Sixth Faction’ is a twist better than the original Categories: Arts Reviews Review | ‘The Sixth Faction’ is a twist better than the original The alternate-timeline novel returns to one of the pillars of 2010s dystopia, offering a fresh take on Veronica Roth’s Divergent series. Riley Dunn, Managing Editor • October 14, 2026 Samantha DeFily Photo Illustration. When I saw Veronica Roth’s post announcing an alternate-universe “Divergent” book, my first thought was “Is this real?”  It seemed as though I had been the one to awaken in another universe, with this announcement coming just a few years after the return of The Hunger Games series — another pillar of my childhood that first absorbed me into reading.  After double checking my official sources — shout out Barnes and Noble — my excitement and anticipation for “The Sixth Faction” grew exponentially.  “The Sixth Faction,” released on Oct. 6, diverges from other series-continuations in the way it’s not a prequel, sequel, or midquel. Instead, it’s a reimagining of “Divergent’s” story if the main character, Beatrice “Tris” Prior, had chosen a different path.  The novel begins similar to the original, but it’s not long before the storyline splits off from the beloved 2010s dystopian trilogy and evolves into something not only different, but darker. I wasn’t sure how I would like this new take at first: would it be a soulless cash grab or something offering a valuable new perspective?  Luckily for me, Roth has grown as a writer since her “Divergent” days.  She weaves a compelling story, expanding what we know about the characters and faction system and exploring new avenues. I loved how she went about doing so, and found myself breezing through pages as the stakes ramped up and Tris was sucked deeper into her new society.  In “Insurgent” and “Allegiant,” the second and third installments in the Divergent series, the broader storyline entertains the concept of the whole system being an elaborate experiment. I get how this could be appealing to people, I really do. But it didn’t do much for me.  Despite their absurdities, I liked exploring the factions and seeing how adhering to one core trait could be detrimental, to put it lightly. “The Sixth Faction” was a return to the faction system and this time around, instead of leaving the city to develop a storyline, more is revealed about the city the characters inhabit.  Tris and company visit new faction headquarters and discover novel facets to the factionless society, kicking off themes about power structures and identity. Tris still struggles to figure out who she is and where she fits and the intrigue comes from anticipating which aspects of the story will stay the same and which will be diverted.  RELATED: Review | ‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ is a sad and incredible prequel Beatrice still becomes Tris, but the reasons why she takes the name are distinct and tied to the person she becomes in “The Sixth Faction,” not the original Dauntless girl.  In both the original story and the new one, Tris grows to see who she could become outside the rigid confines of her home faction Abnegation. “Divergent” showed Tris shaping her life around bravery, the trait valued by the Dauntless faction, while “The Sixth Faction” details her embracing her more creative, divergent mind.  One of the best parts of the new continuity explored in “The Sixth Faction” were the fleshed out details surrounding her childhood in Abnegation. Roth introduces the “Penalty of Silence” into the series, a penalty which suppresses Tris’s natural curiosity and discourages her and the other children from questioning Abnegation leadership.  The spin-off explores trauma in an interesting way. Toward the beginning of the story, an act of violence changes Tris’s entire life and shapes how she processes the world afterward. She grapples with what she knows about her society and how it compares to the new information she uncovers. Other characters’ lives are also fundamentally changed by Tris’s altered role. Christina’s entire world is impacted due to the absence of Tris, while certain factionless are introduced earlier than in the original timeline.  However, one character remains consistently present in all shades of Tris’s life: the mysterious and handsome Four, who also gets point-of-view chapters in the new work.  The way Roth switches between the perspectives of Tris and Four and weaves them together is one element displaying her growth. Though it is not Dauntless which draws the two together anymore, their paths crossing still feels natural and I found myself excited to see sparks fly in their relationship for the first time since I was a tween in the early 2010s.  Another character receiving a focus in “The Sixth Faction” is Tris’s older brother, the Abnegation-turned-Erudite Caleb. Unlike Tris and Four, his chapters are written in third person and come at the beginning of each of the book’s six sections.  These short glimpses into Caleb’s life chronicle his journey through Erudite initiation and serve as a contrast to his sister. They also set up the jaw-dropping cliffhanger at the end, which promises a not-only changed, but radically different conclusion to the alternate-universe duology.  Though not perfect, “The Sixth Faction” was an entertaining exploration of a world where Tris made a different choice. I loved returning to a universe I was obsessed with in my childhood, and I applaud Roth for her decision to return to these characters and explore them in a new light. 0 Like This Story Share on Facebook Share on X Email this Story Print this Story More to Discover More in Arts Smino as homecoming headliner receives mixed reviews Connection through live music is easier unplugged What’s the best pumpkin latte in IC? More in Reviews Review | ‘Digger’ is format bending, truth telling, and misunderstood Review | Colleen Hoover’s ‘Verity’ adaptation is her worst film yet Preview | Anticipating Tom Cruise’s new film, “Digger” About the Contributors Riley Dunn, Managing Editor (she/her/hers) Riley Dunn is a fourth-year student studying English and Creative Writing on the publishing track and minoring in News and Media Literacy. She has been on staff for four years. Prior to working as Managing Editor, she worked as Arts Editor and Digital Editor. Outside of writing, Riley enjoys meeting up with friends and hanging out with her cat, Rory. Samantha DeFily, Creative Director (she/her) Samantha DeFily is a third-year student studying Journalism and Sports Media. This is her second year with the DI, previously serving as a visuals editor and photojournalist. She is working towards a career in sports photography.