Insurgent by Veronica Roth Book Review

Insurgent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This 2nd book of the trilogy is AMAZING!!
I absolutely, positively love that Veronica Roth picks up Insurgent right where Divergent left off. There's been no lapse in time (they're still on the train), so we literally do not miss a second. I love that, don’t have to read through a long summary of what happened before, it just continues as if it was just another chapter. Love that.

**Will have spoilers for the FIRST book, Divergent.**

Tris is heading back to the Amity headquarters, not to mention being devastated from having to watch a good majority of her family murdered and from murdering one of her best friends, while he was under a simulation. All these things that have happened to Tris, really start to take a toll on her mind. She is having trouble living with the consequences of the events that happened in Divergent. She has so many feelings and emotions to work through.

Four (aka Tobias), Caleb, and Marcus are also accompanying Tris as they travel to not only to Amity, but Candor as well. They need to inform everyone about the war against Abnegation. As Dauntless and Erudite have teamed up together (Dauntless traitors that is) unfortunately, they gain no support from either Candor or Amity. Many things happen in Insurgent, and it’s easy to get confused. Jeanine Matthews is still on the loose and is collecting Divergent people for a purpose that is not fully known

Tobias’s (aka Four) mom also makes a comeback, she is not dead, but the leader of the Factionless. Some major hell breaks loose. It’s really hard to decide which sides are the real villains, compared to factions that had just made bad choices. Veronica Roth does an amazing job of putting this incredibly complex story together, that just somehow works out, and I am not sure any other author would have been able to put it together so many different ideas, and make them flow so well together.

One thing I really like, is that Roth decided to not include a love triangle when to comes to Tobias (aka Four) and Tris’s relationship. I was really worried she would, as it seems that’s what so many authors do in YA novels. It’s nice to not have that complication on top of so many other things going on.

But there is other issues going on to complicate their relationship that has changed from Divergent, they have many of their own struggles to deal with because of varying feelings and emotions they are experiencing. Tris feels very helpless and is depressed for the majority of the story, and it shows in her recklessness. Tobias is a little more edgy in Insurgent, and really is trying to do well for Tris, but he has his own struggles, and you can’t help but to feel bad for him. Tris doesn’t always make his job as the good boyfriend easy.

My final thoughts on this book: There is a huge revelation that takes place in the final half of Insurgent and the book ends with a major cliffhanger that is going to keep me crazy waiting a year and a half before the final book is out. (fall of 2013)

Insurgent surpassed my expectations and I foresee it ending up on every single “Best of 2012” list later this year.

I highly recommend picking up Insurgent, you will not be disappointed. Be sure to read Divergent first if you haven’t yet.

Divergent by Veronica Roth Book Review

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Veronica Roth has created an amazing world filled with action and adventure, and major suspense. Divergent was definitely a new riveting tale that had me rapidly flipping the pages in a reading frenzy! It starts off with the reader getting to know the lifestyle of Beatrice (aka as Tris), a sixteen year old girl, in a dystopian or controlled world, where there are five factions of people: Abnegation who put others before their own needs and where Beatrice is currently from, the Dauntless who are brave and fearless, the Erudite who are studious and super smart, the Amity who are peaceful, and the Candor who are honest She will have to choose which faction she wants to be in, but first, she has to go through a simulated aptitude test, this test will tell her which faction she is best suited for. But Beatrice is not like everyone else, she test for at least three factions. This makes her a dangerous person, she doesn’t understand the reasons yet. Because of this, life will never be simple for her. She has to keep this information to herself, or risk being killed

Beatrice then has to make her own mark in the world, and ultimately makes a decision that will change the rest of her life. No more does she have to be, the meek, silent girl with no spirit, but instead forces herself to rise up to the challenges she faces in both the initiation and in her life. She can’t let her guard down, or she will risk becoming factionless, and that’s worse than death she believes, as you will be without friends or family. She doesn’t expect to find out what she yearns for most, that is to understand who she really is.
Divergent is one novel that had me jumping out of my seat, sitting on the edge of my seat, cheering her on one minute, and wanting to cry with her the next. There are times where she seems a little cold like when she wishes one boy to quite crying, and you see why Abnegation didn’t suit her. But then the in the next minute she is putting herself in danger for another, so you understand why she has a bit of a split personality, well not so much as split personality, but different traits I guess. You see, she has been born into a society that believes you can only have one quality, and she needs to figure out, by herself, that being brave, doesn’t mean she has to give up being selfless as well.

She has to fight hard to stay in the competition, for only ten initiates will be able to call the new faction home. Otherwise, she would become factionless. I couldn’t help but root for her. Tris has a lot to learn, but she finds she has friends to help her through the obstacles in her path. There is a sweet love interest as well. I highly recommend this book (and series) to anyone who loves action, bravery, and a little romance, and lots of adventure. You are warned, this book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, and ready to pick up book 2. I suggest having the 2nd (Insurgent) book before starting this, as the ending will make you want to pick it up right away, and it will start right where this one leaves off. Great series.

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