Book Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

REVIEW BY NICKY

The day that Insurgent was released, I left work and went straight to the book store.  I had finished my previous book a week ago, but hadn't started anything else because I wanted to be ready for this book.  I read it so quickly because I couldn't wait to find out what happens, but now that I've finished, I feel like I read too fast and I'm having a hard time remembering details...which, really, is a good excuse to re-read both novels before the third one comes out!


From the inside cover: One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

I know a lot of other reviewers were annoyed by Tris in this sequel, but honestly, I didn't feel that way.  There were several times when I found myself wishing she would just get over the killing Will thing.  I felt that it wasn't truly Will that she killed, and I could not understand this guilt that haunted her.  However, I also have never shot anyone (let alone one of my best friends), and so that's a hard perspective to have.  Other than that, Tris did not bother me.  I liked that Tris continued to question everything she encountered... Amity's refusal to become involved, Candor's willingness to work with Erudite, and even Tobias' new alliance with the factionless.  I was impressed with her determination to follow her instinct and her convictions.  She did not want her parents' sacrifice to be for nothing.  She wanted to carry on their mission, and I think that showed her real strength.

One of my favorite things about this book is that, as readers, we get to learn more about the other factions.  I  laughed out loud when Tris was drugged my Amity, and I cringed at the Candor hearing when Tobias was forced to take the truth serum.

In general, I was extremely impressed by this sequel... it's definitely one of the best-written sequels I have read!  I won't write a spoiler here, but Veronica Roth really has a way of wrapping up the end of the story while leaving the reader gasping at the revelation, and desperate to read more.  Now, I just have to wait (not-so-patiently) for Roth's conclusion to the series.

Book Review: Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
REVIEW BY NICKY
Janine has been constantly telling me that I have to read this book, and I wasn't exactly on the dystopian band-wagon, so I was a little hesitant.  Thank God I relented, because this is one of the best, most exciting novels I have read in a while!

Beatrice Prior lives in (future?) Chicago, where society has been separated into five factions.  Candor values honesty. Abnegation values selflessness.  Dauntless values bravery.  Amity values peacefulness.  Erudite values intelligence.  In their 16th year, young citizens go through a test that will tell them which faction best suits them, but ultimately, they choose their faction.  Most young people elect to stay with their factions: their family, their friends, and all that is familiar.  A few decide to venture into the unknown and switch factions.  All "initiates," whether they are from a new faction or not, must go through a training period and a test in order to be finally accepted into the faction of their choosing.  Beatrice Prior's decision is a bit more complicated.  Her original test scores were inconclusive, and though she is able to hide it, she is labeled "divergent."  She leaves her quiet and simple life, and her Abnegation family, and she chooses the Dauntless faction.  Her training for her new faction is brutal, sometime life-threatening, but even more dangerous is her Divergent label.  With the help of some new friends, and a love-interest/instructor named Four, Beatrice (now called Tris) is determined to survive.  However, if she can survive the initiation, will she be able to survive the unrest between factions?

I may get plenty of hate-mail for writing this, but I liked Divergent  a great deal better than the Hunger Games.  I liked the idea of the factions (I constantly thought about which one I would have chosen, and it changed several times as I read the book).  Also, in Divergent, there was no love triangle (of which I have grown quite weary).  I also liked, and related to, the characters much better in this novel.  I found Tris to be much stronger (and less whiny) than Katniss.  Okay, I'll quit comparing... but in my defense, it's hard not to compare dystopian novels.  I found this book very political, but nothing too over-the-top as to discourage or overwhelm young adult readers.  During an action-packed climax scene in which an army of faction members have been brain-washed to kill, I recall images and footage of the Nazi army.  This book was exciting from the first chapter.  It was extremely hard to put down, and I have recommended this already to a ton of people!  When Divergent's sequel, Insurgent, is released on May 1st, I will be the bookstore waiting!!