Review - Insurgent

by Veronica Roth
publisher: HarperTeen
date of publication: May 1, 2012
format: hardcover
pages: 525
source: purchased
read it in: 2 days

From Goodreads:

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.

The wait has been long but oh, so worth it.  Insurgent picks up right where Divergent leaves off with Tris and Four as they make their escape from Dauntless headquarters and flee toward Amity's compound.  Tris's world continues to change as the full extent of Jeanine's plot comes to light and a new force begins to emerge with a plan all their own.  As Tris struggles with her inner turmoil and tries to do what's right in the face of a would-be tyrant, she must make some tough decisions.  Buckle up, because things are just getting started.

In Insurgent, the full scope of Tris's divergence begins to become more apparent.  Along with it she has some major guilt and grief to deal with, all of which proves her to be a character with a complex range of emotions.  Four is also becoming a more intriguing character (if that's even possible!), as it turns out that there is still much to learn about him.  As a result, the dynamic between Tris and Four is even more intense than ever before.  You know something has been done right when you show outward reactions to what you're reading, which happened more than once.

Insurgent has all of the plot devices and all of the excellent pacing that was present in Divergent.  Getting completely sucked into the action is no problem whatsoever.  In fact, quite the opposite is true, as I had trouble putting the book down at times when I really needed to!  There is both action and intrigue to be found within.  You won't be left wanting on either count, as the two are blended so well as to completely arrest your attention.

Veronica Roth has, once again, written a phenomenally riveting book.  If you enjoyed Divergent, you've got to get your hands on Insurgent as soon as humanly possible.  Insurgent will leave you feeling as if you have just leaped onto a speeding train and are being carried away to places unknown.  The Divergent series just keeps getting better and better.  You won't want to miss out on Insurgent for much longer, and if you haven't started the series yet, I implore you to do so.  It's perfectly stunning and should be read by all.

Buy Insurgent at the Following Locations:

Amazon / IndieBound / B&N / The Book Depository