Review--Insurgent by Veronica Roth

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 chose 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, side 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.

Okay, so I FINALLY read Veronica Roth's Insurgent...just a little over a month ahead of time before Allegiant releases! I have to say that I was impressed! I wasn't sure how Veronica could top Divergent with all that happened, Insurgent does a pretty good job of doing so! Perhaps I read it too late after Divergent and my memory lapse of all that has happened impeded a bit on some things, but it was still an exciting read!

All the factions are basically in chaos, what with Eurdite trying to use mind control over Dauntless. It's all one big mess! Tris and Tobias along with a few other surviving Dauntless members take refuge in the other factions--literally moving from one to the other. We got the shock of a lifetime when we met Marcus and learned he was monster of Tobias's father and what caused him to choose Dauntless on his choosing day. Tris is also still dealing with having shot and killed her friend, Will. She has a lot of grief over this and it impacts her decisions throughout the book.

Tobias himself seems almost broken at times. This is largely due to meeting back up with his father. But there just seems to be something more to it. I can't say that it gets resolved or if it's really an issue of more than what it appears to be. I tend to overlook things sometimes and this might be it. But there were quite a few moments where I grieved for Tobias.

The story focuses on public enemy number one and that is Jeanine. She wants to prefect a serum for the simulations that will be effective for Divergents. As Tris is always able to break free of them. Tris ends up sacrificing herself to be a volunteer for Jeanine's experiments. I didn't quite see the sanity in her decisions to play martyr. There are times for being a martyr but at the cost of your own life? And what is the deal with couples and one wanting to always sacrifice themselves for the other? That always nags at me, Tris wants to sacrifice herself so Tobias will be okay, Tobias wants to sacrifice himself so Tris will be okay. Don't they realize that the other likely will never be okay knowing that the other died for them? That kind of thing just seems to hard to get over, especially when it's someone you love. Of course that gets into the whole issue of true love and the other person wanting to sacrifice themselves to save their loved one and I really, really don't want to get into that debate. I always just found this "sacrificing" thing to be unfair. But I am done with that subject!

If that wasn't enough, there are quite a bit of secrets going on between Tris and Tobias that threaten to tear the two apart. On both their ends. I really feel like shouting at the two of them and telling them to be open and honest, but you know how that goes...the book rarely listens to my shouting!

One thing that bugged me in Divergent was mentioning of the wall that surrounds the factions and what was on the outside. It didn't go into much depth about that. Well, unfortunately, it doesn't do that here either, but we do get a bit of an idea. Allegiant is sure to provide the answers I've been craving since the first book!

We also get a bit more insight to the factionless. That part came as a surprise to me and was quite enjoyable! Definitely surprising as well! The whole book was filled with shocking surprises! Veronica Roth never ceases to amaze me!

Overall Insurgent was a thrilling read! I ate up all 525 pages in about a day...really two half days, but add that up and you get a day! Or two days for some mindsets! Regardless--since I seem to be rambling--it was an awesome read that I thoroughly enjoyed! Now I just have to wait a little over a month...due to the book needed to be shipped as well as waiting for the actual release day--to get more of Tris and Four and see the final fate of the factions!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars