Book Review: Insurgent

Title: Insurgent.
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Yes, #2.
Pages: 496.
Source: Purchased.
Publisher: HarperCollins.
Published Date: 5/1/12.
Links:
Goodreads.
Barnes and Noble.

Summary:

"One choice can transform you, or destroy you.

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."

Cover:

I think we can all agree to that these covers look amazing!

My Thoughts:

I purchased Insurgent before I even got the chance to read Divergent, and I'm glad I did! I completely loved Divergent, as I'm sure most of us did, and I was excited to jump right into reading the next installment! I'm a little sad that I couldn't do the same thing with the third book, because it hasn't hit the book stores yet, so now I'm left waiting for it to be released! UGH!

Before I start my own review of Insurgent, I just want to state a few things before I clarify and explain where I stand and why I do, with this book. Not having started the book yet, I decided to go ahead and read a few reviews to see what other people thought about this installment. I know people were shouting at the top of their lungs that they loved Divergent, and were excited to read Insurgent, but my biggest worry was that the second book wouldn't live up to the hype, but instead was infected with "second book syndrome".

Just like with Divergent, there were reviews, where bloggers couldn't say enough amazing things about the story, but unlike Divergent there were some bloggers who rated Insurgent with one maybe two stars. I couldn't believe it! Many claimed the story was lacking, the characters were completely different, and overall the book just didn't live up to their expectations. After reading multiple reviews, I knew I was just wasting time, and that I needed to start on Insurgent.

Insurgent takes off exactly where Divergent ended; some reviews I read really liked this, but some also thought this was just ridiculous. I guess that just depends when you read the first book. I understand that if you read Divergent days after it released, and then read Insurgent when it finally released, it would be hard to remember all the characters, everything that happened, and even the little details. But if you read the two books within months of each other like I did, it wouldn't be such a big problem. So that Insurgent started right as Divergent ended, doesn't really affect me, I don't really have an opinion about it.

...Anyways (I'm ranting), Insurgent right after Divergent, got it! Erudite is trying to take over the world, by injecting the Dauntless with a mind control serum. The Dauntless faction is split into two, the traitors and the now outcasts, who are teaming up with the Factionless, who are starting a rebellion. Erudite are hunting down all citizens that are Divergent, because for some reason or another, the serum doesn't work on them.

Tris is struggling with both the loss of her parents, and the guilt of killing her friend while he was under the mind control serum. Unsure of what to do, or where to go, Tris, Four, Caleb and a few Abnegation head to Amity, seeking protection, shelter and help.

Tris's world is in complete chaos, but she knows she can trust Four; he is her light in all this dark. With violence rising and alliances forming, the five factions Tris has grown up with do not exist anymore. And with so much going on, and different sides of the dilemma the two are forced to pick sides, even if they might not be the same ones...

Okay, before I get into this one, I do have foremost admit that I liked Divergent more than Insurgent. I know a lot of you don't agree with me, and that some of you might, but here are my reasons (in bulletin form):

1. Tris, her guilt, and her inability to shoot a gun. In Divergent, I absolutely fell in love with Tris; she was that kick ass girl that I look in any action book I read. I thought it was cool that she didn't know who she was, and was always told to me quiet when she was Abnegation. But when she decided to go into Dauntless, she showed her true side; her badassness, and her bravery! I loved everything about her, she made smart moves, played the game safe when needed, but also wasn't afraid be risky. But she wasn't anything like that in Insurgent..I understand that she lost a lot in the first book (her parents, and her friend), but the world is in complete shambles, she needed to get her head in the game. I was so frustrated when I read that she couldn't even hold a gun, nor shot it, when she was in a life and death situation...you've got to be kidding me!? Shot the dang thing! She spent the entire first book, becoming Dauntless, and now this??

2. Four..what a jerk? Okay this one wasn't as bad as number one, but since when was he so mean? I loved that he was this tough guy, and that he was sweet to Tris. But in this second book, he just isn't like that.

3. Romance? Action? I have to admit I love romance books, and if you've been with Turning Pages for a while you know that all too well! But I do like different genres. I came to love Divergent for the action, and adventure, not because of the romance. I was expecting the same thing from Insurgent. Yes, it's true, there is some romance in Divergent between Tris and Four, but that isn't "in your face", its in the background. But Insurgent focused too much on the couple, and not enough on the action..I guess the romance aspect in this book wasn't what I was expecting.

I know I'm nagging, but there were also a few things that I liked about the book!

1. Caleb! Uhh I don't want to further explain this one, but definitively liked this twist in the story!!

2. The ending! Ughh another one I can't give away!

3. Four..what a jerk! Okay I know I put this one in my dislikes, but I also liked it in a strange way, and this goes along with number one in my dislikes. Throughout Divergent I liked that Tris was smart, and made smart moves; in Insurgent she doesn't do that. She almost reminded me of one of those girls who just acts dumb and does dumb things to get attention. The Tris making these idiotic moves, like not using a gun, wasn't the Tris I got to know in the first book. And that's why I liked Four. Though he was rude and a bit of a jerk about it, he called Tris out on her stupidity. Four made sense, but he was just a bit mean about expressing it, but I felt that Tris really needed that a few times throughout the story; a reality check!

So if you made it through reading this entire review, I would like to say thank you! I know I was nagging quite a bit, but I feel a lot better getting it off my chest. I know this review was a long time coming, but I couldn't get myself to sit down and write this review, I need Insurgent to sink in and I need to get my thoughts in order. Again, thanks!