Review- Insurgent (Divergent Series Book # 2) by Veronica Roth

UNBELIEVABLE!

Author: Veronica Roth
Genre: Dystopian
Publication: HarperCollins
Release Date: 2012
Pages: 525
Reviewer: Kelly

Blurb:
I have done bad things.
I can’t take back them back, and they are part of who I am.

Tris has survived a brutal attack on her former home and family. But she has paid the price. Wracked by grief and guilt, she becomes ever more reckless as she struggles to accept her new future.

Yet if Tris wants to uncover the truth about her world, she must be stronger than ever….because more shocking choices and sacrifices lie ahead.

Explanation:
Insurgent takes off where Divergent left off. It is literally like we turned over the last page of Divergent and ended up in the beginning of Insurgent. Tobias, Tris, Marcus and Caleb travel with the remaining Abnegation to seek refuge with the Amity. The Amity live amongst the orchards and farms, just beyond the gates guarded by the Dauntless. It is not long however before they are discovered by the Erudite’s and must seek assistance from the only allies they have left, the Factionless.

Opinion:
Insurgent is a darker, more emotional and insightful counterpart to its primary novel Divergent. This novel focuses mainly on Tris, dealing with her actions and feelings from Divergent. Tris is emotionally fraught with guilt, anguish and loss and is not dealing with any of these issues. The reader is forced to watch her character’s demise into reckless abandonment, lack of self preservation and thoughtlessness. It is a hard pill to swallow, especially as Tris is the champion of the novel.
Due to Tris’ emotional issues, her relationship with Tobias becomes very tumultuous. Roth writes this so well, that I rapidly read this novel, hoping to get to the end where Tris was back to her normal self. Though what Roth makes you realise is that there will never be a ‘normal’ for Tris and these characters. Their world is being completely turned upside down and will never be the same again!

Roth uses a lot of heavy themes in this novel, such as fear, failure, disillusionment, loss and corruption. There are many surprises and betrayals. There are people that you thought were trustworthy who are not. There are also many moments where situations look so dire that you cannot foresee a probable solution. Many friendships are tested, many lives are lost. Roth, however, very cleverly underpins her whole novel with the theme of hope. There is hope, courage, love, determination and patriotism that are needed to juxtapose the harshness and brutality of this world. It also provides an outlet for the reader and some reassurance that there is a sense of optimism in this new and every changing world.

This novel also allows the reader to explore each of the other factions in more detail. The opening chapters at Amity show a simple life of happiness and ease. The time spent with Candor explains so much value that is held in telling the truth, but also how sometimes the truth cannot set you free. The Erudite’s and their thirst for knowledge shows the harm and good in gaining information. It is such an interesting way to divide a society, but it highlights for the reader how within our own society all of these character traits are present. This then leads to the thinking of the Factionless, who embody every Faction and work together to create a society much like ours.

Summary:
The book finished so abruptly that I kept flicking through the last few pages to see if there were any more chapters! Roth kept the suspense going throughout the entire novel. There are so many unanswered questions, so much to still understand! I am counting down to Allegiant’s, release date!