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 could not read Divergent fast enough, and was absolutely pumped for the release of Insurgent. Roth has an incredible ability to create exciting and believable characters and settings, and I couldn't wait to see where the story went. Though there were some frustrating moments in Insurgent, they only came because I am so attached to the characters. Bravo to Ms. Veronica Roth for publishing a fantastic second novel in a series that can only have a mind-blowing conclusion.
By the end of Divergent, Tris and Four/Tobias had become firmly ensconced in my list of favorite YA couples. They are tough, fearless, and loyal to one another. However, in this second book, we see them start to pull away from one another a bit; trust issues have started to creep into their relationship, as happens in many real-life examples. This made me want to punch Four in the face more than once, but mostly because I love the two of them together and was going to explode if they decided to go their separate ways. However, I was firmly invested in Tris' development. Roth did an excellent job of creating Tris' narration; she is understandably devastated at all that has taken place, but rarely chooses to use that as an excuse to give up. Instead, her sorrow seems to propel her to make decisions, which I appreciated. Gotta love those kick-butt female characters! Another particular strength of this novel was the development the minor characters received, especially Christina (Tris' friend from training) and Will's sister Cara. Giving these characters some complexity in their motivations made the overall novel much more deep and enjoyable.
Admittedly, this novel falls into the common second book trap of not necessarily having much stand alone action, but rather being a bridge from the first book to the third. While I understand how this particular design works, sometimes I wish second books could be a bit more independent. However, the action that this story did contain was still exciting, and certainly kept me guessing. Each character's motivations and loyalties were continually called into question, which left a lot of inferences to be made. Furthermore, the action was used to propel the story forward, rather than just being instances of action for action's sake. Each conflict served a purpose, which made for much more enjoyable reading. And then there was the ending. WHOA. I am now officially stoked for the third novel to be released (or at least given a title! I've been trying to guess which word she will choose...)
One of the best parts of this series is that it is virtually free of content concerns. I LOVE that as a teacher - a highly engaging text that both guys and girls can enjoy, without bad language. Perfect. Though there are a few intimate moments between Tris and Four, these are not described in detail, and maintain a pretty "PG-13" tone.
Though I feel like so much of YA dystopian novels are the same, the Divergent series stands apart. It is exciting, heartbreaking, and heart-pounding, all in one beautifully designed package. I cannot WAIT for the third book!
Leave a comment below - what do you think the title of the third book will be?
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