Review: Insurgent

Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 1, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 525
Series: Divergent #2
Source: Bought
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Summary: 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.

My Favorite Line(s):  Beware.  There are quite a few!

“I read somewhere, one, that crying defies scientific explanation. Tears are only meant to lubricate the eyes. There is no real reason for tear glands to overproduce tears at the behest of emotion.I think we cry to release the animal parts of us without losing our humanity. Because inside of me is a beast that snarls, and growls, and strains toward freedom, toward Tobias, and, above all, towards life. And as hard as I try, I cannot kill it.”

“Sometimes I feel like I am collecting the lessons each faction has to teach me, and storing them in my mind like a guidebook for moving through the world. There is always something to learn, always something that is important to understand.” 

"Got your gun?" Peter says to Tobias."No, " says Tobias, "I figured I would shoot the bullets out of my nostrils, so I left it upstairs.""Oh, shut up."

Why I Loved It:  Ok first off, it's been about two weeks since I've posted on my blog.  I'm so sorry for the lack of activity, but finals were kicking my butt.  I had to study which mean I had little time for much else after studying and work.  But summer is here, and I'm back.  I chose to reward my summer kick-off with Insurgent.  There was never a doubt in my mind that I would love it.  I've read some mixed reviews, but I had faith.  Divergent was so amazing that I knew Insurgent would just get better.  It did.

I'm going to try my best to give this review without giving anything away.  
WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ DIVERGENT, DON'T READ THIS REVIEW!
The dynamic of this book, to me, was completely different than Divergent, but in a good way nonetheless.  After the way Divergent ended, there is no more staying within just one faction.  I really loved how much world building filled the pages of Insurgent.  It was nice to see so much of the different faction's worlds.  Candor and Erudite have so much more coverage in the books, so you truly get an idea of every faction including the faction-less.  They also play a role in this book.

Keeping in mind what Tris went through at the end of Divergent, much of Insurgent covers how she deals with her grief, and how Tobias and Tris handle the craziness around them both separately and together.  There is so much that each one is facing on their own that figuring out how to be together seems a challenge.  There was so much of this book that I kind of wanted to scream at Tris to get it together, and just love Tobias the way he needed.  But grief doesn't always allow us to do what we should do, but only what we need to do to survive.  I had to keep that mindset as I read through the book.

I think, for me, there was a lot more action in this book on a more widespread scale.  Instead of just fighting other initiates in Dauntless, you have the conflict among the factions, betrayals, questionable loyalties, and or course love.  The relationship between Tobias and Tris is just incredible for me.  I love how much payoff you get from their relationship.  You don't have to wait till the end of the book to feel complete, but Ms. Roth allows you to experience throughout the whole story.

Overall, I find that the writing is incredible, the plot so exciting it's hard to put down the book, and the romance enough to melt your heart.  Tris is not the Tris from Divergent.  She's harder than that girl, but she is determined to do her parents proud, and that selflessness makes her brave and strong and worth admiring.

      

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jilly at Breaking The Spine.   It features each blogger's most anticipated books.  This week, my pick is Insurgent by Veronica Roth.

Summary: 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.

Why I Can't Wait:  If you have read Divergent, there is really no question there.  Veronica Roth did such an amazing job that she has won me over as a favorite author.  She almost reached Stephanie Perkins level for me.  I'm so ready to dive into the rebellion and seeing what is going to happen between Tris and Tobias.  The summary has me on my toes *with perhaps a little jumping* as I anticipate what may happen in the book.  I just can't wait to get my pre-ordered book.

Expected Publication: May 1, 2012 by HarperTeen   

Review: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth
Release Date: May 3, 2011
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 487
Format: Bought
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Summary (From Amazon for once):

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. Together they must undergo extreme physical tests of endurance and intense psychological simulations, some with devastating consequences. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

My Favorite Line(s): 
"My first instinct is to push you until you break, just to see how hard I have to press." he says, his fingers squeezing at the word break.  My body tenses at the edge in his voice, so I am coiled as tight as a spring, and I forget to breathe.  
His dark eyes lifting to mine, he adds, "But I resist it."
"Why..." I swallow hard.  "Why is that your first instinct?"
"Fear doesn't shut you down; it wakes you up.  I've seen it.  It's fascinating." He releases me but doesn't pull away, his hand grazing my jaw, my neck. "Sometimes I just want to see it again.  Want to see you awake."
-AND-
"I have a theory that selflessness and bravery aren't all that different."

Why I Loved It: I've had a hard time writing this review.  It almost seems like nothing I say could possibly be good enough for this book.  I hated school, work, and sleep.  They were all getting in the way of Tris's world.  Let's just drop all pretenses.  I was living in that world.  And I didn't want to leave.  My heart was broken as I came to the last page because the book was over, and my world was too cheery, too un-dystopian *not sure if that's a word*,  and Tobias-less.  Can there be anything more depressing?

Tobias was my sole reason for reading, breathing, eating, and sleeping this week.  He stole my heart faster than he stole Tris's.  He was perfect and makes me scorn the men around me for not being more like him.  Alas, this is where reading gets dangerous; when reading is more appealing than my own life, I start to think about counseling.  Oh don't judge me.  It's happened to every avid reader.

Ok so get past the boy.  What do you have?  Actually there is a lot.  Ms. Roth has created this huge world that can be overwhelming with mysterious tensions and secrets.  I kept forgetting that the story was only taking place in just the city of Chicago.  As I read, I could picture the broken city, jumping on trains, seeing the homeless.  It was so very real in my mind and was so because the details and storytelling is just incredible.  I felt transported into this whole other world, and I felt the secrets pulling and tugging at me to get answers.  My life was filled with adventure, and I never wanted it to end.

Who Should Read It: I'm not saying it's like the Hunger Games.  It's not.  But people who loved the Hunger Games will probably love Divergent.  It's true.  Dystopian fans, sci-fi meets action meets romance fans *if that's even a type* will love the book.  Really anyone who loves a great adventure and a good government cover-up is due for a date with this book.

My copy of Insurgent is pre-ordered.  I can't wait to devour it.