Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 1st, 2012

Genre: Young Adult - Post Apocalyptic, Action/Adventure

★★★

Read from July 04 to 11, 2012

First of all, let me say that this was a great sequel. It was interesting and you were able to get to know the characters better. 

I was really keen to read Insurgent. I started as soon as I finished Divergent, I just had to know what happens to Tris. 

Now bare in mind, if you haven't read it, this does have some spoilery elements as it's hard to say what I don't like without mentioning parts of it. So consider this your spoiler alert :)

While I enjoyed Insurgent, there were a few things I didn't like.

Tris was not my favourite character in Insurgent. The strong, awesome character she was in Divergent just wasn't here this time. I understood what she went through, and how that would affect her, yet it was tiring hearing the useless, giving up actions and how it influenced every action she did. No matter what, I expected better of her then the rash, careless decisions she did this time round. 

There was also the irrational decision to help Marcus. He didn't trust her enough to share details, she hates him for what he did to Four, yet she helps him. 

Now we learn about the Outside world, and the factions and waiting for the divergents to emerge. To save humanity. :/ I'm not sure how that's going to work and will have to wait for the next in the series to find it out I guess. 

Romance wasn't a priority in Divergent but there was a heavier focus in Insurgent.  

Insurgent didn't grab me as much as Divergent but I didn't hate it. It is still a great read and I'm looking forward to the third instalment in the series to see where this goes. 

Divergent (Divergent #1)

Author: Veronica Roth

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins

Release Date: May 3rd, 2011

Genre: Young Adult - Post Apocalyptic, Action/Adventure

★★★★

Read from June 29 to July 04, 2012

I really enjoyed this book and I've been thinking about this review for a couple of days but I'm none the wiser about what to say.

In a dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions. Candor (honesty), Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (peacefulness), and Erudite (intelligence).
Once a year all 16 year olds need to select which faction they wish to live in for the rest of their lives. Once selected they go through an initiation with there new faction. If unsuccessful they live amongst the factionless.
Our protagonist Beatrice is from Abnegation but doesn't feel she belongs there because she isn't selfless enough. She has a difficult choice but chooses to go to Dauntless (and have a name change to Tris) who have a highly competitive initiation - which Beatrice does well in ;)
The characters are well defined with Tris being a strong, interesting lead.
After the initiation the story takes an interesting twist.
Divergent is well written, and filled with action.
My challenge with writing this review is that although I really liked it, and wanted to read it, I also had no problem putting it down and not picking it back up again until I had time, which you can see by how long it took me to read it. Normally if I really like a book I have trouble putting it down. That being said I have started Insurgent straight after and I know it is because I want to know what happened to Tris.
Either way, I'd recommend this to any dystopian fan to read.