Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 496
Published: May 1, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian

My Rating: 5/5

Summary (from chapters.ca):

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.

Trailer:

Review:

**NOTE: This review may contain spoilers to anyone who has not yet read the first book in the series, Divergent**

One choice can transform you.  One choice can destroy you.

One of the most anticipated books of 2012 and I have to tell you, after reading Divergent (my review here), I was among those who was SO happy to finally see the book arrive in my mailbox and at the same time, so upset that I now have to wait for the next book in the series... sometime in 2013.

For me, Insurgent was perfect.  It was exactly what I was hoping it would be and more.  The characters were all back and those that weren't had been sacrificed for the greater good.  As the factions begin to crumble, the story takes so many twists and turns that it has you second guessing your loyalties, your faction, your blood. 

Tris remains one of my ultimate book heroines.  Her ability to put herself in harm's way (Abnegation), jump into battle without a moment's hesitation (Dauntless) and think two steps ahead of everyone else (Erudite) have her as one strong bad ass chick and I LOVE it! 

While I do admit that Divergent left me on such a high that Insurgent had really big shoes to fill, this has to be one of my favourite sequel books in a long time.  Not since Catching Fire have I found myself wondering if it was possible that the second could have been better that the first.  As an author, Veronica Roth has been able to keep her readers involved and immersed in the story.  She has an amazing ability at storytelling and setting the scene so well that, as a reader, I was never at a loss for what was happening.  I never once needed to stop and imagine the landscape she was describing because it came across the pages like a movie.  I could see it without even trying and I drank up every scene.

Overall, the only word's appropriate for this book are WOW!  I am now eagerly awaiting the third book and will keep my fingers crossed that it is able to continue the strong storyline of it's predecessor's. 

I AM AMITY