Insurgent by Veronica Roth

The Divergent Trilogy Reviews
Divergent, Insurgent, and Allegiant
The Divergent Film Review 

Published: May 1 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Series: #2 of the Divergent Trilogy  
Website: Author’s Blog

Introduction

                Unrest is sweeping through the city and war threatens to tear apart what is left. The factionless emerge from the shadows and complicate the balance of the factions. Tris, Four, and their allies are looking for a solution to the conflict caused by Erudite’s Jeanine Matthews. However, the bond between Tris and Four is tested as well.

Story

                Yes, my introduction is lacking here, because the story is more or less obsessed with talking, waiting in rooms, and arguing. There are some truly invigorating and moving moments in the book, if you can get by the boring chapters. Even if you are bored, I implore you to at least read the book through to the end, then decide if you want to finish the trilogy.

Tris and Tobias

I feel like Tris and Tobias are only together because of their Divergence. He knew she was one, and as far as I have read, there were no other people who were openly Divergent. Perhaps it will be unpolitically correct of me, but it reminds me of the episode of South Park entitled “Cartman Finds Love”. You don’t match people together because of one common interest or how they were born. If there was another love interest for Tris, I’m inclined to say that she should go for it. History isn’t everything. Yet, I appreciate that Roth didn’t take the easy route and insert a love triangle just because that’s what YA does.

On the other hand, in Insurgence, Tobias becomes a jerk, and Tris makes some of the dumbest and most illogical decisions I have ever read. Instead of being the strong, badass female protagonist, she is extremely angst-ridden. She does have reason to be, but we have way too much reflection that tells us what she is experiencing instead of showing us. Tris gets more angst-ridden than Katniss in Mocking Jay, and Katniss’s mopy depression is a tiring and boring experience (for me, at least).  

If Insurgent gets a movie, I can’t wait until film makers try to make this connect with the audience. Reading it was so alienating and uncomfortable it would be painful to watch on the screen.  

Tris (mild spoilers!)

                Tris has a problem holding guns now. Ok. But she is ok stabbing someone? Yeah, sure, Roth. Characterization fail. She’s depressed so her behaviours are dissimilar from the first book, but she doesn’t make sense. She is torn between wielding a Taser or a gun. She chooses a Taser because it won’t kill people. And then she stabs to kill. Whatever. I can’t take Tris very seriously. I am praying to all the invisible beings that the third book fixes the mockery that has become of Tris.   

The Writing

                In my review of the first book, I mentioned that the writing irked me at times. In this book, I took some notes of the sentences that have poor grammar. If I can spot it, you have a problem. To avoid spoilers, I have only included two safe examples:

                “Unfortunately it’s also the best plant we have,” she points out. (Page 429)

               

A sick feeling in my stomach, I follow Marcus and Christina out of the control room and towards the stairs. (Page 480)

The End

The end was traumatic because there was one and my copy of the next book, Allegiant wasn’t with me, and I couldn’t get it for two days. I don’t know if I will like where the final book is going, but the ending of Insurgent is cruel. However, I do want to point out that the explanation about what the Divergent are, and what their city is, is boarding on illogical. I am now waiting for the third book for this to make sense to me. If Allegiant doesn’t make this clear to me, I’m going to destroy metaphorical cities in my rage.   

Final Verdict

                Despite all the bickering between the main characters, and the constant, useless meetings with the other factions, I enjoyed the book. I look back and realize that there were enough boring parts to make other people put the book down. For me, I felt that even the “boring” parts were hinting at new plot and excitement, so I read them without much fuss. Allegiant has a big job to fill because Insurgent left off with some large questions.