Book Review: Insurgent

So, while I was on vacation, Insurgent the sequel to Veronica Roth's Divergent hit the virtual and physical bookshelves. I made the mistake of downloading it on my iPad to read (click on her name to go to her webpage and get all the news first - I'll also be adding her to my blog roll!)


Why was this a mistake? Because I was on vacation at the beach. I'm not going to take my iPad down to the beach.

I wound of devouring Insurgent between meals, while the TV was on, and while others took showers. So, pretty much any spare moment I was inside, I was glued to this book.


After reading Divergent I said that the only super huge issue I'd have with the series was if Roth never really explored what was beyond the fence that surrounds this dystopian Chicago. Did she tell us in this book? Nope. But, I think she did one better; she gave us some hints about the history of how the factions came to be.


I really loved this book. Now, I feel like if I'm really going to give it a critical reading I'd need to go back and read it again. Usually on my first read through of books I'm paying attention to the plot (and if I'm not then I start paying attention to why I'm not hooked).


For the most part I think that the strongest aspect of this book is the characterization. Tris, the narrator and main character, is put in some really touch situations and I think she deals with them to the best of her ability aka her characterization is strong and consistant.


One thing that I did notice was that there was one bit (involving her brother) that seemed a bit cliche/ predictable. However, having said that, since I was so caught up in the book, I didn't see it coming. Once it did though I was kinda like, "Well, of course that was going to happen..."


Now, one of my blogger friends wasn't thrilled with the way the book ended (dropping this huge plot twist at the very end) but I disagree. I think it was annoying, yes, because I wanted to keep reading. But isn't that the whole point? Keep the reader wanting more. Make them crave that final book? I feel like the Huger Games dropped a pretty huge plot twist at the end of the second one. But you should check out what my buddy said for yourself here.


Here's a little book trailer. Enjoy!