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INSURGENT by Veronica Roth


copyright date: May 2012
primarily marketed for:  young adults (14 and up)

I could probably start and end this review with: THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth, because if you read Divergent, of course you want to read this next installment in the trilogy.  The sequel to Divergent is out.  Enough said.  Now you want to read it.   But I just can’t read a book this good without, well, blogging about it!

I read LOTS of books between the moment I finished Divergent and the moment I got my hands on Insurgent.  However, it only took seconds for the details of the first book to come flooding back to me as I read the sequel.  Plus, Roth included helpful reminders about key character points (and there are a lot of characters to keep track of) to make catching up even easier.  In fact, other than a temporary (but crucial) mix-up between the characters of Johanna and Jeanine, I had no trouble keeping everybody straight!

The best parts of this book were that the sequel stayed true to the relationship between Tris and Tobias, every character from the original was followed up on, the unrest amongst factions reaches an exciting climax, and the ending blows open a whole new twist that leaves me eagerly anticipating the third book. 

Recently, I got the opportunity to meet Veronica Roth at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville, IL (a lovely independent bookstore that works hard to bring authors to its community, through the store and through local schools).  She read a passage from Chapter 8 of Insurgent and answered questions from the audience before signing books.  The best question she was asked was: Is your husband your Tobias?  It even got an audible, “awwww,” from the audience.  She even brought her doggie to the signing!

I was feeling bummed that I had number 182 in the book signing line.  That is, until I heard there were more than 500 people there.  If 500 people at a bookstore on a Friday night to meet this author is not enough to convince you this is a series worth investing some time in, I am not sure what is.  Go get Divergent and Insurgent now and start reading!
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Comments

  1. Deb DayMay 8, 2012 at 8:51 PM

    THis is a FABULOUS book. I've been telling everyone that these are the books they want to read when they don't know what to read after the Hunger Games. In fact, I like them better! Not quite done with Insurgent yet, I'm reading it very slowly, because I know it's a long time until the next one comes out

    ReplyDelete
  2. Linda BMay 8, 2012 at 10:19 PM

    I will read this later, Christy. I just got Divergent & have only started it. Now between you & Deb, I guess I'd better get reading! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousMay 15, 2012 at 5:11 AM

    Awesome book
    did you also read I Am Alive by Cameron Jace. It's more Hunger Games than Divergent but has the spirit and intense fun of Divergent

    ReplyDelete
  4. BelgieMay 19, 2012 at 4:30 AM

    I just finished reading book two of this trilogy (Insurgent) and I am just so wowed. I absolutely loved both of these books. They were just amazing. If you liked The Hunger Games and/or The Maze Runner Trilogy then you will also love these books by Veronica Roth. I love that we have moved from vampires and werewolves into this post-apocalyptic suspenseful novels.

    First off, I have to say, I adored the characters in this book my favorites were of course Beatrice and Uriah, Tobias and Will. Veronica Roth really spent a lot of time developing her characters and each and every one of them was unique and purposeful. I felt like there was a reason behind every character in these novels, and I felt strong emotions toward each one. At times, I felt like the characters were real and I hurt for them at many times while reading. Uriah was definitely my all time favorite though. He was like Finnick for me. If you haven't read The Hunger Games, you might not get that reference, but let's just say he's amazing.

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