Beatrice, Now called Tris, Made a big change Playing on the trains, She became a Dauntless one day She's got mud on her face A parental disgrace Now she'll be kickin your ass all over the place
Singin' We are, we are DIVERGENT We are, we are DIVERGENT
Tobias is a Dauntless, Divergent Shoutin' to them all, We can take on the world today Erudite got blood on their face We'll put them in their place Into the past, out of our Fear Landscapes
Singin' We are, we are INSURGENT We are, we are INSURGENT
Come on!
We are, we are INSURGENT We are, we are INSURGENT
The Rundown
Okay, I'm sorry but I am NOT going to give you a summary of this book. I knew nothing going in and I loved it that way. Everything was a surprise and I think maybe that's how it should be. Plus, you know you want to read it anyway.
And if you haven't read Divergent yet... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Shoo! Go read it NOW.
The Plot and World-Building
This world in Insurgent is darker and even more exciting than Divergent. Each chapter raises the stakes until you're all in. The characters in this book are so much more alive than in any other book I've read recently. They have such fascinating layers and depth that I feel I could never uncover all he secrets they hold. Luckily, Veronica Roth is amazing at helping us do just that. The characters are masterfully unraveled before our very eyes. Insights unlocked that I'd have never seen coming.
The same goes for the storyline. There are things happening in this book that I wouldn't have once guessed. And I consider myself pretty adept at figuring out storylines. Every new plot twist is a welcome surprise. Every new bit of info is an exciting reveal.
I was very pleasantly surprised that the romance storyline DID NOT overwhelm the majority of the plot. This was a book about society and about war and about dealing with everything that comes with both of those. That's what dystopian fiction is supposed to be about.
The plot expands greatly upon what we know about the society and it's background, which in the first was mostly nil. I was thrilled with the way the information was revealed and what it means for the future of the series.
The Characters
Tris really FEELS the emotions brought on by the deaths that she believes herself to be responsible for, even when she had no other choice. In fact, she feels her feelings almost too much. A lot like the way people really do in even less dire real life situations. She's just an ordinary girl in an extraordinary situation. At least, that's how she sees herself. She doesn't at all realize how strong and extraordinary she really is.
As much as I love Katniss from The Hunger Games, I never really felt her inner turmoil the way I do with Tris. My stomach clenches when I think of what she's gone through so far. If I think about it too much, I'll get nauseous.
On another note, I have a tiny gripe about the passages involving Four's looks, like this one: "Some girls might focus on the way his ears stick out, or the way his nose hooks at the end." Plus, many other little ones about his spindly long fingers and gaunt face.
Wow, move over Fabio! Lemme at him!! GOOD LORD, this woman really does not want us to find Ol' Toby attractive, does she? Â I appreciate that he isn't your typical "hero" type, because let's face it - not every guy has long blonde waves and gleaming teeth. But not every girl finds that kind of guy attractive either. Â It doesn't have to be one or the other. I would like a bit sexier description of him from time to time. You know, something that doesn't make it sound as though he looks like Beetlejuice.
For example, most people wouldn't call Edward Scissorhands himself a classically handsome man. If you tried to, you could make some of Johnny Depp's characters sound pretty hideous in a text description, but he somehow manages to transcend the gloomy and unique nature of those characters and bring them to life in a way that makes them sexy and intriguing. I just would like a little something like that in the description of Four in the future.
The Romance
First off, yes, I still call him Four. Tris switches off between calling him Four and Tobias in the book. Lately, I've found myself calling him Tobias in my head but when I write it, it usually ends up being Four. I mean, that's what he was called throughout almost the entire first novel... but the name Tobias is starting to grow on me.
To be honest, I was afraid that Tris and Four's relationship would go down the cookie cutter route. I couldn't be more thrilled with the direction their romance has taken. They have real issues that they work through. There is no angst purely for the sake angst. It's all based on their present and past situations. If you're looking for a lovey dovey, pink fluffy unicorns dancing on rainbows kind of relationship, then sorry but you won't find that here. Sorry to burst your cotton candy bubble gum bubble. And yes, I know I'm evil. *sly grin*
There's angst and arguing but NO love triangle with the main character. At least not one that was discernible to me. If there was one, it was a ninja assassin love triangle.
The Verdict
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book in this series. Insurgent was an incredibly delicious, exciting, and emotional read! But mostly, it just flat out made an impact on me.
The other night I was watching Merlin, which has newly been added to my list of all-time favorite TV shows, and there was one particular moment where a character shows a redonkulous amount of bravery in a certain heartbreaking scene which cannot be named, and I literally thought to myself "That's so Dauntless." That's the power of the world that Veronica Roth has created. When a story becomes part of pop culture, when it is so unique and recognizable that it can be spoofed or merchandised, and when it's terminology works its way into your everyday life - that's when you see the true power of literature. I believe that this is one of those stories.
Oh and by the way, I want a T-Shirt with the Dauntless faction symbol, so... someone get started on that ASAP. *snap, snap*
The winner of the Divergent and Insurgent PRIZE PACK has been announced on STRANGEMORE.COM. Check the Rafflecopter Widget to see the name of the winner!(less)
This book blew me away with... a Masquerade Ball, reincarnation, slyph, dr...moreA gorgeous YA utopian tale! Nope, not dystopian. Do you know the difference?
This book blew me away with... a Masquerade Ball, reincarnation, slyph, dragons, music, souls, butterfly, slow burn romance, tension, laser pistols, massive library, war stories, dragon battles. Need I go on? I mean - Wow.
I read this in a flurry of addiction. I just couldn't get enough of the world and it's goings-ons. Completely entrancing.
The Rundown
Ana was born into a society of a million souls. A million souls who have known each other in various forms for thousands of years. They reincarnate into a new body every time they die. Except for when Ana was born. When Ana was born, they were expecting one of their own, someone named Ciana, who was now lost forever. Ana's mother hates her for taking the place of Ciana and is ashamed, so she moves her new baby outside the city and locks her away from all the others. Now, Ana is eighteen and on a quest to the city of Heart to find out about her birth and Ciana's disappearance. Will she find the answers she seeks?
The Writing
The author's prose has a very subtle lyricism, and the underlying message of this book seemed to be one of peace and hope for the future, which is a happy change from bleak and desolate outcomes of some recent dystopian fiction.
The main character, Ana, gets things done. The questions Ana posed to herself in her head were realistic and it was refreshing to have a character who asks questions and goes against the grain instead of settling for everyone-else-knows-best. The love interest, Sam, was complex, intriguing and a hottie!
The romance developed at a (GASP!) realistic pace, more so than most paranormal YA. It wasn't all "You looked at me like you LIKE me, so LETSBETOGETHERFOREVER!" I was afraid that it would feel cardboard or manufactured like some recent YA romances have. But it didn't. It felt natural and ended up being higher tension and surprisingly steamier than I had imagined for such a PG book.
Although few and far between, there were some unobtrusive religious, or possibly even anti-religious, undertones. The thing was that I couldn't tell. I couldn't see an agenda hidden behind the words and I appreciate that. These undertones were woven in delicately and did not overwhelm the world or the characters. It seemed to be more about raising the questions, instead of forcing an answer on you.
Should you believe in something you can't see? That's one of the questions it raises. Novels should be able to raise questions without imposing the author's answers onto on unsuspecting readers. Books should make you think and learn and discover the answers for yourselves. I felt this one did that pitch perfectly.
One complaint I do have, however, is the lack of dialog tags; oftentimes, it was necessary to reread passages over and over to figure out who was saying what. But that might just be my ADD talking. *sings* It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN. Doodoodoo. Wait, what was I saying...
The World-Building
A fresh and unique twist on the mythology of reincarnation. Finally! It is handled beautifully and seems intensely creative. But I want more! I'm so excited to learn more from the next books in the series.
In actuality, there are SO many interesting things you could do with this society. What if the same couple had been together for ten lifetimes but in the next, one just isn't attracted at ALL to the other. Oh, the scandal!
Even though I love the reincarnation concept used by Jodi Meadows, it still weirds me out a bit. Statistically someone who had been your lover in a past life could end up being your parent in the next....or vice versa. *shudder*
In general, I still have so many questions about the world-building. It was exciting and unique, but I wanted more details. More answers.
But I guess we don't know everything about even our favorite mythologies. Like what the hell are midichlorians (besides "bacteria") and how do they work? And WHY can't Darth Vader teleport? I mean, if the Weasley Twins can do it, why can't the original Dark Lord do it?
Regardless, I LOVED Incarnate. I inhaled it. This is definitely more of a 4.5, but it could have been a 5 if the ending had been more dynamic.
I was expecting something more emotionally heart-wrenching. Break my heart into pieces and then put them back together just in time for the last sentence. Give us a huge reveal, more answers, something epic, something shocking, something weep-worthy! However, it just didn't quite do that for me, but I'm hoping that the next books in the series will.
Keep in mind that this is a series. The story comes off at times as a mish mash of genres and ideas. So if you are for streamlined world-building and definitive answers, you might wait on this one. I'm hoping all is explained in the upcoming books but even I still have MANY questions.
I CANNOT WAIT to read the sequels.
Just look at this word cloud. How can a book with this word cloud NOT be awesome?
There's only one thing it needs: NINJAS! Because if I had lived for over 5000 years already, I would definitely have learned to be a ninja by now.
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