REVIEW: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Publication Date: May 1, 2012

Publisher: Katherine Tegan Books

Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer

Buy it at: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

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.

I just have to warn you that this review totally dips into spoilery waters. Actually, it’s the whole spoilery ocean so read with caution....

This book was everything and nothing that I wanted it to be. As I’m sure you know there’s still so much loss that I’m mourning right now and I can’t seem to let certain things go without feeling a tinge of sorrow. And that ending…I need a moment to process this *rereads chapter again*

The secret revealed in the end, the one that hundreds of people died for, fought for, was kind of a crock of BS! I don’t know about you, but I feel like I was just slapped in the face. How did this happen?! Why did this happen!? And what am I supposed to believe in now, after all is said and done?! Well I guess that’s the point isn’t it? Nothing is over, not really. And I honestly don’t understand why this huge revelation was soooo hard for Marcus to tell Tris, I mean after it finally came out it’s like…yea, he really could have just told her. I feel a huge relief knowing that what was hidden for so long from the Factions is now revealed, but I just don’t think that it was something that should have cost hundreds of lives and it definitely was not worth the secrecy and lies between Tris and Tobias. Good job, Marcus. Good job!

And let’s talk about Tris! I mean, WTF is her deal!? I get that she’s grieving her losses and battling the fear and pain inside of her, but come on now. This was ridiculous! She turned into a lump of mush pretty much. Her life is in shambles and people are trying to kill her on a daily basis, but oh yea hey, let’s not take a gun for protection because I’m too afraid to shoot it!?! I understand that she’s hurting and I would be trembling with fear at all that has happened and that has been lost, but at the end of the day she needs to suck it up and keep pushing on because so many people depend on her strength.

But thank heavens for Tobias! I mean, he is just the swooniest thing ever! I swear my heart melts for that man, it really does. Everything that he says and does is just so strong and brave and perfect…Can I have him? Please? Pretty, pretty please?? Seriously though, Tobias has his own demons that he is dealing with and  has lost so much as well, but he is able to handle it a lot better than Tris. Of course he had his moments of douche-bagery, but he still kicked ass and embraced the broken shell that was Tris.

And let’s not even talk about Jeanine because I am so mad…………………what’s that you say? You want me to tell you this? Well only because you insisted and I’m not one to disappoint… This will be the only real spoiler I give because I just have to say what’s on my mind about this. So here it is: I’m baffled that our “villain” Jeanine did not get the ending she deserved.  After all the chaos and mayhem she created and as smart as she was, I feel like her death was just too cheesy. She didn’t even have a chance to fight, to defend herself, to do anything but cower in the corner. Now if there’s anything we’ve learned about Jeanine, we know that’s she’s not a coward and she’s way too smart to be undefended. So why did she die begging for her life? Why was she stabbed one time causing her death? That’s not the Jeanine we know. That’s not the death she deserved! I expected this grand finale fight, duel to the death, one man left standing. Instead I got one stab and a plea for her life. Not cool Veronica, not cool!

But overall, my heart still yearns for this story and it has left me reeling for Allegiant. I loved the fast paced action and yes, of course the love story between Tris and Tobias. I must know what happens…but I fear that I will not like it, I fear the book will leave me feeling more hurt than ever and I don’t know if I’ll be able to bounce back from it. I feel it will crush me beyond repair…I pray that I am wrong!