Greetings, Bookworms!
Last week I talked about how much I enjoyed Divergent by Veronica Roth, and in true Katie fashion, I began the second book IMMEDIATELY after finishing the first. I’ve been completely sucked into this world, so Insurgent and I got along juuuuuust fine.
I said the other day that the second book in a trilogy is often sacrificed as the Jan Brady of books. (Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!) There were quite a few of you Bookworms who mentioned that Insurgent was a disappointment to you, but I didn’t have any problems with it. Since it’s downright impossible to discuss the second book in the triology without spoiling the first, I’m going to go ahead and issue a big fat SPOILER ALERT!
When we left Chicago, the wicked Jeanine, leader of Erudite, had turned Dauntless into a faction of zombie mind controlled soldiers. She had them attack Abnegation and murder a bunch of important government leaders. Because Tris is Divergent, she wasn’t susceptible to the computer chip implant and… Neither was her new boyfriend Four! A little convenient perhaps, but I love their little romance so I’m cool with the dual Divergence.
After a whole lot of heartbreak, the deaths of Tris’s parents, and the reappearance of Tobias’s (AKA Four) abusive jerkface father, Marcus, our small band of refugees hops a train out of town to Amity’s compound. Amity! We haven’t heard much from them yet, so getting to see their compound and some of the questionable tactics they employ to keep the peace was pretty sweet. Eventually they head out of Amity to discover that once the Dauntless army came out of their trance, they split in half: one half bunking with the Candor crew and the other sticking with their Erudite brain masters. Families are torn apart. And in between all of this? Tris keeps taking stupid risks and putting herself in danger, which TOTALLY pisses off Tobias. Trouble in paradise, but at least, thank HEAVEN, NO LOVE TRIANGLE!
So there’s a big fat WAR going on. A war of the factions, a war in the city. The freaking FACTIONLESS threaten to rise from the ashes! People return from the dead. I mean, all bets are off. It’s insanity. We’re left with a ginormous cliffhanger at the end of this book. And I’m all…
Needless to say, I have SUPER high expectations for Allegiant which is due out October 22. I wish I’d waited a bit longer to start the series so I didn’t have to SUFFER in ANTICIPATION like this! Gah! Anybody out there in this boat with me?!
Ashley Z
I loved Insurgent! I saw all the comments about people being torn about it but I actually liked it better than Divergent! I am ever so patiently waiting Allegiant! I’m going to have to re-read the first two for a refresh so I can dive into the third. I actually think (so far) this is the best series I’ve read!
Words for Worms
I wouldn’t rate it quite as high as the Hunger Games, but it’s SO MUCH BETTER than I imagined it would be. Love it.
RebeccaScaglione - Love at First Book
Enter to win the third one!!! I’m not hosting the giveaway, but the link is on my bloggggg http://loveatfirstbook.com/divergent/
Also, I liked the first book better than the second but I am interested (or should I say dying to read???) book 3!!
Words for Worms
Aaaah! I’ve entered! I can’t wait for Allegiant!
RebeccaScaglione - Love at First Book
Me tooooooo!!! I try to enter the Twitter part daily, but it ends up being weekly. . . I just want more chances to win!
bookgeeking
I loved both of the books, I do not think the second one was a let down at all. It was a little bit different but just as good as the first. Cannot wait for the third one to come out 🙂
Words for Worms
I didn’t think it was a let down either- it kept the story moving forward and introduced us more closely to new factions. I thought it was pretty great!
Cindy W
I loved Insurgent as much as I love Divergent! I read some comments where people were upset by Tris’ actions and her working with Four’s father, but I didn’t have issues with that. I felt like she didn’t really trust him, but she needed to use him to find out the truth about what was happening and why. What upset me was her brother’s actions. I’m hoping there is some reason for them that we find out in the next book.
And I am dying for book 3! When I finished Insurgent, I was looking for the next chapter, like maybe my Kindle hadn’t downloaded it. How could she drop that bombshell and then make me wait a year! I was not happy. Thank goodness Allegiant comes out next month.
Words for Worms
Oh Caleb made me so mad! What the whaaaaaaaaaat? I’m hoping he’s double agenting or something… Hurry up, October 22!!!
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
I haven’t started this series yet, so I just sort of skimmed your review, but I’m RIGHT THERE with you when it comes to middle books. They are often that sad Jan Brady, but I’m really glad to say that I just finished the middle book in the Chaos Walking trilogy and it’s amazing!!! No middle child syndrome there either.
Words for Worms
Oooh Chaos Walking, you say? Andi, you just live to expand my TBR list, don’t you?
theduckandtheowl
Oct. 22nd is SO CLOSE! and yet, so far away…
Words for Worms
My sentiments exactly!
picturemereading
I really love Insurgent..can not wait for the sequel!
Words for Worms
A month and a half seems sooooo long!
Cautious Reader
Did not read this one yet. Waiting for the final installment to come out and THEN I am going to dig in. 🙂
Words for Worms
Smart move. I tried to hold out and then I caved in. I should have waited. Sigh…
Ashley F
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I think my disappointment was that I had to wait the year and whatever between books so my brain had hyped it up so much that it had nowhere to go but down. And now in comparison, book 3 will be epic because to me it can only get better than 2!!
Words for Worms
The longer the wait the tougher it is for a book to live up to the hype. I might have felt differently were it not for the instant gratification ;).
Ashley F
Exactly. Unless you’re Diana Gabaldon and then I’m just so glad that there even is a new book that I’m thrilled. March 2014 is still sooooooooo far away. I mean it’s only been 4 YEARS since the last one.
Words for Worms
YEEEEEEEEEEES! I wonder if our rabid fandom creeps out Diana Gabaldon. I’d probably be creeped out by me if I were her, because I wouldn’t know that despite my unbridled enthusiasm for her books, I’m essentially harmless.
Ashley F
We may be rabid fans but we’re not creepy. I mean it’s not like we mail her hand sketched images of Jamie or anything. That would be creepy.
Words for Worms
Or like accost redheads so we can send her samples of the perfect shade of Jamie hair. 🙂
Jenny @ Reading the End (formerly Jenny's Books)
BUT WHY ARE THE ERUDITE SO NASTY? I don’t understaaaaaand! They are all such jerks and I don’t understand whyyyyyy.
Words for Worms
I don’t either! Smart people aren’t douchey by default! That’s why I wanted to be a Ravenclaw in HP land, because I’m a big nerrrrrrrrrd.
Rosie Baillie
I read Divergent at the start of the year and I intended to wait until about a week before Allegiant comes out to read Insurgent but couldn’t wait and have spent the last 4 months looking forward to it!
Words for Worms
I completely understand. My breath. It is bated. C’mon Oct 22!
Quirky Chrissy
So, unlike you, I was able to read 2 & 3 in the same day. Yay for waiting! And they’ve kinda merged together in my mind…but I started getting pissed at Tobias and Tris for their idiocy and love story. She was a little too Bella (without being quite as much of a klutz) and he was a little too Edward. But whatevs. I still enjoyed it.