Book #54 - Insurgent (Divergent #2)

Insurgent (Divergent #2), Veronica Roth
525 pages
Dystopian
Started 5/4/12
Finished 5/5/12
5 STARS

I read Divergent in November 2011, and for the first time since The Hunger Games, I was deeply compelled by a dystopian novel. And, I think I've said before that dystopian isn't exactly my genre of choice. As a general rule, they are dark, violent and depressing. Me? I'm a happy person. I like romance, happy endings, hearts and flowers. And, against all understanding, I LOVE this series.

The factions are no more - not like they were, anyway. Tris' and Tobias' city is in a complete uproar. Initially, the couple and their friends escape to Amity, hoping to find an impartial refuge from the Erudite and Dauntless members out to kill those who refuse to lie down. They aren't there long before they realize that their Dauntless nature doesn't mix well with the hippy dippy Amity, and they have to leave. Throughout the course of the book, their travels take them all over their civilization - in fact, they at least visit, and in most cases sleep, in every faction's headquarters. Tris and Tobias even take a side trip to see the factionless. All in an effort to bring down the Erudite and Dauntless traitors and restore some semblance of order to their world.

The thing is, this book IS dark. It is violent. And, yes, it's depressing. It's everything a good dystopian novel should be. But, there's an overarching message of hope. That two people - especially two people with a lot of love for each other - really can change the world.

To be fair, Tris is pretty fair annoying for a lot of the book. She's a little mopey and enjoys a lot of self-loathing. I mean, A LOT. I probably would too if I had been in her shoes. But, it was infuriating to see her wallowing in self-pity when this wonderful, strong man is standing by her side, desperately trying to help her, and she keeps pushing him away. The love she has for him never really goes away though, and she finds a way to push the bad feelings aside and tries to do what she knows is right. I think that is why I love this story.