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allyjshand's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I made the mistake of watching the film first which grossly oversimplified the book. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the second half / final third of the book largely differed from the film, and I really enjoyed the ending.
That being said the book could have easier been much shorter if less time was dedicated to relationships between minor side characters and to Tris’ grief. Overall an enjoyable YA read.
That being said the book could have easier been much shorter if less time was dedicated to relationships between minor side characters and to Tris’ grief. Overall an enjoyable YA read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Murder
elija_20's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am forever blown away by how much better these books are compared to the films. From the character details to the plot changes, the books are just better and way more enjoyable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Death, and Genocide
Moderate: Kidnapping, Child abuse, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, and Physical abuse
tylan's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, and Suicidal thoughts
alsoiread's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Murder, War, Gun violence, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
bethyalot's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, and Death
Minor: Torture and Child death
alexiconic's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book did too much telling and not enough showing for me. The conflict between Tobias and Tris was forced, unnecessary or predictable, with Tris (who is supposed to be smart!) obnoxiously repeating many of the same mistakes and being surprised when the outcome is, predictably, Not Nice. The author tried to explore the consequences of book 1 - admirable - but I wish she’d show us, somehow, and not rub it in through Tris’ inconsistent internal monologue without exploring the deeper layers. That said, the plot and pacing were great, and the ending worked up to a good climax that still makes me pick up book 3.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Death of parent, Violence, Toxic relationship, War, Physical abuse, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture
melsage1823's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I'm going to try keep this spoiler free but this book definitely felt like a step down from the first book. There were some stuff I liked but some stuff I didn't.
Before I get into what i liked I have to share my dislikes. First I hated the characterisation it partly makes me wish someone else was brought in to help consult Veronica to write a good relationship. Four × Tris felt so stale as well as their fights. In the society there in you'd expect secrets being kept to be understandable. Four is so inconsistent and much more horrible and Tris is somehow falling for manipulations from Four's abuser.
I won't say which villians fall but I feel like they were wasted after being built up in the first book and thats such a shame. The fact I was more interested in the side characters is something super telling. I also didn't like the pacing of the book because it was super fast at the beginning and tried to brush off the Aftermath of the first book way too quickly.
Apart from that I thought it was okay the super spoilery stuff was very interesting and had me hooked. I was absolutely flabbergasted and shocked at the ending. The foreshadowing for the third book is also scary but brilliant. It was also really interesting to see the breakdown of the society even further and to see how bitter everyone had become after the attack on Abnegation. The action sequences also had me at the edge of my seat especially the attack on Candor.
Overall I really jinxed it reading the first book when I said I hoped that the second book would be amazing so I'm not gonna jinx the third book even if the cliffhanger has me hooked. Insurgent was ok but it could have been a lot better and sacrificed the Tris x Four subplot for better character development.
Mel's Rating: 3.5 😓👍🏼
Before I get into what i liked I have to share my dislikes. First I hated the characterisation it partly makes me wish someone else was brought in to help consult Veronica to write a good relationship. Four × Tris felt so stale as well as their fights. In the society there in you'd expect secrets being kept to be understandable. Four is so inconsistent and much more horrible and Tris is somehow falling for manipulations from Four's abuser.
I won't say which villians fall but I feel like they were wasted after being built up in the first book and thats such a shame. The fact I was more interested in the side characters is something super telling. I also didn't like the pacing of the book because it was super fast at the beginning and tried to brush off the Aftermath of the first book way too quickly.
Apart from that I thought it was okay the super spoilery stuff was very interesting and had me hooked. I was absolutely flabbergasted and shocked at the ending. The foreshadowing for the third book is also scary but brilliant. It was also really interesting to see the breakdown of the society even further and to see how bitter everyone had become after the attack on Abnegation. The action sequences also had me at the edge of my seat especially the attack on Candor.
Overall I really jinxed it reading the first book when I said I hoped that the second book would be amazing so I'm not gonna jinx the third book even if the cliffhanger has me hooked. Insurgent was ok but it could have been a lot better and sacrificed the Tris x Four subplot for better character development.
Mel's Rating: 3.5 😓👍🏼
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, War, Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Violence, and Suicidal thoughts
readingwithkaitlyn's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a reread after picking it up for the first time several years ago.
I think with this one the writing is better than in Divergent in terms of sentence structure. Though like with the first it drags on at times. The story is entertaining, but the overall plot could have been tweaked a bit more. Also, in comparison to the movies, it hardly feels like they are the same stories with the same characters.
However, unlike with Divergent where I felt the movie did better with most changes, there is a little bit from the book for Insurgent that outshines the movie. Like having more side characters with more important roles. Still, most of it was entirely different and I do think the movie outshined the book in terms of plot and character arcs.
There is so much in this that is different. Primarily the plot, where the movie seemed like Jeanine was determined to erase the Divergent and use them to open the box from Abnegation. Instead the book focused on Jeanine trying to understand the Divergent minds and prevent the information about the outside world being leaked. She knew the whole time rather than finding out in the end like the movie. Where the books lack is excitability. It’s an interesting plot and there is tons of danger, but the stakes don’t seem as high and once again, as cohesive. Especially with Four and Tris being at odds the whole time.
Tris destroys the sim harddrive from the first book, escaping Amity was different in that they first tried to be disguised before taking off, the encounter with factionless was not a big fight, Tris stabbing Eric to kill him before Dauntless elects new leaders and decide to execute him which Four does, Four being bullied by the Dauntless for confession about father and proceeding to best him up to gain back respect and strive for leadership, Four having his fear sim change, Marlene being the one to fall and not Christina (Tris saves Hector), them being in Abnegation at some points and going back to the Dauntless compound, Tris working sith Marcus and going against Four for the recording info and the lady being a Prior, Tori killing Jeanine, and Lynn dying and hinting at her being in love with Marlene. Instead of getting Tris to open the boxes with similations, they were experimenting on her to see how the Divergent brain works. To see if they can create something to control the Divergents.
Even though the plot is okay, it is far less exciting and compact than the movies. It was also a lot to deal with Four and Tris being hot and cold, especially when it seems like Four ~gets~ Tris but suddently doesn’t. When she’s so immersed in grief. It’s a far different Four than in the movies I remember. I think that is why I forgot so much of the books, because it pales in comparison.
I am being quite critical but I also don’t think the book is awful. I wasn’t as invested with Divergent, but as I said about that book, you can’t help but to be invested in the characters and care about them and their lives. Which for someone like me, who can love a story that is otherwise bad but has great characters, is a major plus. I’d rather read that than a fantastic plot with characters you don’t care about at all.
Overall, not the best book I’ve ever read but still oddly nostalgic and appealing despite all criticisms.
I think with this one the writing is better than in Divergent in terms of sentence structure. Though like with the first it drags on at times. The story is entertaining, but the overall plot could have been tweaked a bit more. Also, in comparison to the movies, it hardly feels like they are the same stories with the same characters.
However, unlike with Divergent where I felt the movie did better with most changes, there is a little bit from the book for Insurgent that outshines the movie. Like having more side characters with more important roles. Still, most of it was entirely different and I do think the movie outshined the book in terms of plot and character arcs.
Tris destroys the sim harddrive from the first book, escaping Amity was different in that they first tried to be disguised before taking off, the encounter with factionless was not a big fight, Tris stabbing Eric to kill him before Dauntless elects new leaders and decide to execute him which Four does, Four being bullied by the Dauntless for confession about father and proceeding to best him up to gain back respect and strive for leadership, Four having his fear sim change, Marlene being the one to fall and not Christina (Tris saves Hector), them being in Abnegation at some points and going back to the Dauntless compound, Tris working sith Marcus and going against Four for the recording info and the lady being a Prior, Tori killing Jeanine, and Lynn dying and hinting at her being in love with Marlene. Instead of getting Tris to open the boxes with similations, they were experimenting on her to see how the Divergent brain works. To see if they can create something to control the Divergents.
Even though the plot is okay, it is far less exciting and compact than the movies. It was also a lot to deal with Four and Tris being hot and cold, especially when it seems like Four ~gets~ Tris but suddently doesn’t. When she’s so immersed in grief. It’s a far different Four than in the movies I remember. I think that is why I forgot so much of the books, because it pales in comparison.
I am being quite critical but I also don’t think the book is awful. I wasn’t as invested with Divergent, but as I said about that book, you can’t help but to be invested in the characters and care about them and their lives. Which for someone like me, who can love a story that is otherwise bad but has great characters, is a major plus. I’d rather read that than a fantastic plot with characters you don’t care about at all.
Overall, not the best book I’ve ever read but still oddly nostalgic and appealing despite all criticisms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Grief, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gun violence, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gore, Child death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and Child abuse
bookishmelissaa's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Murder, and Death
lorraine19's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I rarely find the sequels to books better than the original, but this one I definitely do. As I said with my divergent review, I watched the movies first and enjoyed them. However, the movies didn't even touch on the psychological aspect that is the main point in this book. Ya you get to look at the other factions and the story is good, but what really makes it great is the way Tris' mental health is discussed. This is the dark, realistic stuff that makes books so good and relatable. Love the exploration of, not only a complex society, but complex characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, War, Torture, Genocide, Murder, Gun violence, Death of parent, Death, Mental illness, Child death, and Blood
Moderate: Abandonment