Insurgent by Veronica Roth

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 enjoyed the first book in this trilogy, Divergent, fairly well. I had some issues with the adults, but found the rest of the story engaging and compelling. I found Insurgent to be similar: I still had issues with the adults, and some of the plot points were a bit too convenient, but overall I found this story entertaining.

I particularly enjoyed the fact that Tris is suffering from something like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder regarding the violence she endured in the previous book. Stories never go there, so I am glad this one did. And did it well. I found her difficulties with violence and mental blocks against certain items completely believable.

Tris and Four drove me a bit crazy though. I like that their relationship wasn't easy-as-pie, and that they didn't give up on each other. It shows that some things are worth fighting for, and that relationships aren't easy. Actually, they can be scary in some ways, and this comes up really well in their relationship. I thought it went a bit too far, though, and got frustrated with the fact that they didn't just sit down and talk things out. That said, this is also a typical trait of teens their age, so it’s still believable. I just wanted less of it.

Others have said that this story is boring compared with the first book, but I disagree. Much of the book is Tris struggling with her injuries, mental and physical, which some might find repetitive or boring. But that was my favorite part because it felt the most real. We get to delve into her mind in many ways, and some may come out not liking her as much. I came out liking her both more and less.

I also enjoyed that we get insights into the other factions, as well as how they function as a faction. We see the headquarters of Amity, Candor, and Erudite, which I found interesting.

The end isn't completely predictable, but it also wasn't completely surprising. Some of the characters' motivations seemed questionable, which made me question certain events, but the story still flows well and kept me interested. The ending leaves you hanging with a pretty big reveal, and I'm interested enough to read the next book. I’m wondering how everything can get resolved in one book, but am willing to go along for the ride.