I really wanted to like Insurgent, the second book of the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. But I didn’t. It was terrible.
I had misgivings about the first book, and now I wish I had stopped reading there. I certainly have no desire to tackle the third after hearing reviews. Roth had a fantastic opportunity with this series, but something happened after book 1, Divergent. Perhaps she tried to publish too quickly or condense too much, but the overall impression I had of Insurgent was a plot line with multiple levels, but no ladders.
Every concern I had after reading Divergent was realized with this second installment. The timeline was out of control; so many things happened so quickly. I don’t even want to go there. It’s a mess. The spatial layout of the book is terrible- characters jump from faction to faction in the blink of an eye, and yet days pass while they wait for someone to attack from the next faction over. I wish Roth had drawn a map. In one scene the characters literally walk downstairs in their safe haven and are attacked. Five minutes later it’s all over and everything’s just great, except they’ve all been injected by a simulation that could cause them to revolt and kill themselves or others at any moment, but no big deal, right? It’s time for them to eat cake. (sarcasm)
In all seriousness, it just kept getting worse. At one point our protagonist is under a simulation and is tricked into announcing the attack date to Evil Lady. But no worries, because apparently only the reader noticed the obvious slip! Characters come and go as convenient, allegiances change every other page, and the sixteen-year-olds are given incredible responsibility and power while their elders eat cake, apparently.
Roth continually carves out “moments” for her lovebirds, which are conveniently timed and never interrupted or questioned, even while imprisoned. It’s both completely unrealistic and a relief, and perhaps the redeeming quality that makes this trilogy so loved by readers. They want to see a happily ever after, but when the circumstances surrounding many of these “moments” is just not practical, they lose effect.
I wanted to love this book. I want to love this world. Unfortunately I am a literal reader, which essentially means the book has to make sense- the plot line, timeline, geography, circumstances, interactions, etc. And it doesn’t. Don’t even get me started about the plot holes with the Factionless (double the size, weapon training, and the government never expected rebellion?!), or the enormous failure of the “big” revelation at the end.
However, I will say Roth does manage to stitch some worthwhile messages into the scraps of this story. Tris, the protagonist, deals with the repercussions of decisions made in Divergent, and this subplot is believable. Other subplots- few and far between- are also laced through the story with believability, but I don’t want to spoil them…even though Insurgent has already ruined Divergent for me. I’d recommend stopping while you’re ahead.
musings of a reader. 