Tag: Veronica Roth

Mini-Review: Insurgent

Published on by Rachelle

Insurgent

  • Author: Veronica Roth
  • ISBN: 9780007442911
  • Genre: Sci-Fi/Dystopian
  • Pages: 525

 
 
Not long after I finished Divergent, I bought a copy of Insurgent.  I just had to get it.  I needed to know what would happen next.  I forced myself to wait and read something else so that I wouldn’t get burnt out on the story and end up having my opinion of the book suffer as a result.
I’m glad I didn’t wait too long, though.  I had already forgotten who was who amongst some of the smaller characters, but I was able to jog my memory and figure things out fairly quickly.  One thing that stood out to me while reading is that Roth’s writing improved.  No longer did I come across awkward turns of phrase and clunky dialogue.  However, some of the interactions between Triss and Four didn’t make much sense to me, even though I can’t put my finger on exactly why.  Despite that, I couldn’t wait to continue reading anytime I had to put the book down.  I look forward to picking up the final book, Allegiant.
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Review: Divergent

Published on by Rachelle

Divergent

  • Author: Veronica Roth
  • ISBN: 9780062024039
  • Genre: YA Science Fiction/Dystopian
  • Pages: 487

In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue. On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is – she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles alongside her fellow initiates to live out the choice they have made. As initiation transforms them all, Tris must determine who her friends really are – and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes exasperating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers unrest and growing conflict that threaten to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves…or it might destroy her. – Goodreads synopsis

It seems like ages ago, but when my BFF ended up in the hospital after being hit by a truck, I found out she loves the Divergent series.  I quickly went out and bought her the final book that she hadn’t because it was still only in hardcover.  I also got myself a copy of Divergent with the full intention of it being the next book I read.  Lots of physical therapy and a couple surgeries later, and my BFF is a handbike racer and kayaker, and I finally got around to taking the book off my shelf.
While I won’t say this book belongs on my all-time favorites list, I will say that once I started reading it, I had difficulty stopping.  The writing isn’t all that great, but the story sucked me in, and even though I noticed the many awkward sentences and word choices, I kept turning pages until I had read over half of the book in one sitting.  I can definitely see why my BFF gobbled Allegiant up as soon as she was off the pain meds long enough to stay awake for a decent amount of time.  The pacing and chapter lengths are perfect to keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” or “just a few more pages.”
I enjoyed Divergent so much that I’ve already got myself a copy of Insurgent.  I could have left the story at the last page of this book; it’s not a cliffhanger.  However, I don’t want to leave it there.  I want to know what happens next, and I want to continue getting sucked into Tris’s story.  I don’t think there’s anything better than that when it comes to books, no matter the level of writing.
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