Insurgent by Veronica Roth a Book Review

5 Big Lessons from Insurgent (Divergent) by Veronica Roth

 Divergent Series Four-Book Paperback Box Set: Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four

1. Because someone has done despicable acts does not mean he doesn’t have anything valuable to say. Though it is very difficult, we have to try to separate the action from the person.
2. Stand for something – do not sit on the fence.
3. Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means going against the grain.
4. Pay attention to your environment because it is always giving you important clues.
5. Evaluate what you are told, and do not take things at face value.

Introduction to Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Self-Mentoring Strategy

To get the most from this SummaReview of Insurgent, after you have read book review/summary, reflectively answer the following questions:

1. What can you learn from the ideas in the SummaReview?
2. What is one action that you can take as a result of reading this SummaReview?
3. What are five takeaways from the SummaReview?
4. What has made an impression on you while reading?
5. How do the concepts in the SummaReview relate to what you already know?
6. Is this a book you’d like to read for yourself? Why? Why not?

What is Insurgent by Veronica Roth About?

Insurgent by Veronica Roth is the second installment in her Divergent Trilogy (review of Divergent). After I finished reading the 525-page book, I regretted that I invested the time to do so because I did not think that the story moved much forward after Divergent. Book two is about insurgence, yet that happened in the last 75 pages. The following day after I finished reading Insurgent I stepped back to evaluate my feelings.

I asked myself if I was being fair in my comments, after all I am an adult reading a science fantasy book for young adults. I am not surrounded by young adults, so I am not seeing Insurgent through the eyes of a young adult. This helped me to adjust my perceptions of Insurgent though I still think the book is a lot longer than it needs to be.

Sixteen year old Beatrice (Tris) Prior is struggling with killing her friend Will. She knows that she had no choice because he would have killed her since he was under the influence of the simulation program which controlled his mind. Tris doesn’t talk through her feelings with anyone, not even with her boyfriend 18 year Tobias Eaton. That’s a lot for a teenager to cope with.

If you remember from Divergent, Dystopian Chicago is divided into five factions:

1. Abnegation: Selflessness (self-denial, renunciation)
2. Candor: Honesty (frankness, sincerity, openness)
3. Erudite: Knowledgeable (learned, scholarly, wise, intelligent)
4. Amity: Kindness (friendliness, cordiality, peace)
5. Dauntless: Fearless (brave, audacious, bold, daring)

At age sixteen everyone has to choose a faction. They can remain in the faction they were born in, or they can choose a new faction. Tris was born in Abnegation but she transferred into Abnegation. However, during the test, it shows that she has an equal affinity to Abnegation, Erudite as well as Dauntless, which makes her a Divergent. She is an unusual Divergent because most have an affinity toward only two factions. Divergent ends when Erudite, with the help of some people from Dauntless take control of the government, who are from Abnegation, killing a lot of people.

In Insurgent, Tris, Tobias and many others seek refuge at Amity, the peacekeepers. Because of the nature of the people in Amity, Tris and Tobias know that they cannot stay there for any length of time. They visit the Factionless, people who do not survive the initiation process. Tobias’ suspicion that his mother Evelyn is still alive is confirmed. Evelyn is in charge of the Factionless who have grown large in number and are not the people who others pity.

Evelyn tells them about her vision but Tris does not believe her and is convinced that mother is trying to use her son to achieve her goals. Tris shares her suspicion with Tobias but he doesn’t believe her. The two go to Candor and they are immediately imprisoned. After they are given the truth serum they are released. During the interrogation while under the truth serum, Tris realizes that her mind can override it, yet she chooses to reveal that she killed Will. Tobias is upset because Tris did not confide in him.

As the story unfolds, Tris decides to sacrifice herself, because the Erudites are bent on killing people to get to the Divergents who are immune to their simulation program. Jeanine Matthews, the Erudite leader, is happy that Tris has turned herself in because she learned from Caleb, Tris’ brother, that she has an affinity to three factions.

Tris is a researcher’s dream come true because they want to study her so they can develop a simulation program that she cannot override. While Tris is in captivity at the Erudite’s headquarter undergoing tests, Tobias appears saying that he cannot live without Tris, but he is also there to scope the place out.

Jeanine develops an updated simulation program she believes that Tris cannot withstand but during the program Tris realizes that it’s not real. Jeanine is frustrated and Tris tells her that she cannot win. In a rash decision the frustrated Jeanine decides to move the date of Tris’ execution forward. With the unlikely aid of Peter, a staunch supporter of the Erudite from Dauntless, Tris and Tobias escape to the Factionless Headquarters.

All along, Marcus, Tobias’ father has been saying that the Erudites took over control because they were fearful of the information that Abnegation was going to reveal to all the factions. However, Marcus has never been very forthcoming with what the information is, he is always very vague. Because of the way he physically abused Tobias by beating him with a belt, there is a great rift between father and son. On several occasions Tris follows Marcus without his knowledge and is convinced there is some truth to what he is saying. She doesn’t want to support that despicable man who abused her boyfriend, but Tris knows it’s the right thing to do.

At the Factionless HQ, Evelyn outlines her plan of attack on Erudite. Tris begs off going saying she is still weak, though she knows that she is going to support Marcus. It pains her to betray Tobias, but she feels she doesn’t have an option because he is not willing to believe what she has to say. Evelyn intends to destroy all the information at Erudite, but Tris cannot allow her to do that knowing that some information cannot be recreated. Information is not a bad thing, it’s how it is used, and Tris understands and can see this distinction.

Marcus, Tris, Christina (Will’s girlfriend), Cara (Will’s sister) enter Erudite’s HQ via a window using a ladder as a bridge connecting two buildings, while the Factionless storm the building another way. Many people are killed during the insurgence, including Jeanine Matthews, leader of Erudite. Tris notices that the Factionless are taking away the guns from their supporters and realizes that they intend to take control. She receives confirmation for herself that Evelyn is using them. Apart from her, no one notices this.

Tobias is upset with Tris and feels she has betrayed him because she aligned herself with his dad. In an impassioned speech to Tobias she says what she feels and why she did what she did. In the end everyone realize that Tris’ actions were justified. Tobias tells her that she was correct and Insurgent ends after the broadcast of the information that Jeanine Matthews was trying to suppress.

Final Thoughts on Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I would be a hypocrite if I did not recommend Insurgent since I know that I will be reading the last installment in the trilogy because of the way book ended. I still think the book is too long. However, there are many lessons in the book, one of which is to stand up for what you believe in even though it may be unpopular with the crowd.

Veronica Roth Books

 Divergent Series Four-Book Carve the Mark Insurgent (Divergent Series) Allegiant (Divergent Series) Divergent (Divergent Series)