Book Review - Insurgent

Title: Insurgent
Author: Veronica Roth
Series: Divergent (book 2)
Publisher: Harper Collins Children's Books
Release Date: 1 May 2012
ISBN13: 9780007442911

Synopsis
One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

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.

My Review
This review is likely to contain spoilers. Not massive ones, I'll try to avoid that - but hints can't be helped. I need to fangirl over this book and that means discussing events!
I have been so excited about this book since I read Divergent last year, the wait seemed agonizing. Then they changed the cover design in the UK which I refused to buy as I really don't like the new style, it just doesn't fit with the story in my opinion! So I asked you wonderful bloggers to help me and I had the awesome Kat send me a copy from the US with the cover shown above as that makes my set matching and awesome! But it meant waiting for it. By that time I was swamped with review books and other reads so I couldn't get stuck in!
Something really didn't want me reading this book though, I re-read Divergent on a lazy Sunday and intended to get stuck straight into this, but due to meetings, jobs, errands, appointments and a number of other things, I've hardly had a chance to read and I've been trying to read this book for about 10 days!!! For me that is like snail pace. I was desperate to get back to this book but everytime I picked it up something would come along and take me away. 
Anyway, I'll stop babbling now - As you can guess, I finally got to finish the book and WOW! Roth is just a genius, the book was definitely worth the wait.
It starts pretty much where book 1 finished, and gets you straight back into the world of conflict, love, despair, hope and betrayal. Things start to get more complicated and the importance of Divergence explored even more.
Tris becomes so much more in this book, gone is the shy and quiet Abnegation girl, gone is the ballsy Dauntless girl. Now you have a mix of the two and even more on top of that, she is fearless yet terrified, she is brave yet a bit of a coward. She is insecure, stroppy, moody, reckless, careful. So many contrary features, so many conflicting moods but it works. She is human, when it all comes down to it, she is just like you or me, but she still comes across strong and awesome. She may be all the things above, but you know that when your butt is on the line she will pick herself up and kick butt. In the heat of the moment I would love to have Tris by my side.
As for Four, he's still secretive and a bit of a mystery. You see more to him and a few conflicting sides too, one minute he is holding Tris in his arms telling her how much he cares and being really sensitive and frankly - dreamy, but the next moment he will be controlling a room and leading everyone into battle with his no-nonsense attitude. At times I didn't love him as a character as much as I had in the first book, and I started to feel a bit disappointed - where was the Four I knew and loved? But then he would do something and I would melt all over again. He is still one of my favourite YA men! :D
Re-reading Divergent was definitely a good move as a lot of characters come back and re-appear at various stages and I had to remember who everyone was - Christina, Cara, Edward, Johanna, Jeanine, Jori etc. There were a few times when I had been away for a couple of days where I would be confused and have to flick back but that was only a problem becuase I was reading it in such a fragmented way with a lot on my mind. When I did get to read it in a chunk it was clear and easy to follow. I wish I had been able to read it in  a better time as i think instead of just WOW as my reaction I would have been going WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW, OMG!!!! WOW. etc. I may try re-reading in a couple of months to see if I can have another go at it. I know this will be a series that I will be able to read multiple times and never get bored of, and I also know on each read through I will find something even more awesome that I missed on the previous reads.
The plot is fast paced as you can imagine being set on the brink of war between factions. Everything is going to change and you know it's going to be big! the pages pretty much turn themselves. 
There was one revelation that really shocked me - looking back I see how obvious it probably was but at the time I was like 'NO! surely not? OMG. How could he?' ***C**a**l**e**b**. The signs were all there but it took me totally by surprise.
Everything about this book is just amazing - the plot, the imagery, the writing, the style, the cover (US version). The only thing I don't like is that it's finished and will be ages before we get the next one!!!
Veronica Roth I bow down to your Epicness. :D

My Rating