alsoiread's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Violence, Murder, War, Gun violence, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
bethyalot's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, and Death
Minor: Torture and Child death
ghostisalive's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
i enjoyed divergent more than this one but i think that's mainly because the characters became quite annoying in this one and dare i say in this case i actually almost prefer the movie more. i feel like the book has a lot of back and forth between tris and tobias and they keep circling around to the same bs, which i understand emphasises how important it is whatever whatever, but it's a bit too excessive at some parts.there were points where i was just screaming at both of them because of how annoying they were.
other than that i did still enjoy the book quite a lot!i think one of my favourite parts about these books so far, which i guess is up to debate, is that it doesn't only focus on the love story between our Tris and Tobias, there's also no unnecessary love triangle thank god!! i like the exploration of the other factions in more depth and even those without a faction. there were quite a few shocking twists which i heavily enjoyed reading.
there were times where my heart broke for tris so many times with everything she had to deal with in this book :( but also for tobias having to witness and go through all of it whilst watching the woman he loves struggling.
<3
other than that i did still enjoy the book quite a lot!i think one of my favourite parts about these books so far, which i guess is up to debate, is that it doesn't only focus on the love story between our Tris and Tobias, there's also no unnecessary love triangle thank god!! i like the exploration of the other factions in more depth and even those without a faction. there were quite a few shocking twists
Spoiler
like tobias' mother still being alive and the ending where we find out the whole purpose of the factions and the divergentthere were times where my heart broke for tris so many times with everything she had to deal with in this book :( but also for tobias having to witness and go through all of it whilst watching the woman he loves struggling.
<3
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Grief, Murder, Death of parent, and Gun violence
readingwithkaitlyn's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a reread after picking it up for the first time several years ago.
I think with this one the writing is better than in Divergent in terms of sentence structure. Though like with the first it drags on at times. The story is entertaining, but the overall plot could have been tweaked a bit more. Also, in comparison to the movies, it hardly feels like they are the same stories with the same characters.
However, unlike with Divergent where I felt the movie did better with most changes, there is a little bit from the book for Insurgent that outshines the movie. Like having more side characters with more important roles. Still, most of it was entirely different and I do think the movie outshined the book in terms of plot and character arcs.
Tris destroys the sim harddrive from the first book, escaping Amity was different in that they first tried to be disguised before taking off, the encounter with factionless was not a big fight, Tris stabbing Eric to kill him before Dauntless elects new leaders and decide to execute him which Four does, Four being bullied by the Dauntless for confession about father and proceeding to best him up to gain back respect and strive for leadership, Four having his fear sim change, Marlene being the one to fall and not Christina (Tris saves Hector), them being in Abnegation at some points and going back to the Dauntless compound, Tris working sith Marcus and going against Four for the recording info and the lady being a Prior, Tori killing Jeanine, and Lynn dying and hinting at her being in love with Marlene. Instead of getting Tris to open the boxes with similations, they were experimenting on her to see how the Divergent brain works. To see if they can create something to control the Divergents.
Even though the plot is okay, it is far less exciting and compact than the movies. It was also a lot to deal with Four and Tris being hot and cold, especially when it seems like Four ~gets~ Tris but suddently doesn’t. When she’s so immersed in grief. It’s a far different Four than in the movies I remember. I think that is why I forgot so much of the books, because it pales in comparison.
I am being quite critical but I also don’t think the book is awful. I wasn’t as invested with Divergent, but as I said about that book, you can’t help but to be invested in the characters and care about them and their lives. Which for someone like me, who can love a story that is otherwise bad but has great characters, is a major plus. I’d rather read that than a fantastic plot with characters you don’t care about at all.
Overall, not the best book I’ve ever read but still oddly nostalgic and appealing despite all criticisms.
I think with this one the writing is better than in Divergent in terms of sentence structure. Though like with the first it drags on at times. The story is entertaining, but the overall plot could have been tweaked a bit more. Also, in comparison to the movies, it hardly feels like they are the same stories with the same characters.
However, unlike with Divergent where I felt the movie did better with most changes, there is a little bit from the book for Insurgent that outshines the movie. Like having more side characters with more important roles. Still, most of it was entirely different and I do think the movie outshined the book in terms of plot and character arcs.
Spoiler
There is so much in this that is different. Primarily the plot, where the movie seemed like Jeanine was determined to erase the Divergent and use them to open the box from Abnegation. Instead the book focused on Jeanine trying to understand the Divergent minds and prevent the information about the outside world being leaked. She knew the whole time rather than finding out in the end like the movie. Where the books lack is excitability. It’s an interesting plot and there is tons of danger, but the stakes don’t seem as high and once again, as cohesive. Especially with Four and Tris being at odds the whole time.Tris destroys the sim harddrive from the first book, escaping Amity was different in that they first tried to be disguised before taking off, the encounter with factionless was not a big fight, Tris stabbing Eric to kill him before Dauntless elects new leaders and decide to execute him which Four does, Four being bullied by the Dauntless for confession about father and proceeding to best him up to gain back respect and strive for leadership, Four having his fear sim change, Marlene being the one to fall and not Christina (Tris saves Hector), them being in Abnegation at some points and going back to the Dauntless compound, Tris working sith Marcus and going against Four for the recording info and the lady being a Prior, Tori killing Jeanine, and Lynn dying and hinting at her being in love with Marlene. Instead of getting Tris to open the boxes with similations, they were experimenting on her to see how the Divergent brain works. To see if they can create something to control the Divergents.
Even though the plot is okay, it is far less exciting and compact than the movies. It was also a lot to deal with Four and Tris being hot and cold, especially when it seems like Four ~gets~ Tris but suddently doesn’t. When she’s so immersed in grief. It’s a far different Four than in the movies I remember. I think that is why I forgot so much of the books, because it pales in comparison.
I am being quite critical but I also don’t think the book is awful. I wasn’t as invested with Divergent, but as I said about that book, you can’t help but to be invested in the characters and care about them and their lives. Which for someone like me, who can love a story that is otherwise bad but has great characters, is a major plus. I’d rather read that than a fantastic plot with characters you don’t care about at all.
Overall, not the best book I’ve ever read but still oddly nostalgic and appealing despite all criticisms.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Grief, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Gun violence, Bullying, Suicide attempt, Violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Drug abuse, Gore, Child death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement, Alcohol, and Abandonment
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, and Child abuse
hayleyvem's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Murder, Torture, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Classism, and Blood
Moderate: Genocide
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Grief
ginger95's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence
noxygens's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death of parent
my3bb8's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Death, and War
Moderate: Genocide, Gore, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Confinement and Toxic relationship
anniereads221's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, War, Violence, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Vomit
theespressoedition's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
How on earth did I manage to forget so dang much about this book? Rereading it almost felt like reading it for the first time. There were snippets that were still fresh in my mind, but for the most part, I was in the dark. It made it somehow more and less enjoyable. Super strange.
On the one hand, I loved being surprised by some of the elements of the story. There was a lot to the plot that was a total blank in my mind and it was fun to read the action scenes and learn more about the characters again.
I also mostly agreed with "past Stephanie" on the rating. I gave it 3 stars when I first read it and that makes sense. This time around, I raised it a .5 star, but the feelings are pretty much the same: Tris and Four's lack of communication is enough to make me want to tear my hair out, the back-and-forth with betrayals was super confusing, and the amount of triggering content made me slightly queasy. Overall, it just wasn't the most wonderful experience.
That being said, I still really enjoy this series as a whole and it was interesting to dive back into a story that meant so much to me so many years ago!
On the one hand, I loved being surprised by some of the elements of the story. There was a lot to the plot that was a total blank in my mind and it was fun to read the action scenes and learn more about the characters again.
I also mostly agreed with "past Stephanie" on the rating. I gave it 3 stars when I first read it and that makes sense. This time around, I raised it a .5 star, but the feelings are pretty much the same: Tris and Four's lack of communication is enough to make me want to tear my hair out, the back-and-forth with betrayals was super confusing, and the amount of triggering content made me slightly queasy. Overall, it just wasn't the most wonderful experience.
That being said, I still really enjoy this series as a whole and it was interesting to dive back into a story that meant so much to me so many years ago!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Blood, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Mental illness and Suicidal thoughts
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