Insurgent

Return to the world of Factions (because Dystopic YA trilogies ALWAYS need to color code/personality code/social economic status code the hell out of you)!  Tris, Four, Caleb, and Peter have been on the run for five days (but for the rest of us it’s been about a year) from Erudite’s psychotic leader Janine (I guess someone missed the memo that Blonde Vicious Idiot Leaders are a bad idea *cough, cough* Joffrey *cough, cough*. Of course, when you have the power of the media on your hands it tends to work in the BVIL’s favor!

Chicago is once again a wartorn society, but this time we get to see little bit more of the Hufflepuff Houses (Definitely got to shoutout to Screen Junkies on this one!) for Amity and Candor (the other one we didn’t really care about except it gave us Christina). This is where you get to see awesome actors who are making a name for themselves (like Octavia Spencer) and well known actors doing what would generally amount to a cameo but are still greatly appreciated (Daniel Dae Kim, Naomi Watts, Maggie Q). What I’ve come to appreciate from the YA dystopic trilogy phenomenon is how colorful the characters can be, and by characters I mean the supporting cast who I pretty much want to follow through the book (not dissing our main cast but come on, who doesn’t want to see the actual effects that Erudite’s war on the other Factions is having?).

Tris and Four, whose relationship was quite prominent in the first book, is an anchor in this one (always there to ground the story but never the focus). Instead we get to focus on the psychological effects that can come from watching your parents die, being forced to kill your friend, and the fallout that can come from being thrown into what basically amounts to a war (read: not pretty). This is something that is quite similar to The Hunger Games, but one of the elements I actually appreciate, people shouldn’t come out of an experience like Tris has gone through and be fresh as a daisy. There scarred for life, emotionally, physically, and most importantly mentally.

Because we only really get Tris’ perspective (as is in the book) we only scratch the surface on certain details; why does Johanna Reyes (Octavia Spencer) have scars across her face despite being in the local farming faction that is nothing but sugar and marshmellows? (I’m certain I recall an explanation later, but it still sticks out). Why do certain characters feel the need to betray Tris, and why can’t others understand the position she was put in? Most pressingly, just what are these mysterious connections between certain characters?

As always for a trilogy, a multitude of questions are answered and even more are asked, but that’s why we’re going to shell out at least another twenty bucks to get them (and we better get them!).

Until next time!