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Dual Review: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

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*Warning: Spoilers for Divergent included*

At the end of Divergent, the faction system was in shambles. Erudite had launched an attack on Abnegation and the Dauntless had been forced into becoming unwilling accomplices via a simulation. Tris, a Divergent and therefore immune to the simulation serum, and Four barely escaped with their lives. Insurgent picks up right where Divergent left off, with Tris fighting to find a safe haven and learn more about Erudite’s plans. She, Four, and other possible allies bounce between Amity, Candor, the old Dauntless compound, and even the factionless safehouses in their quest to salvage what’s left of their society. They also search for the reason behind the Divergents’ immunity to the simulation serum and uncover a shocking truth about the nature of the faction system.

Jen:

Insurgent was, by far, my most anticipated book of 2012. I whizzed through Divergent and was amazed at the uniqueness of Roth’s world in a sea of derivative dystopias. And while Insurgent was definitely a solid, fast-paced, and compelling read, I found that it paled a bit in the shadow of its predecessor. Perhaps part of this is due to the inevitably difficult role of the middle book in a trilogy, which has to continue the narrative of the first book while bridging the gap to the conclusion–all the while not simply serving as a filler journey but actually having some meat of its own. However, beyond that, a few issues still bothered me.

Perhaps it is a result of reading so many books, but I tend to forget some details about books after I’ve finished them, especially when a year has passed since I’ve read them. As a result, I was utterly confused when I first picked up Insurgent and, apart from Tris and Four, couldn’t quite remember who a lot of the characters were. After re-reading Divergent, I was absolutely fine, but the reader should definitely be aware going in that there is no recap, and that the book basically picks off right where Divergent left off. This isn’t necessarily a downfall of the book, but it is a choice that pulled me out of the reading experience right off the bat.
However, when I did start reading, I was impressed all over again with the strength of Roth’s writing and her ability to describe the five different factions, all of which are given distinct ‘personalities’ and whose environments are vividly brought to life. The supposed peacefulness of the Amity compound, the destroyed wreckage of the Dauntless bunker, the modernity of the Erudite building–all stand solid and distinct from one another. I also loved how Roth introduced the world of the Factionless, and how its members, more numerous and significant than previously believed, are now making their way into the story.
One of the most impressive parts of Insurgent is Tris’ emotions in the wake of both her parents’ and Will’s deaths. Drowning in her feelings of loss and culpability, Tris seems to be struggling with a combination of loss, survivor’s guilt, and post-traumatic stress disorder, and Roth portrays her emotions masterfully. Tris’ emotions are not wrapped up in a set period of time, but keep recurring over and over. Her guilt, especially over Will’s death, also interferes with her relationships with Christina and Four, and I was quite impressed by the ensuing complexity of these relationships and the characters’ interactions with each other, especially as Christina deals with the horror of having become a Dauntless ‘soldier’ and Four deals with the presence of his father.

Perhaps it is because of the emotional conflicts that clouded Tris and Four’s relationship in this book, but I didn’t feel a lot of chemistry or connection between the two, and it even seemed like theirs was a relationship that wouldn’t last through the trilogy’s conclusion. After building up Tris and Four’s connection so much in Divergent, the lack of sparks was a bit of a let-down. I could be proven wrong, however, and this is by no means a criticism of this choice–after all, in a war zone, with lives on the line, there is not much opportunity for wooing with candlelight and roses.

However, despite these qualms, Insurgent is ultimately a great read because of the characters and the plot. The book has characters with realistic emotions and a plot filled with twists and turns. It has characters who do not turn out who we thought they were and an ending that completely reverses the tone and direction of the trilogy. While I’m still a bit doubtful about the ending–though intriguing, it seems to come out of nowhere and similar events have been seen before in other books–I am eager to see more from Veronica Roth.

Kimberly:

Like Jen, I felt that Insurgent suffered from middle volume-itis. There’s a lot of action, but it all seems to be just a very, very long lead-up to an ending that didn’t particularly satisfy me or (I think) make total sense. I’ll be interested to see how Roth builds upon and explains the twist at the end. As it stands at the end of the book, it’s a bit muddled. Perhaps that’s intentional – Tris and her companions must certainly be feeling confused as well.

I’ll touch on a few things I really enjoyed about Insurgent (and there are certainly a few!). Firstly, I enjoyed seeing the factionless as the large group that I knew they must be. I liked seeing a few familiar faces among the factionless and realizing they could be a serious power in the story. I loved getting to know the other factions as well – their strengths and their foibles. I also appreciated that Roth hasn’t lost her ruthless touch. Terrible things happen to people we care about, and those same people often have to make terrible choices. I think the choices that Tris made – while perhaps not the wisest – were believable for her character. Too often, choices will be made for the convenience of the plot, but I didn’t see that happen here.

Like Jen mentioned, the first parts of the book can be confusing if you haven’t read Divergent recently (which I hadn’t). I welcomed a brief bit after the first few chapters when Tris and Tobias go under truth serum and are forced to recount what happened at the end of Divergent to a crowd of Candor. It was interesting character development and it helped remind me of those events. Still, I’d recommend re-reading or at least refreshing your knowledge of Divergent before you dive in to the sequel.

When I read Divergent, I was so engaged the entire time. When I set it down, I wanted to pick it up again immediately. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that same feeling while reading Insurgent, despite its quick pace and action-packed pages. I think that’s pretty telling. Of course, I’m not trying to indicate that it wasn’t a good book, but it didn’t hook me like I wanted it to. It was a bit more uneven: some parts were thoroughly engrossing and others not so much. It’s not that these sections were slow, precisely – it was more that I didn’t see what purpose they served. I think some parts just needed to be tightened up a bit. Still, for fans of the first novel, this is a must-read, and I’m sure its concluding volume will be too.

Twitterview: Blythe Woolston

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This month’s Twitterview victim is none other than Blythe Woolston, the Morris Award winning author of The Freak Observer. She’s here to talk about her recent release, Catch & Release (reviewed here), as well as what inspires her stories, what she listens to while writing, and her favorite kind of ice cream.

We’re also giving away a copy of Catch & Release and I also have an audiobook of The Freak Observer to share.

Pitch Catch & Release in 140 characters.
It’s a buddy movie——except 1 of the guys is a Vagina American. “A flesh-eating bacteria road novel with a pink cover.” #whyIdontpitchbooks
What inspired Catch & Release?
Indexing this book
+Book IX of The Odyssey, bad TV, and a trip to the emergency room.
Why MRSA?
Leaving aside grue and danger, MRSA is an intrepid little life form. It is proof life goes on despite adversity. #environmentalscreedbonus
Catch & Release weaves science into the plot and grounds it firmly. Want to talk about science and fiction?
We are all born scientists, testing the edges of the world, figuring things out——fiction makes a play for the brain #Iwillrecruityoursynapses
Define Polly and Odd.
This is how I first saw them.
Then I got to know them. Polly makes the female hero’s journey…

Odd is both Odysseus and Odin.
Fishing — something not usually seen in YA, either as sport or as pastime — plays an integral role in the plot. Why choose fishing?
Fishing is actually pretty normal behavior, both in fact and in fiction. It’s time to think, biology happening, and the great journey.
Setting works as a character in both Catch & Release and The Freak Observer. Talk about your use of rural and (if I may) depressed locations.
Those places made me. There are more stories than people in rural places, probably. More stories than money, for sure.
The Freak Observer won last year’s Morris Award. How did that feel?
Shocking. I was a stunned bunny. It happened when I wasn’t sure I should be writing at all. The Morris tipped the scale. #librarianpower
Who or what do you write for?
1st I write for myself, to watch the story unfold. 2nd I hope for other readers to give it a home in their brain. 3rd to change the world.
What was your most influential read as a teenager?
Very difficult question. It depended upon the day and hour, but Sutcliff, Bradbury, LeGuin, Vonnegut——and Thorstein Veblen.
Who are your top three writing influences?
My editors: Liz Bicknell, Andrew Karre, Leah Wilson. BTW Influence=to stream ethereal power from the stars acting upon character or destiny
Who do you believe is breaking ground in YA right now?
I’m going to dodge the bullet on this one and say only this: YA is the Cambrian Explosion literature-wise.
What’s the best writing advice you ever received?
“This is the most depressing sh!t I’ve ever read. Don’’t ask me to read any more of it.” (Moral: Not everyone is my audience.)
What’s your best writing advice to give?
Don’t try to bend the story to your will.
What is your writing routine?
My life is chaotic. When I really need to write, it often happens in the middle of the night. I never sleep for 7 hours straight anyway.
What gets you jazzed to write?
I don’’t know if it’s endorphins or what, but writing gives me a serious buzz. The same is true of reading…
Do you have a writing soundtrack? Care to share a bit?
I’m too stupid to listen to lyrics while I think, so I listen to things I don’t understand like Scandinavian roots



and Deadmau5
What’s next for you?
Black Helicopters, the story of a suicide bomber born in Montana, comes out early in 2013.
Favorite ice cream?
I am for equal justice. I love all ice cream. (NOTE: I haven’t eaten raw horse ice cream, so that might be…awful.)

Audiosynced: May Edition

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Welcome to another edition of AudioSynced, hosted by us here at STACKED and Abby over at Abby (the) Librarian. This monthly roundup features reviews and other links to all things audiobook. If you’ve posted any reviews in the last month or have other audiobook related links from April, drop them in the comments!

Reviews & Recommendations

  • Michelle at Never Gonna Grow Up reviews Gayle Forman’s If I Stay.
  • Adam at Hitting on Girls in Bookstores offers a review of Julie Cross’s Tempest. 

News & Other Links

  • Fan of Shakespeare? The BBC is making podcasts of their Shakespeare Unlocked series available for download.
  • This feels a little like a cop-out, but Becky over at RA for All has amassed a ton of interesting audiobook related links. Rather than share them all with you, I’ll let you go over to her blog and check them out.
  • I hope you all know about Sync, the audiobook community for YA Lit. I’ve been paying attention to them for the last couple of summers because they offer up — for free — two audiobook downloads each week. One of them is a newer YA title and one is always a classic. Bookmark this site because they’ve listed this year’s titles, and they look fabulous.
  • The Audio Publishers Association has their finalists for Audiobook of the Year up. I love that Samuel L Jackson’s rendition of Go the Eff to Sleep is among them. 

Thumped by Megan McCafferty

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If you’ll remember last year, I reviewed Megan McCafferty’s Bumped, calling it insane and hilarious. The dystopian society built in the book was meant to be a satire of not only other books in the genre but of society more generally. It was a world where adults over a certain age couldn’t reproduce, so they purchased the bodies of teen girls to have their children. And at the end of the book, readers were left wondering what happened to twin sisters Harmony and Melody.

Thumped answers those questions and many, many more.

Harmony, the “godly” sister, has returned to Goodside, the community which protects its citizens from the greater world. It’s a bubble and it’s essentially cut off from modernity so the residents can practice their spiritual beliefs without fear. Harmony’s returned to this place pregnant, leaving her also-pregnant sister Melody behind. The girls, both pregnant with twins, will be giving birth at the same time, and the country is so excited about the spectacle that will be the Double Double Due Date. But after 35 weeks apart from one another, neither Harmony nor Melody can stand being apart from one another. It’s not just their sadness for each other though. Harmony is missing Jondoe, the guy who she’d developed real feelings for (who happened to, of course, be the guy who Melody’s body was sold to for reproductive purposes and who shot the sisters into the spotlight in the first place). Enter a series of events that break Harmony free of Goodplace and right in the midst of reuniting with her sister and the guy for whom she really cares.

Of course, everyone’s got their eyes on the girls and their expanding baby bumps. These are two extremely popular celebrity girls now, and they can’t let their fans down. Or can they? Are they even telling the truth about their due dates? About who the fathers of their respective babies are?

Where Bumped was a very plot-driven story, McCafferty flips the switch and makes Thumped a more character-driven story. The first third of the book is a little tough to get through. The writing is a little clunky and the events a little convenient, but they’re forgivable because they’re required to get to the meat of the story. I found the initial book in the series to focus heavily on Melody and her rise to the spotlight, but in this edition, it’s Harmony who has the chance to have a real voice. That’s part of why the weaker writing is forgivable in the beginning: we’re given the opportunity to hear and understand Harmony, why she’s desperate to leave Goodside, and how she plans on pursuing her love for Jondoe (and escaping her marriage to Ram). Where I’d never had feelings about her as a character, I’m given the opportunity to not only develop them, but I really rooted for her. She’d been dragged into the situation by being Melody’s sister and though she’s not bitter, she kind of got the raw end of the deal.

Thumped is an eerie read if for no other reason than the fact the world it describes is so close to our own. Despite being a dystopia, the social realities very much mirror not only what we’re living with now politically, but they also mirror the fears we have about what our world could become. Melody and Harmony’s government is obsessed with protecting its citizens, to the point that their own bodies are seen not as their bodies, but as bodies belonging to the government. This is evident not only through the way the pregnancies are treated, but also through the decisions the girls are not allowed to make. There’s a scene right after Harmony gives birth where the nurse informs her she cannot breastfeed her children because the government had decided it wasn’t the right method for taking care of children. Despite the babies being her own and despite her body’s functional ability to provide nutrients to her children, the government said it wasn’t okay to do. And she can’t fight it. It was during this particular scene that the story began to break my heart much more than it had from the start. Not only have the girls lost their rights to their own bodies, but it’s here where we learn the truth about Harmony and Melody’s mother.

It’s also in these moments post-birth where both girls declare themselves independent and whole beings. They’re no longer interested in being tools for the government and they’re no longer interested in being tools for societal entertainment. More than that, they both come to realize that the decisions other people have made for themselves are not the decisions they have to make and they’re not decisions that they can change or undo. They’re only able to think and act for themselves as individuals. This is a huge moment in the story, not only because of what it says about rebelling against a dystopian world, but also because of what it says for the future of these girls who’d become so enmeshed in a world who followed their every move. They’re no longer going to allow anyone to dictate who or what they are except themselves. Harmony and Melody are taking ownership of their own bodies here, too. McCafferty has a great scene between Melody and her long-time crush where it seems like they’re going to finally consummate their relationship. Except, the boy is unwilling to use a condom since it’s one of the only ones left around and he believes Melody should be fine anyway. That there’d be no worries about the consequences of sex on her body. It’s right here where Melody stands up for herself and where she realizes how important it is to take care of herself, even if it means sacrificing something she always thought she wanted. The fact this is illustrated via condoms — a tool used by a male in a sexual relationship — only further nails home the point. 

Thumped is still satirical like the initial story, but that satire begins to lessen as the book progresses. This is where the book excels. Where the girls had seen themselves as satire, as tools to make a point by their government in Bumped, now they’ve woken up and come to understand they’re full beings. They’re the ones who are in control of their future and their decisions and if they want to say no, they can do that. Their happiness and satisfaction with their own lives are not contingent upon anyone but themselves. If they do not want to live their lives under religious canopies, they don’t have to. If they don’t want their bodies to become tools for population growth, they don’t have to. If they don’t want to be in an unhappy marriage or relationship, they don’t have to. Bumped was the story the government wanted to tell — that’s why it’s so plot-driven — but Thumped is the girls’ story. That’s why it is so character driven. I didn’t think I’d find myself welling up reading this book, but I definitely did. The messages here are fantastic, feminist, powerful, and really damn pertinent and relevant to today’s world.

This isn’t an easy read and it is essential to read the first book before diving into Thumped, but this is the kind of book that should be read and discussed with teens. It’s smart without being pretentious and without hitting the reader over the head with messages. I think that’s part of why I did get a little teary. The emotional impact of the book is unexpected and a great payoff. Melody kind of sums it all up with these lines: “I’m the only one who will take credit for my successes. And I’m the only one who will take the blame for my mistakes. From now on, I live for me.” Hand this book off to those who have read and loved the first book and to those looking for a unique take on the dystopia trend (after, of course, making them read Bumped). McCafferty ranks high on my list of favorite authors and this book only further solidified it. 

I don’t usually talk about covers in my reviews, but I have to say: this cover, as well as the cover for the predecessor, are absolutely brilliant. If I had to describe these two stories via one image each, Bumped would be the whole and perfect egg while Thumped would be the one that’s cracked. So simple yet so meaningful. 

Review copy received from the author via the publisher. Thumped is available now.

So You Want to Read YA?: Guest Post by CK Kelly Martin

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This week’s guest post for our “So You Want to Read YA?” series comes from one of my favorite authors, CK Kelly Martin. 

C. K. Kelly Martin began writing her first novel in a flat in Dublin and finished it in a Toronto suburb. By then she was thoroughly hooked on young adult fiction and her fifth YA novel, Yesterday, will hit shelves on September 25th, while her first ‘new adult’ novel, Come See About Me, will be available as an ebook in late June. Her online home is www.ckkellymartin.com.  She’s also on Twitter @CKKellyMartin.

When I started reading young adult books again, around 1999/2000, it’d been a long, long while since I’d digested any books for teenagers. Discovering the breadth of fantastic YA books on library and bookstore shelves felt sort of like finding buried treasure because, although the novels were not in fact buried and were widely available, it seemed very few folks outside of the teen demographic (unless they were YA writers or future YA writers) were seeking them out. Happily, that’s changed over the last decade or so and more and more adults are showing an interest in reading books about teen characters. My favourite YA reading material tends to lean towards weighty true-to-life contemporary offerings but I’ve tried to recommend a cross-section of books here, all stories that I believe will endure the test of time.

Life is Funny (E.R. Frank, 2000). If I had to recommend a single YA book it would be this one – the intersecting stories of eleven New York City high schools students of different genders, race and class. Writer E. R. Frank is also a social worker and her experience shows in spades. Each of the eleven characters has a completely distinct voice and Life is Funny is the most nakedly honest, perceptive book I’ve ever read about teenagers. 

 
Finnikin of the Rock (Melina Marchetta, 2008). Generally I’m not a huge fan of fantasy (I know, I know, it just doesn’t happen to be my thing) but I’d enjoyed Melina Marchetta’s contemporary books so much that I felt compelled to try this one out too. Several years earlier the royal family of Lumatere were murdered and their throne seized. Now young Finnikin must help a young novice named Evanjalin and others, in the hopes that a Lumatere heir might one day be restored to the throne and the land’s many exiles be returned to their home. Full of magic, bloody battles and tinged with romance too, Finnikin of the Rock is as smart as it is riveting. If you pick this book up you won’t want to put it down.
Broken Soup (Jenny Valentine, 2008). A warm, original, intelligent novel about loss, friendship, family, and memory. Main character Rowan has suffered the death of her older brother and her remaining family is falling apart in the aftermath, but there’s also a mystery to be solved. Who is the boy who hands her a negative in a shop one day and what will the developed photograph reveal? This contemporary story is conveyed with a timeless feel and features three dimensional characters that you’ll admire and be sorry to say goodbye to.

Stolen: A Letter to My Captor (Lucy Christopher, 2009). When sixteen-year-old Gemma is snatched from an airport and smuggled to a remote part of Australia where she’s held captive by attractive, familiar looking Ty, the story doesn’t play out like you’d expect. It’s mesmerizing, often beautiful and extremely unsettling, a real journey of the mind. Like Gemma, I felt off-balance, fascinated and fearful throughout the whole ordeal. I also felt as though I’d never, ever read anything like this. 

 
Saints of Augustine (P. E. Ryan, 2007). Best friends Sam and Charlie are no longer on speaking terms but need each other now more than ever. After the death of Charlie’s mom, his father is in free-fall – drinking too much and generally dropping out of life. Charlie himself has developed a drug problem and owes his dealer money. Meanwhile Sam (who is not yet out) is falling for a boy named Justin while having to endure homophobic remarks from his mother’s tool of a boyfriend. It’s a shame that we still don’t get to read nearly as much about boys’ friendships as we do about girls’ ones, but this is some excellent writing on the subject. The story is told from both boys’ points of views and is pointedly truthful and organic in feel rather than the melodrama it easily could’ve been reduced to in someone else’s hands. 
 
The Forest of Hands and Teeth (Carrie Ryan, 2009). I adored each of the books in Carrie Ryan’s zombie series but this first one perhaps the most. The Sisterhood. The Guardians. The Unconsecrated. And the creepy medieval-like village where the action begins. I get the shivers just thinking about it all. Our world feels so long gone in The Forest of Hands and Teeth that it’s almost like glimpsing a parallel world’s past – if that world had been overrun with zombies, that is. Would it be weird of me to call a bunch of zombie books delightful? Because that’s how I felt about Carrie Ryan’s series.

48 Shades of Brown (Nick Earls, 2004). There’s a scene involving an irate goose that made me laugh out loud while reading 48 Shades of Brown, a slice-of-life, funny but realistic novel about Aussie teenager Dan going to stay with his young aunt and her cute roommate while his parents spend the year in Geneva. Pure charming! I enjoyed this book so much that I’ve actually bought it twice now. 

 
Tyrell and Bronxwood (Coe Booth, 2007 and 2011). Back in 08 I wrote a review of Tyrell on Amazon under the heading “Tyrell’s one of the best YA novels I’ve ever read.” The review simply says, “I was utterly convinced by Tyrell’s character and situation” and I felt exactly the same way after reading the sequel, Bronxwood. When we first meet Tyrell he’s awash in problems that many people with more years and life skills under their belts wouldn’t be able to handle. His dad’s in jail, his mom’s on drugs and he’s living in a homeless shelter with the little brother he tries to look out for. But Tyrell never gives up. Instead he fights like hell to stay afloat and whatever he does, however brave or screwed up he is at the time, and wherever his relationships with various girls takes him, it all feels on hundred percent genuine. 
 
Jumpstart the World (Catherine Ryan Hyde, 2010). Sixteen-year-old Elle’s unhappy family life has resulted in her living in her own New York apartment, down the hall from a couple named Molly and Frank. As a group of diverse kids from school befriend Elle, she’s also drawn into a close friendship with her next door neighbours. The thing is, she feels more than friendship for Frank and when Elle learns Frank’s transgender she’s shaken to the core. Catherine Ryan Hyde seems to specialize in writing caring but confused and wounded three-dimensional characters. She has such talent for finding genuine (not forced) hope in tough situations that I’ll gladly read anything she writes.

 

Tomorrow When the War Began (John Marsden, 1993). Last year I finished off the entire seven-book Tomorrow series and although this first book was released almost twenty years ago, it feels both completely fresh and like an instant classic. The Tomorrow novels centre on a group of teenagers who are camping away from home in the bush when Australia is invaded by a foreign army. Main character Ellie and her friends are left to survive and battle the invaders on their own. The story’s not told in a way that glorifies war, nor does it portray the young characters as action heroes, but they are fighters – courageous, intelligent and yet far from invincible. The emotional veracity of each of the books makes it clear that even if there’s a victory at the end of book seven and the invaders are forced to abandon Australia, this band of young people will never be the same – and some of them won’t survive at all. 
 
Target (Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson, 2003) Six-foot-three sixteen-year-old Grady West starts eleventh grade at a new school after being raped by two strangers. This is the unflinching story of the heavy emotional toll the attack takes on Grady and his slow steps towards healing. I greatly admire Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson’s sensitive but truthful handling of this material (a story you rarely see told). 
 
Let’s Get Lost (Sarah Manning, 2006). Manning’s books have such a nice vibe but this is my favourite so far. Mean girl Isabelle isn’t as she appears. There are hurtful secrets she’s covering over with her bad behaviour – some involving her mother’s death. Smith, a college student she picks up in a club and lies to about her age, seems to guess there’s more going on beneath the surface. All the lies and pain are bound to come to a head but, for me, each step of the journey was so compelling that I was in no hurry to reach the destination. Well, except that naturally I wanted to see what happened between Isabelle and the charismatic Smith!

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CK Kelly Martin is the acclaimed author of I Know It’s Over (2008), One Lonely Degree (2009), The Lighter Side of Life and Death (2010), My Beating Teenage Heart (2011), and the forthcoming Yesterday (September 2012). She’s also taking a stab this summer at e-publishing her novel aimed at the “new adult”/20-somethings market, titled Come See About Me.