Hello there and welcome to The Turndog Review: the books I read, reviewed.
I aren’t a professional critic, instead all I offer is my honest opinion into everything I read. However, I do this with a difference, as I don’t only offer my personal views on the Writing, Plot, and Story, but also the Book Cover, Book Marketing, and Author Website.
We live in a modern world where being a writer is different to years gone by, and I feel the whole experience of the book matters. This covers everything from the initial find, the actual read, and everything that follows. Therefore I hope this review not only offers a great insight into the book and author, but also into my own mind and what makes me tick.
So without further ado let’s begin, and today I focus on Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Published: 2012
Read: August2012
Discovered: Because I read the first book, Divergent
Overview:
I read Divergent (book one) around the time I read The Hunger Games series. Frankly, I was in a Young Adult Phase.
I really liked Divergent. I liked its darkness, and characters in general, and the overall style from Veronica Roth. I also liked what the author was doing elsewhere. She interacts with her readers very well.
I always planned to read Insurgent when it came out, and I eventually got round to it. I’m delighted to say I walked away happy.
It follows on directly from Divergent, as Tris and Tobias battle through the aftermath of Divergent. The first book leaves so many questions that the second has little time to relax. You are thrown straight into action and it never really stops.
Few people can complain about this. It isn’t a short book, per se, but you get through it in no time. Very tough to pout down J
The Good:
I love the world Roth has created. It’s dark and mean, but full of hope, too. And because the story surrounds young people, the emotions are always present.
Teenagers never know what they want, and this book shows it in such an excellent manner. It frustrates and excites you and leaves you turning the page before you finish.
Therefore it’s the world, the plot, and the voice that Roth offers. This is the strength of the book. This is why I will read book number three!
The Bad:
My one gripe is the main character, Tris. At times she annoys the hell out of me. She’s moody and cries and is, well, a sixteen year old girl. You want to cheer her on, but sometimes you feel like slapping her.
However, the main thing is that the reader feels something toward the lead person. Whether this is love or hate is unimportant. But you need to feel something.
So, yeah, I don’t love Tris, but I do feel for her. A negative, maybe, but hardly a bad thing!
Book Cover:
Look…I love purple, so it’s obvious I like this cover J
It also happens to be a good cover, too. The title stands out and the colours are nice. It suits a paperback more than and Ebook I feel, but this is a solid overall cover.
I also like the silhouetted figure. It’s dark, like the story, and seems to fit perfectly with the book.
Book Marketing:
I read the Ebook and it’s a solid attempt. There’s decent information about Veronica Roth, and some good info about Divergent, too. However, knowing how good Veronica is at engaging, I feel they could have taken things to exciting levels.
I wanted to see more, basically, and was left a little deflated by their attempts.
But it’s still better than most books I come across.
Author Website & Engagement:
I love Veronica’s Blog. She updates it often and seriously involves her readers. She is one of the best ‘Big Time’ Authors I’ve come across when it comes to interaction.
I say more about this from my Divergent review, so please take a look. I don’t want to simply re-hash previous opinions. Overall, though, she’s a star. A big fan of what she does online.
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Overall, I give Insurgent a big thumb’s up. I flew through it and I’m excited for the book number 3. I don’t want to give much away, but the ending leaves you intrigued.
At this stage I find it hard to believe it will only be a trilogy. This could grow to be four, five, or maybe even six books. And to be honest, that excites me.
I’d be surprised if this doesn’t become a film at some point in the future. It is on a par with The Hunger Games and I could see Veronica Roth becoming a star of the future. As such, I give this book
4 Turndogs out of 5
Thanks for reading this version of The Turndog Review. I review every book I read, not only for the writing, but the marketing, website, and general communication from the author.
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