Review: Insurgent (Divergent #2) by Veronica Roth

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: May 1, 2012

Pages: 525

Source: Bought

Rating: 5 Stars

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.

In short: Insurgent by Veronica Roth is a solid and enthralling sequel to its predecessor.

Hmm, what's that? You've been dying to read yet another Insurgent review? Oh good. I was hoping you'd say that.

Insurgent picks up right where Divergent leaves off, leaving no time for exposition and rehashing of the events that took place at the end of Divergent. I would have been completely lost if it had not been for Veronica Roth's Catch-Up Guide, which I read just prior to starting Insurgent. As it was, I actually quite liked that Veronica Roth didn't waste any time going over all the details of the previous book as it would have slowed the pace down considerably and Insurgent is the kind of book that you want to devour as fast as possible. And devour I did, even though Insurgent is over 500 pages long.

I am just endlessly fascinated with the world building of the Divergent trilogy, specifically the Faction System, that is so expertly developed by Veronica Roth. I swear I could read about even the most mundane aspects of the Factions and still be interested. Lucky for me, Insurgent was the perfect book when it came to finding out more about the specific processes, cultures, and backgrounds of the Factions - Tris and Tobias visit all five Faction Headquarters over the course of Insurgent. And I am dying to learn even more secrets about the workings and history of the Faction System, especially with how Insurgent left off.

Though I didn't like Insurgent quite as much as Divergent and though it wasn't without its faults - Tris and Tobias got on my nerves a few times, for example - there is no way I could not give it 5 Stars considering how much I enjoyed myself while reading it. Everything else in Insurgent - the pacing, the action, the world and character building - more than made up for any minor pet peeves that I had. Insurgent is truly a solid and thrilling follow-up to what has become one of my favourite series of all time. I can't believe we still have to wait a year for the as yet untitled Book 3 - though does anyone else suspect it will be named Convergent?

Previously, my review for Divergent.

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Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Publisher: Scholastic

Published: March 2007

Pages: 534

Source: Bought

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Caldecott Honor artist Brian Selznick's has 284 pencil drawings and actual photos (an old train engine falling from upper story to street below, Harold Lloyd in "Safety Lost", film stills) basing his story on facts. Automatons who could draw pictures, write poems, and sign the maker's name Maillardet, really existed, neglected in a museum. George Méliès, 1861 magician turned film-maker, son of shoemaker-magnate, built his own camera Kinétographe, and was rediscovered in 1926 working at his Gare Montparness railroad station toy kiosk. Fiction: orphan clock-winder 1931 Paris lad Hugo steals to eat and repair robot from father's notebook, until he meets Méliès' pretty god-daughter Isabelle accompanied by helpful film student Etienne. An unusual blend of graphic novel and history lesson results.

I was very curious about The Invention of Hugo Cabret when I first saw the trailer for the movie adaptation, Hugo, a few months ago. Though I was at first intimidated when I saw it in the bookstore due to its thickness and weight, I quickly realized that The Invention of Hugo Cabret is made up of mostly illustrations and its heaviness is due to the heftier paper used. It's these elements that make The Invention of Hugo Cabret truly a masterpiece in presentation.

It's the gorgeous illustrations by Brian Selznick that truly made The Invention of Hugo Cabret - every page was a treat to turn, every illustration perfectly plotted and drawn. I loved how the illustrations were laid out in a sort of flip book or storyboard series that seemed to mimic an old movie, lending itself perfectly to the theme of the book. I guess it doesn't technically count as reading, but it was a pleasure to follow along image by image. And to be honest, the writing was nice but not particularly special in any way - though perhaps that's because it is aimed toward a young age group.

Despite the average writing, I do still recommend reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret based on the wonderful illustrations alone. And it's a quick read! And I also highly recommend the movie adaptation, Hugo, which I actually liked more.

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Review: The Immortal Rules (Blood of Eden #1) by Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Published: April 24, 2012

Pages: 504

Source: For Review from Harlequin Teen/NetGalley (Thank you!)

Rating: 4 Stars

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.
Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.
Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.
Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.
Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.
But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.

In short: Julie Kagawa brings freshness to a tired genre in The Immortal Rules, by pairing it with an expansive dystopian world and a heroine who is a survivor before all else.

Confession: I haven't read a vampire book since Twilight. With the plethora of vampire related books, movies, and tv shows, I quickly became burnt out on vampires and have been avoiding most vampire-related media ever since. So it was with a bit of trepidation that I decided to read The Immortal Rules. But I'm so glad I did. Including the dystopian genre into this vampire book made The Immortal Rules infinitely more interesting for me to read. And in fact, the vampire element really didn't play as huge a role as I was expecting even though protagonist, Allison, is one herself.

The Immortal Rules is the first of Julie Kagawa's books I have read and she quickly won me over with her expansive world building and involved action scenes. I read a ton of dystopians and as such, many of them have a tendency to blur together and certain recurring plot elements seem unoriginal and boring. But though it is true that some of these recurring dystopian plot elements appear in The Immortal Rules, combining them with the mythology of the vampires and rabids kept The Immortal Rules fresh and interesting. It is no surprise that The Immortal Rules has already been optioned for film as the numerous and involved action scenes could make for a great action-packed blockbuster. In particular, the image of Allison battling rabids with her katana is one that sticks with you and would be good for a poster or something - just like the image of Katniss with her bow.

I liked Allison for the most part, though questioned some of her decisions and motivations at times. Still, I can't help but root for someone who remains a survivor and maintains her morals even after being dealt a pretty crummy hand in life. I'm so used to reading vampire fics where the heroine is human and being wooed by the dangerous vampire, so to turn that around and have the vampire heroine who is struggling to maintain her humanity and not lose control in front of the boy she likes made for a fascinating, unique read for me. I also liked that Allison was Asian, which is something of a rarity in YA. But I am confused as to why the model used on the cover and in the book trailer is not. How hard would it have been to have found and used an actual Asian model?

I will say that I felt it took The Immortal Rules a while to get going. A good chunk of the beginning was bogged down with exposition that I felt could have been more smoothly interwoven into the text. But the plot really does picks up about halfway through and doesn't ever slow down. If there was one thing that I was able to appreciate from the experience of reading The Immortal Rules, it is that I feel like I am finally able to embrace vampire books again. I think I'm ready. Vampire Academy - I am finally coming for you (-any other recommendations?).

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Review: Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin #1) by Robin LaFevers

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published: April 3, 2012

Pages: 549

Source: For Review from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Netgalley

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf? 
Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. 
Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

In short: With an intriguing premise and a strong heroine, Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is sure to enchant readers.

You know that when a book features nun assassins, it has got to be a good one. Seriously, how cool is the premise for Grave Mercy? Girl, trained to be an assassin by a group of nuns and to serve Death Himself - it's creative, it's intriguing, and it's incredibly strange, but also obviously awesome. To add to that, Grave Mercy is one of those books whose first few pages are made up of a map and an index of characters to keep track of things. Automatic win. All these factors indicated that Grave Mercy would have a complex and attractive plot, and as it turns out, it most definitely did.

Ismae was the strength of Grave Mercy for me. Even coming from such a dismal upbringing, abused first by her father and then by her husband, she maintains a remarkable and admirable strength of character. Once she is taken in by the convent of Mortain, she is trained in the art of combat, poison making, and seduction, all in the aim of making her an effective killing machine. She serves as a loyal handmaiden of Death, sometimes blindly following the orders of the convent, taking people's lives without question.

It is only when she meets Duval, a Breton noble who is a lot like Ismae in his practicality and strength, that she begins to doubt what the convent has taught her. Maybe her purpose as Death's handmaiden isn't to be a killing machine after all, but instead as something much more important and meaningful. I loved seeing Ismae come to this realization and develop as a character throughout Grave Mercy. And I adored Ismae and Duval's slow-burn relationship as it developed, starting out in a place of distrust and then slowly moving to a place of mutual respect and gradual affection.

At 549 pages, Grave Mercy really flew by, except perhaps in a few sections in which discussion of the politics behind who the Duchess of Brittany should marry dragged a bit. Other than that, Grave Mercy maintains a fast pace filled with action and intrigue that will captivate the reader. Grave Mercy is my first Robin LaFevers book and I don't plan on it being my last. I'm a bit disappointed that the next two books in the His Fair Assassin series, Dark Triumph and Dark Hope, will not feature a return to Ismae and Duval's story but instead will showcase the lives of two other girls from the convent, but I am hopeful that they will make an appearance at some point.

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