Published in May 2012 by HarperCollins Children’s Books, the book and its editions are available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook formats, at local libraries, and through the Libby app.

Tris continues her harrowing tale, where choices have consequences. She grapples with haunting questions, the grief of losing her parents, guilt over her actions, and forgiveness is harder to give. Identity, politics, and love entwine. War looms, sides are chosen, secrets emerge, and relationships strain under radical discoveries.

Roth raised the stakes in her second Divergent installment, adding layers and depth through plot twists and revelations. The romance remains apathetic and doesn’t advance the plot. War and its aftereffects drive the action.

An annoying trait Roth brings forth in Tris is the overfeeling. She feels the deaths she believes herself responsible for, and the depth of the emotions is nearly too much. In the end, Roth portrays her as an ordinary girl in extraordinary situations who doesn’t see her worth.

She gives Four odd descriptions to make him appear less attractive, such as ears sticking out, a hooked nose, spindly fingers, and a gaunt face. Is it refreshing that he isn’t your typical hero type or calculated? Either way, it doesn’t stop him from being great book boyfriend material.

When the idiosyncrasy of a book finds its way into everyday life, that’s when you know the story transcended the page, and this is one of those. Well deserving of the 3.5-star rating.