Insurgent
Divergent, Book 2
Summary
Insurgent is the second installment in Veronica Roth's bestselling dystopian trilogy, Divergent. Set in a postapocalyptic Chicago, this 2012 young adult novel explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of choices in a society divided into factions. Insurgent received critical acclaim for Roth's compelling storytelling and character development.
Plot
In Insurgent, the second book in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, Tris Prior and her allies seek refuge in the Amity faction after the events of the first novel. As conflict between factions intensifies, Tris and Tobias “Four” Eaton find themselves caught in the growing insurgency against the oppressive Erudite faction. They flee to the Factionless sector, where they meet Tobias's mother, Evelyn, who seeks to ally the Factionless with Dauntless against Erudite.
The story follows Tris as she grapples with guilt, grief, and her identity as a Divergent. She and her companions move between factions, facing dangers and betrayals. A series of simulation tests and Erudite attacks forces Tris to confront her fears and make difficult choices. The conflict escalates, leading to a daring infiltration of Erudite headquarters, where Tris faces off against Jeanine Matthews, the Erudite leader.
The novel climaxes with a revelation about the true nature of their walled society and the purpose of the Divergents. A video message from the past explains that their city is part of an experiment to produce Divergents, who are seen as the key to saving humanity. Insurgent ends with this shocking truth being broadcast to all factions, leaving the characters and their society on the brink of massive change.
Themes
• Identity and self-discovery
• Loyalty and betrayal
• Power and corruption
• Grief and forgiveness
• Choice and consequence
• Love and sacrifice
• Revolution and social change
Setting
Insurgent takes place in the distant future in a dystopian version of Chicago. The city has been transformed into a walled-off society divided into five factions, each dedicated to cultivating a particular virtue. Outside the wall lies a marshy expanse that was once Lake Michigan, while farmlands occupied by the Amity faction stretch beyond the city limits.
Within Chicago, the landscape is a mix of crumbling infrastructure and futuristic developments. Key locations include the glass-and-cave Dauntless compound known as “The Pit,” the stark uniformity of the Abnegation sector, and the technologically advanced Erudite headquarters in what was once Grant Park. The Candor faction occupies a repurposed Merchandise Mart, now dubbed the “Merciless Mart” for their uncompromising honesty.
While the exact year is never specified, the setting implies a postapocalyptic world where society has been carefully reconstructed to prevent further conflict. This controlled environment, designed to cultivate peace through rigid social structures, forms the backdrop for the growing unrest and factional conflicts that drive the story's action. The confined nature of the city serves to heighten tensions as characters grapple with loyalty, identity, and the true nature of their society.
Characters
• Beatrice “Tris” Prior: The protagonist and narrator, a 16-year-old Divergent struggling with guilt and her identity while trying to save her society.
• Tobias “Four” Eaton: Tris's boyfriend and fellow Divergent, a former Dauntless instructor wrestling with family issues and leadership responsibilities.
• Caleb Prior: Tris's brother, who chose Erudite and is now working with its leader against the other factions.
• Jeanine Matthews: The main antagonist and leader of Erudite, seeking to control society and eliminate Divergents.
• Christina: Tris's best friend from Dauntless initiation, struggling with the loss of Will and her friendship with Tris.
• Peter Hayes: A cruel former Dauntless initiate who switches his allegiances throughout the story.
• Evelyn Johnson-Eaton: Four's mother and leader of the Factionless, planning to overthrow the faction system.
• Marcus Eaton: Four's abusive father and former leader of Abnegation, hiding crucial information about the city's true nature.
• Johanna Reyes: The peaceful leader of Amity, who tries to remain neutral in the growing conflict.
• Jack Kang: The leader of Candor, who attempts to broker peace between the factions.
• Uriah Pedrad: A Dauntless-born Divergent who becomes friends with Tris.
• Lynn: A tough Dauntless girl who fights alongside Tris and the others.
• Marlene: Another Dauntless member who becomes a victim of Erudite's simulations.
Quick facts
• Insurgent is the second book in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy.
• Published in 2012, Insurgent debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for 32 weeks.
• Roth wrote the first draft of Insurgent in just 40 days.
• Insurgent explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the consequences of our choices.
• The book’s cover features a tree, representing the Amity faction that plays a key role in the story.
• Insurgent introduces several new characters, including Tobias's mother, Evelyn, and Tris's brother, Caleb.
• As Roth has admitted, there are some continuity errors between the first novel, Divergent, and its sequel, Insurgent, due to overlapping drafts.
• A special Collector's Edition of Insurgent includes deleted scenes and Q&As with Roth.
• Roth named the Factionless character Edward after the famous Twilight character as an inside joke.
• A film adaptation was released in 2015, starring Shailene Woodley and Theo James.
About the author
Veronica Roth
Veronica Roth is an American author of young adult novels of dystopian fantasy and adventure. Born in 1988 in New York City and raised primarily in Barrington, Illinois, she discovered her passion for storytelling at a young age and studied creative writing at Northwestern University. During her senior year winter break, she wrote her debut novel, Divergent. The book’s rights sold before her college graduation in 2010, and the film rights followed shortly after. Her first two novels, Divergent and its sequel, Insurgent, sold more than five million copies worldwide by fall 2013. To date, the Divergent series, which also includes Allegiant and Four, has sold more than 35 million copies globally.
In addition to Divergent, Roth is the author of the Carve the Mark duology, a collection of short stories titled The End and Other Beginnings, and standalone novels such as Chosen Ones and Poster Girl. Based in Chicago, she maintains an active presence on social media and through her website. She regularly engages with her fans, sharing book news, writing insights, and exclusive content through her newsletter.