The second novel in a trilogy is rarely better than the first. The newness of the world introduced in the first book, the excitement of meeting characters for the first time cannot be duplicated in the second book. I loved Divergent, the first book in the trilogy, especially because of the thrill of discovering the Dauntless world for the first time. This second book, Insurgent, takes the story further, as necessary. It is a true continuation of Divergent, beginning with the same scene the first book ends with. It fleshes out more of the world and the other factions and it raises the stakes in the conflicts. I will admit to having to stop a couple times to remind myself who a secondary character was, but the story swept me up in much the same way as the first book. I give this five stars as I believe that those who enjoyed Divergent will really appreciate the curtain begin pulled back on this world a bit more. The book is exciting and full of moments that you can not predict. Tris continues to be a strong character who is full of faults and frequently makes difficult and even wrong decisions. I enjoy what a unique female character she is, not needing to be rescued, but not always saving the day either. Insurgent made me laugh and gasp and I will be impatiently waiting for the next instalment.