Books

13 Emotional Stages of Reading 'Insurgent'

by Chrissa Hardy

So you've finished Divergent, and need more of Tris and Four and Dauntless and Divergents and all the glorious things that this YA series includes. You probably finished Book One and within moments were purchasing Book Two and opening it on your e-reader because as much as you love paper books, you cannot wait that long for the book to be shipped to your door. There is no time for patience — Tris is currently leading a revolution and it would be great if she had a make-out sesh with Four again soon.

Insurgent is a lot like Divergent, but better, and way more intense. This is no longer about Tris fitting in with the other members of her faction — this is about staying alive and taking down Jeanine before she destroys the world Tris knows. With the movie adaptation hitting theaters on March 20, you want to make sure you're all caught up before seeing it on the big screen. You want to be prepared for all the insane plot twists and the moments that will make you audibly sob before you do it in a crowded room with strangers. And this book will certainly deliver on both, because it's as much of an action/adventure movie as it is an emotional roller coaster.

Insurgent will make you feel things: all the things. It will make you question every character's motive and ability to survive — even Tris — and you will clench your fists just as often as you scream with glee. These are the emotional stages of reading Insurgent. (Warning if you haven't read it: Spoilers ahead!)

1. Stress

It picks up right where Divergent left off, and even though it's exciting to know the adventure is really only beginning, it's stressful because you know there's also a ton of bad stuff about to go down. Especially since evil Marcus (Four's abusive father) is along for the ride.

2. Curiosity

As Tris and Four and the others who escaped Jeanine's simulation camp out at Amity, it's fascinating to follow their struggles to fit in with this group of peaceful hippies. You start to wonder if peace really is the answer and how this broken society is ever going to reach it.

3. Suspicion

So what exactly is Marcus's game here? Why is he so secretive? Why can't they just kill him already? Dude is just shady.

4. Longing

The relationship between Tris and Four is so honest and beautiful, and right now there's too much drama for them to express themselves or even for them to fall deeper in love. All they have is chaos. It makes you miss their sweet beginning at Dauntless HQ.

5. Excitement

Wait... Four's mother is alive? WHOA. Things just got awesome.

6. Anger

Oh... so she's just as terrible as Marcus and tries to manipulate Four into distancing himself from Tris. Things just returned to awful.

7. Worry

When Tris admits to killing Will in front of Christina at Candor HQ, and you know their friendship takes the fast lane into garbage town. Christina will never trust Tris again, and our girl needs allies everywhere she goes since pretty much everyone important wants her dead.

8. Bargaining

The guilt Tris is carrying around is causing her to make reckless, self-sacrificing decisions and it's terrifying to witness because she has had too many close calls as it is. You start to envision scenarios in which she is finally safe and living happily ever after with Four and the tension builds so high that you'd practically offer up your own vital organs in order to make that happen for her. When she promises Four that she won't turn herself in to Erudite and then does, your heart shatters along with your dreams

9. Extreme Fear

WHAT IS UP WITH PETER. This kid is THE WORST. After everything Tris has done for him/putting up with his general awfulness, he's now going to be her executioner, because of course.

10. Relief

When you discover Peter set up a fake execution and he actually saves Tris and escapes with her and Four, you take the breath you didn't even realize you had been holding for the previous two chapters.

11. Hope

They're away from Erudite and back in Abnegation. They're away from Jeanine and her horrifying simulations. Tris and Four express their love for one another. The book is coming to an end soon and you know it. Maybe things are starting to settle down?

12. Denial

After the important and mysterious data is retrieved and turns out to be a video featuring Tris's grandmother sharing the original plan for the factions and that they need to go out and see what else is beyond the fence, your face goes into a fast-moving montage of "No! Wha? No Way. Could it be? Nah. What the hell?"

13. Energetic Acceptance

Something had to transition book two into book three, right? So the video of Edith Prior is it, and after a moment of panic because, WTF will the future hold?you find yourself accepting this new development and psych yourself up for the gripping final chapter of this story. Allegiant, here you come.

Image: Summit Entertainment; Giphy (13)