Outside In (Insider #2) by Maria V. Snyder

Outside (Insider #2) In by Maria V. Snyder

Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Recommended for: Fans of the genre looking for a strong female lead

At the end of Inside Out things seem to be working out for everyone and especially our heroine Trella. She has a boyfriend she likes, people in the Inside have found extra space where they can expand from their crowded space and the cruel Travas have lost their power. So, it is with surprise that the reader realizes at the beginning of Outside In that things are looking less than rosy for everyone after the rebellion's success. The Comittee in charge of Inside can't seem to agree on anything, scrubs refuse to work when the uppers seem to have a much easier work to do, Trella has little free time to do anything she really wants like exploring or meeting with her boyfriend, Riley, and soon it becomes obvious that the new security force -ISF- are just as hated by the citizens of Inside as the old Pop Cops and not half as productive. To make matters even worse, it soons becomes apparent that someone is trying to sabotage the new status quo and the Insiders have to deal with this new threat.

As was the case with the first book, the action and suspense start early on and never let go until the last page. This is not a book that will get you bored or that you may put aside easily when the time comes to go to sleep. The writing is excellent as usual and Snyder's descriptions made me actually see the inside of the Inside. New characters were introduced, some good and some evil, alliances are tested, dynamics change and Trella grows up at last. I must admit that I had a problem with her for the first 1/3 of the book; she was selfish, immature and irresponsible. I was very frustrated with her, even though I understood that she had a lot of things going on and she's still a teenager after all. Luckily for her and for us, through error and trial -and a good dressing down from Riley- she eventually realized her mistakes and at last she became a heroine I could cheer and care for. I still wish though that Snyder wrote stronger male heroes; Just like Valek, Riley has so much potential but he ends up like a minor moon orbiting around the heroine's bright sun. I'd like to see him more fleshed out in the next books (which I definitely plan to read).