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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
Luke was sick last night, so I got loooooots of time to read. I usually don’t burn through a book in 24 hours, but it wasn’t just something to help be get through a long night, I also reeeeeally am liking this series.
I was wondering this during book one, but now I’m ready to commit. I like these books better than The Giver. In fact, I would be fine with having these books be read in school to teach dystopian literature.
Ok, enough if that. I don’t think this is a spoiler because it’s on page ONE of the book, but I totally sqeeled when I saw that it was from Ky’s perspective. I also think she did a great job of dealing with the mandatory second book relationship “things are falling apart with all sorts of emotions and miss understandings and are the going to make it!?!?” That always really hard to do, to make it seem natural and not a plot device. That they would still have questions and doubts and fears even after all they had been through for each other.
I loved the scene when he sees her. It was beautiful and perfect and I’m sooooooo glad she didn’t drop dead in his arms like SOME books I know.
Finally, I love how it ends with her on fire, just like the end of the first book. You can start a bonfire from the determination in her words, that feel that even if she got shot in the head five seconds afterwards because “that’s how real life works” that it wouldn’t matter. It’s something that makes you feel like life isn’t futile. That it’s worth living, worth fighting, worth loving.
Because in reality that is all there is.
I was wondering this during book one, but now I’m ready to commit. I like these books better than The Giver. In fact, I would be fine with having these books be read in school to teach dystopian literature.
Ok, enough if that. I don’t think this is a spoiler because it’s on page ONE of the book, but I totally sqeeled when I saw that it was from Ky’s perspective. I also think she did a great job of dealing with the mandatory second book relationship “things are falling apart with all sorts of emotions and miss understandings and are the going to make it!?!?” That always really hard to do, to make it seem natural and not a plot device. That they would still have questions and doubts and fears even after all they had been through for each other.
I loved the scene when he sees her. It was beautiful and perfect and I’m sooooooo glad she didn’t drop dead in his arms like SOME books I know.
Finally, I love how it ends with her on fire, just like the end of the first book. You can start a bonfire from the determination in her words, that feel that even if she got shot in the head five seconds afterwards because “that’s how real life works” that it wouldn’t matter. It’s something that makes you feel like life isn’t futile. That it’s worth living, worth fighting, worth loving.
Because in reality that is all there is.
Really easy read, but interesting! Took me a few chapters to realize that the narration in each chapter alternates between characters. Ties up a few loose ends from the first book in the series. I'm interested in learning how the series will conclude.
3.5 Stars
I originally only got 100ish pages in before stopping. I finally finished it.
Pros
-Ky and Cassia- you get tons of them together, as the book is basically them trying to find each other
-poetry- this also goes with Cassia and Ky, as they both love poetry and its their means of communication and poetry is a recurring thing throughout the book.
-continued dystopian world and outer province- we get a decent look of what lays outside the society, and also there is a reveal about what happens when you take the blue tablet
cons
-slow pace and lack of action- not a lot really happens
-Xander- he isn't really in it, and it is said bluntly that he has this secret, which when revealed, isn't surprising. He isn't my favorite character, just because there isn't a lot to him, that we know of, he's sort of just a flat character to me.
-cassia- this is pro and con. I think Ky is probably the most developed out of all of them, and the most interesting. I like Cassia and Ky together, I ship them, but I feel Cassia is sort of bland. And also not very smart. I appreciate that, like most female protagonist in dystopian, she is willing to set aside what she knows, or whatever she feels about the Society, that she is willing to rebel, however, it felt abrupt.
I originally only got 100ish pages in before stopping. I finally finished it.
Pros
-Ky and Cassia- you get tons of them together, as the book is basically them trying to find each other
-poetry- this also goes with Cassia and Ky, as they both love poetry and its their means of communication and poetry is a recurring thing throughout the book.
-continued dystopian world and outer province- we get a decent look of what lays outside the society, and also there is a reveal about what happens when you take the blue tablet
cons
-slow pace and lack of action- not a lot really happens
-Xander- he isn't really in it, and it is said bluntly that he has this secret, which when revealed, isn't surprising. He isn't my favorite character, just because there isn't a lot to him, that we know of, he's sort of just a flat character to me.
-cassia- this is pro and con. I think Ky is probably the most developed out of all of them, and the most interesting. I like Cassia and Ky together, I ship them, but I feel Cassia is sort of bland. And also not very smart. I appreciate that, like most female protagonist in dystopian, she is willing to set aside what she knows, or whatever she feels about the Society, that she is willing to rebel, however, it felt abrupt.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I'm not able to explain how I feel about Crossed. It doesn't knock my socks off nor do I feel like throwing it against the wall. It's a book that I feel neutral towards.
Crossed continues with the passive action that occurred in Matched. I seems like Matched sets up the story and Crossed is the "bland" book that prepares us for the action and rebellion that will hopefully appear in the last book, Reached. Crossed isn't slow or boring, but the sense of danger and surprise is lacking.
The story is told from Cassia and Ky's point of view. Unfortunately, their POV's sound exactly the same. Cassia, as a main character, has not only strength, smarts and great instinct, but she is easy to relate to and connect with. Ky is also strong and smart. He is able to stay one step ahead of the authorities and knows how to handle almost any situation that comes his way. I enjoyed meeting old and new characters along the way who gain depth in such a short amount of time.
Like Matched, romance plays a huge role in Crossed. I have to admit that I did warm up to Ky and Cassia's relationship. Unfortunately, the love triangle that existed in Matched is unnecessary in Crossed. Judging from Crossed, it's so obvious who Cassia is going to pick.
The rebellion aspect and the mystery that surrounds it is totally up my ally. I enjoyed the cool concepts that are created in this society; a corrupt society, paternalistic government, a world built on a social hierarchy and an interesting way of story telling filled with beautiful metaphors and poetry.
Even although I have issues with the POV's and the romance present in Crossed, I do enjoy a book with a corrupt government and society and strong characters. I'm definitely going to read Reached to find out how a possible rebellion is going to play out.
Crossed continues with the passive action that occurred in Matched. I seems like Matched sets up the story and Crossed is the "bland" book that prepares us for the action and rebellion that will hopefully appear in the last book, Reached. Crossed isn't slow or boring, but the sense of danger and surprise is lacking.
The story is told from Cassia and Ky's point of view. Unfortunately, their POV's sound exactly the same. Cassia, as a main character, has not only strength, smarts and great instinct, but she is easy to relate to and connect with. Ky is also strong and smart. He is able to stay one step ahead of the authorities and knows how to handle almost any situation that comes his way. I enjoyed meeting old and new characters along the way who gain depth in such a short amount of time.
Like Matched, romance plays a huge role in Crossed. I have to admit that I did warm up to Ky and Cassia's relationship. Unfortunately, the love triangle that existed in Matched is unnecessary in Crossed. Judging from Crossed, it's so obvious who Cassia is going to pick.
The rebellion aspect and the mystery that surrounds it is totally up my ally. I enjoyed the cool concepts that are created in this society; a corrupt society, paternalistic government, a world built on a social hierarchy and an interesting way of story telling filled with beautiful metaphors and poetry.
Even although I have issues with the POV's and the romance present in Crossed, I do enjoy a book with a corrupt government and society and strong characters. I'm definitely going to read Reached to find out how a possible rebellion is going to play out.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 stars
View full review here!
Note: This book is part of a series. Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers from the previous book(s). If you have not read the previous book(s) and intend to do so, I suggest that you do not read this review.
As you might've guessed from the Reached widget to your right, I'm pretty excited about these series. I like Matched A LOT. I have read it multiple times, so when Crossed came out a year ago I VERY much wanted to read it IMMEDIATELY. I was home sick at the time, but I got my dad to get it for me at the bookstore. That's how excited I was. Unfortunately, Crossed didn't quite give me what I wanted.
The story takes on where Matched leaves off: with Cassia in the Outer Provinces, looking for Ky, who, in his turn, has escaped the Society's grip and fled into the canyons. Cassia follows the trail he left, but that is more difficult (and dangerous) than she expected.
First things first: I felt the start was slow-paced. Actually, the whole book was, but definitely at the start. And even more so than Matched, which could be a bit slow at times, but still intrigued me because I wanted to know more about the world Cassia lives in. I didn't mind that the story wasn't quick and action-packed like some other dystopian novels I've read. It was mysterious and new and multi-layered and it just captivated me. Crossed didn't do that for me. Especially during the first half of the book my mind kept wandering off, I never had any difficulty putting it down, and it just really took me a while to get into the story.
Matched left me with the feeling that is best described as omfgfsaopfdjsiopdjfsawhatishappening. I really wanted to know what would happen to Cassia and Ky and if they would manage to stay together while being under the Society's constant watch. In Matched, the Society seemed creepy and mysterious and unpredictable to me. In Crossed, it bothered me how little we actually know about it. I know the Society is all mysterious and secretive, but now I want to know where it came from. Who formed the Society? Who rules it?
Towards the end the story was a bit faster and far more exciting than in the beginning, but at the ending I found myself at the EXACT point where I was left off at the end of Matched. Again, what's happening to these characters?! Why does the Society still control everything? It felt like I was left with even more questions than at the end of Matched.
Now talk about what I did like about this book: KY! Where Matched was only told from Cassia's perspective, but that changes in Crossed. The perspective changes between Cassia and Ky. I don't always like this in a book, but now I did very much. If I'm being honest (and I am) it might've even saved the story for me. I find Ky extremely fascinating compared to Cassia. I loved getting to know more of his background story. In fact, I think he's more intriguing than Cassia ever was. Even Indie, who I hated at times, has more to offer than Cassia does. (Don't get me wrong: Cassia is a nice character, but I prefer characters that are more... intense.)
Overall, if you haven't read these series, they're definitely worth your attention. I'm loving the idea of the covers representing the green, the blue and the red pills, and how each of them has its importance in the books (though I only figured that out after I read Crossed, because it wasn't that obvious in Matched). And I'm curious about Xander's story in Reached, glad he also gets to explain his story. Because if there's one thing that Crossed made me curious about, it was Xander. What is he hiding? Yes, more questions.
This review is all over the place, and I want you to know that I still liked Crossed. But I wanted to love it, and it disappointed me instead. Ally Condie is an amazing writer. I love her vivid descriptions and poetic words. Crossed didn't do it for me, but I'm still excited to buy Reached when it comes out (41 days to go!) because this story needs an ending! I want to know WHAT HAPPENS!
View full review here!
Note: This book is part of a series. Please be aware that this review may contain spoilers from the previous book(s). If you have not read the previous book(s) and intend to do so, I suggest that you do not read this review.
As you might've guessed from the Reached widget to your right, I'm pretty excited about these series. I like Matched A LOT. I have read it multiple times, so when Crossed came out a year ago I VERY much wanted to read it IMMEDIATELY. I was home sick at the time, but I got my dad to get it for me at the bookstore. That's how excited I was. Unfortunately, Crossed didn't quite give me what I wanted.
The story takes on where Matched leaves off: with Cassia in the Outer Provinces, looking for Ky, who, in his turn, has escaped the Society's grip and fled into the canyons. Cassia follows the trail he left, but that is more difficult (and dangerous) than she expected.
First things first: I felt the start was slow-paced. Actually, the whole book was, but definitely at the start. And even more so than Matched, which could be a bit slow at times, but still intrigued me because I wanted to know more about the world Cassia lives in. I didn't mind that the story wasn't quick and action-packed like some other dystopian novels I've read. It was mysterious and new and multi-layered and it just captivated me. Crossed didn't do that for me. Especially during the first half of the book my mind kept wandering off, I never had any difficulty putting it down, and it just really took me a while to get into the story.
Matched left me with the feeling that is best described as omfgfsaopfdjsiopdjfsawhatishappening. I really wanted to know what would happen to Cassia and Ky and if they would manage to stay together while being under the Society's constant watch. In Matched, the Society seemed creepy and mysterious and unpredictable to me. In Crossed, it bothered me how little we actually know about it. I know the Society is all mysterious and secretive, but now I want to know where it came from. Who formed the Society? Who rules it?
Towards the end the story was a bit faster and far more exciting than in the beginning, but at the ending I found myself at the EXACT point where I was left off at the end of Matched. Again, what's happening to these characters?! Why does the Society still control everything? It felt like I was left with even more questions than at the end of Matched.
Now talk about what I did like about this book: KY! Where Matched was only told from Cassia's perspective, but that changes in Crossed. The perspective changes between Cassia and Ky. I don't always like this in a book, but now I did very much. If I'm being honest (and I am) it might've even saved the story for me. I find Ky extremely fascinating compared to Cassia. I loved getting to know more of his background story. In fact, I think he's more intriguing than Cassia ever was. Even Indie, who I hated at times, has more to offer than Cassia does. (Don't get me wrong: Cassia is a nice character, but I prefer characters that are more... intense.)
Overall, if you haven't read these series, they're definitely worth your attention. I'm loving the idea of the covers representing the green, the blue and the red pills, and how each of them has its importance in the books (though I only figured that out after I read Crossed, because it wasn't that obvious in Matched). And I'm curious about Xander's story in Reached, glad he also gets to explain his story. Because if there's one thing that Crossed made me curious about, it was Xander. What is he hiding? Yes, more questions.
This review is all over the place, and I want you to know that I still liked Crossed. But I wanted to love it, and it disappointed me instead. Ally Condie is an amazing writer. I love her vivid descriptions and poetic words. Crossed didn't do it for me, but I'm still excited to buy Reached when it comes out (41 days to go!) because this story needs an ending! I want to know WHAT HAPPENS!
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I didn't like this book as much as I did book 1, but I rarely like book 2 in a trilogy. However, this book continued with the poetry, which I enjoyed.