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3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
This book was amazing. When I first finished Matched, I knew I had to continue with the series. While at first, the book did not draw me in like the first one, it is safe to say that I could not put the book down for the last 100 pages. I definitely will be finishing out the trilogy with Reached. Great successor to Matched by far.
A bit slower than the first, but it all seems foundational -- setting the information up for the last book.
I loved book 1 so much, this was an enormous letdown. Oh well.
The reviews on this one seem to show an overwhelming preference for the first book, Matched, over this one. For me it was the opposite. The first book was just SO cliche and it gave hardly any background for The Society. This book had the background information I wanted, so even though the end got a little stagnant, the information that was being revealed still kept my interest. I will agree that the book ended in an odd place. I was thrown a bit at the start because I didn't initially notice that this was written from two points of view - they're written so similarly and the only way to tell them apart is the small print under the chapter number, which was easy to miss. Again - I don't know think this is the greatest dystopian series ever, but I'm glad I stuck past the first book.
adventurous
challenging
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
On my second journey into the mind of Ally Condie, I enjoyed the journey a little better. I like the richness offered by the inclusion of beautiful and meaningful poetry into the text, and the interactions of the characters with the poetry is interesting too.
Like last time, I am again a bit conflicted about whether Cassia is with the right boy - we don't see much of her "official" match, Xander, but what we see seems perfect and admirable (only in the first couple of chapters does he figure) and the mysterious Ky is conflicted and imperfect and just seems uncertainly drawn - I think I am sensing an ambivalence towards him on the part of Condie which makes him a bit of an inexplicable choice for Cassia, who goes to great lengths for the reconcilliation with him. Speaking of their meeting up - this was just a bit too fortuitous to be true, I thought, as is the fact that we find out that Xander is also part of the rebellion in this part of the Trilogy. So things are a little too pat, and too constructed in this trilogy, but I did think that this one was better told than the last, as there was less of the annoying and amateurish mind talk happening. Even the second female lead, whose name I can't remember at the moment, is alternately good and evil. I think Condie will continue to improve as she goes, but she's not planned this trilogy sufficiently well to have a sure hand with the characters, and it shows.
Like last time, I am again a bit conflicted about whether Cassia is with the right boy - we don't see much of her "official" match, Xander, but what we see seems perfect and admirable (only in the first couple of chapters does he figure) and the mysterious Ky is conflicted and imperfect and just seems uncertainly drawn - I think I am sensing an ambivalence towards him on the part of Condie which makes him a bit of an inexplicable choice for Cassia, who goes to great lengths for the reconcilliation with him. Speaking of their meeting up - this was just a bit too fortuitous to be true, I thought, as is the fact that we find out that Xander is also part of the rebellion in this part of the Trilogy. So things are a little too pat, and too constructed in this trilogy, but I did think that this one was better told than the last, as there was less of the annoying and amateurish mind talk happening. Even the second female lead, whose name I can't remember at the moment, is alternately good and evil. I think Condie will continue to improve as she goes, but she's not planned this trilogy sufficiently well to have a sure hand with the characters, and it shows.
This was slightly more eventful than the first. But it was also even heavier on the ridiculous amount of semi bad poetry masquerading as prose. Review to come.
Light and not a lot of depth, but the story is still keeping me interested, so it's great easy reading. Curious to see where it goes in the last book.
I actually liked this one better than the first one so I may as well finish the series.