2.43k reviews for:

Conquise

Ally Condie

3.32 AVERAGE

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
challenging emotional inspiring sad slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

The book itself was decent but it was very 2010s so the characters were kinda plain in the way that authors do that to try to make it relatable and it felt like a lot of likes were thrown in there just to sound poetic (and not just the constant use of poetry, which, we get it, is super valuable).
The whole love triangle thing was also super boring cause you know from the very beginning who she was gonna end up with and either way it would’ve been disappointing. 
The plot twist wasn’t even really a plot twist, I only just realized which part was intended to be the twist. 
Other than that, it was an ok book, I still found it to be an immersing read. 
challenging emotional tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

After coming across various reviews and tweets raving about this series I just had to get my hand on it. I waited for all the three books in the trilogy to be released before starting on it and only recently finished reading them.

Cassia is born into a Society where everything is controlled – from the amount of food they get, to their clothes to their Matches. In a way Cassia is lucky because at her matching ceremony she finds out that not only is her match from her own sector, which is very rare, but her match is her best friend Xander. But, there’s a glitch and the memory card with Xander’s details has a flash of another face – face of Ky Markham. In her confusion about the Society’s mistake, she feels attracted towards Ky. But the Society has more in store for her. Through a series of events, Cassie gets closer to Ky – as if fate or Society kept throwing them together – and they fall in love only to be ripped apart.

The second book starts a few months after where the first book ended. Cassie has spent a few months in the outer province looking for Ky. Her journey slowly takes her over miles and miles, guides by Xander’s and her grandfather’s messages. She hears about a rebellion, a rising against the Society and slowly gravitates towards it. She is once again united with Ky but only to make a tough choice that may as well part them. Unexpected bonds formed and unexpected betrayal mark the journey of these teenagers.

Third book narrates about Cassie’s double life as a sorter and as an agent of the rebellion, Xander’s life as medic with a secret and Ky and Indie’s life as a fighter pilot for the rebellion. The rising takes its chance and an epidemic disease grabs the society. Between playing their roles that of a rebel, finding a cure and working out their heart’s desire, these young people are forced to grow up fast. Will they see the Society’s downfall and a better future or will everything be just the same? Will they all survive? Will the star-crossed lovers find their way to each other?

I must admit that it was an enchanting dystopian world that Ms.Condie has created. The detailed description of how the Society worked spanned over all the three books so that every time you pick up a book, you learn more about the Society. I have heard that the concept of the Society is lifted from a Lois Lowry series, but since I haven’t read that series myself, I don’t know if that’s true. You guys might wanna check it out for yourself.

Now on to the characters. Cassie, the protagonist, comes across as a confused girl at the beginning. But then as the story progresses, her character develops and you realize that being under the Society’s control all her life, a simple mistake from the seemingly perfect Society can throw a person off balance. I liked Ky too for his brave heart. But I loved Xander the most. Why do the best friends, the most caring soul, get left behind by the girls? Don’t get me wrong but even Ky is a good guy too, but Xander was such a sweet heart. I was glad to see that there was some hope for him in the end.

My problem with this series is that it was very slow. None of the books are less than 350 pages (I think the last one was over 500 pages). But when it comes down to it the plot isn’t that complex to need three books. There isn't much 'action' in the story to be enough for three books. The language and writing style of the author isn't anything extraordinary either. As a result I had the drag feeling throughout the three books and it felt really tedious to complete the series. As a single story with a faster pace, I might have enjoyed it.

Overall, I don’t think the books have much to offer.
adventurous medium-paced

I overall felt pretty meh about this series. I couldn't get through it fast enough, even if I was curious to know what happened. The funny thing is the characters were enjoyable. It just felt like everything else was pretty dull.

I think the entire story had much more potential and because of that, I think my rating of this book reflects my thoughts on the trilogy as a whole. Plus, I really wanted to see the Otherlands and was left empty handed on the edge of Enemy territory - just like Codie's description of the Society, the Rising, and the cure, there just always seemed to be an element missing.

A satisfying end to the trilogy. It was really nice to see what Xander had been doing through the second book.

It was a great end to a great series. The only problem I had with it was a death scene that was lackluster to say it a nice way.
adventurous mysterious slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated