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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
It has a nice ending. Though it made me cry :)
"There is ebb and flow.
Leaving and coming.
Flight and fall.
Sing and silent.
Reaching and
REACHED!"
"There is ebb and flow.
Leaving and coming.
Flight and fall.
Sing and silent.
Reaching and
REACHED!"
Originally posted at The Brazilian Bookworm
I actually liked it. Having had a bad experience with series finales lately (Inheritance), I was afraid to read this one and find out that the author had failed to answer most or all of the questions developed during the previous books, but, to my surprise, the end of the Matched series was both surprisingly good and providing closure.
We get back to seeing Cassia, Xander and Ky separated, working on their Rising-assigned works. And then it starts, the rebellion, the Plague.
It's hard to talk about it without spoiling things, but I really liked Cassia's growth, she does finally sort out her feelings and starts understanding emotions - more than words, she finally understands what she feels and how she feels it. Also, she starts understanding creativity instead of worshipping old poems. It's probably harder for her, since she was so society-based before Ky. Also, we find out more about her family and of course, it makes sense, I loved it.
The one thing that I missed was the explanation about The Others and The Otherlands. Really, can we have another book talking about that part of the "Not-Society"? Also, some history. We got the history about the way the Society evolved and formed itself, but was it really just that? It simply evolved?
Aside from that, I liked the whole book. The Rising and the whole thing. Oh, for crying out loud, how am I not to spoil this? I REALLY want to talk about spoiler-y things...
Let's see, let's see. We get more information about the blue and red tablet, also about the Plague, which is the main story in this book, and what was happening with the banquets - little things we didn't notice, but like, in Matched, one girl just didn't have a Match (blank screen)... And we learn about the red pill and that your memories can be recovered! (omg was that a spoiler?)
Indie's ending was, not being harsh, EXTREMELY disapointing. Like, got me saying out loud "WTF"? Because, well, Indie was an odd character, I was never sure if she was really a friend or not, but I can understand parts of what she did. But that ending? I didn't like it. How could anyone like it?
I think the love triangle was well solved and was quite obvious. Sorry Team Xander, but I think from page 1 it is obvious she's chosen Ky, so I won't even hide that. Xander is well solved, though, he understands himself and others much better than it looked like and can see everything much clearer around the middle and ending of the book.
The ending is sort of bittersweet. I was hoping for something else, like I said, specially about the Otherlands, but I can understand what happened and I can see why it is needed - hopefully, for the best. I could read another book about that world, but with other characters... I like how dystopias like that make you think about your own world and how much that is true - how much of the "rebels" are actually the system trying to make you believe you have a choice, how much of your choices aren't real, how much of the "for your own good" really binds you and makes you defenseless. I could enjoy seeing what that world will become, after the events in the end of the book.
I highly recommend to anyone who likes sci fi, dystopias, love triangles and stories that make you think (or not, since you can take both approaches, I guess).
From my Crossed review:
Other questions I'd like answered include (but are not limited to):
- Who is The Enemy and how did they become "The Enemy"? Not answered.
- What happened (history-wise) to create the separation between The Society and The Enemy? Not answered.
- What's with that weird Society Employee who told Cassia that they'd put Ky's name on her card? Why did she lie like that? Not answered. And that's one that I really would like to know. But at least we know how the card happened...
- What's with The Rising and what's the connection with The Society? Answered pretty well.
- What's with Xander? Did he know... (spoiler)? Answered. Poor Xander.
- What's happened to the artifacts? Where are the things that were "removed" from The Society? Not answered.
- What's happened to the farmers (sure we know part, but why now?)? Not the why now. Not that I understood anyways (could be because of the Plague?)
- What's happening in The Society? Why it's getting different? Sort of answered, I guess. The Plague.
I actually liked it. Having had a bad experience with series finales lately (Inheritance), I was afraid to read this one and find out that the author had failed to answer most or all of the questions developed during the previous books, but, to my surprise, the end of the Matched series was both surprisingly good and providing closure.
We get back to seeing Cassia, Xander and Ky separated, working on their Rising-assigned works. And then it starts, the rebellion, the Plague.
It's hard to talk about it without spoiling things, but I really liked Cassia's growth, she does finally sort out her feelings and starts understanding emotions - more than words, she finally understands what she feels and how she feels it. Also, she starts understanding creativity instead of worshipping old poems. It's probably harder for her, since she was so society-based before Ky. Also, we find out more about her family and of course, it makes sense, I loved it.
The one thing that I missed was the explanation about The Others and The Otherlands. Really, can we have another book talking about that part of the "Not-Society"? Also, some history. We got the history about the way the Society evolved and formed itself, but was it really just that? It simply evolved?
Aside from that, I liked the whole book. The Rising and the whole thing. Oh, for crying out loud, how am I not to spoil this? I REALLY want to talk about spoiler-y things...
Let's see, let's see. We get more information about the blue and red tablet, also about the Plague, which is the main story in this book, and what was happening with the banquets - little things we didn't notice, but like, in Matched, one girl just didn't have a Match (blank screen)... And we learn about the red pill and that your memories can be recovered! (omg was that a spoiler?)
Indie's ending was, not being harsh, EXTREMELY disapointing. Like, got me saying out loud "WTF"? Because, well, Indie was an odd character, I was never sure if she was really a friend or not, but I can understand parts of what she did. But that ending? I didn't like it. How could anyone like it?
I think the love triangle was well solved and was quite obvious. Sorry Team Xander, but I think from page 1 it is obvious she's chosen Ky, so I won't even hide that. Xander is well solved, though, he understands himself and others much better than it looked like and can see everything much clearer around the middle and ending of the book.
The ending is sort of bittersweet. I was hoping for something else, like I said, specially about the Otherlands, but I can understand what happened and I can see why it is needed - hopefully, for the best. I could read another book about that world, but with other characters... I like how dystopias like that make you think about your own world and how much that is true - how much of the "rebels" are actually the system trying to make you believe you have a choice, how much of your choices aren't real, how much of the "for your own good" really binds you and makes you defenseless. I could enjoy seeing what that world will become, after the events in the end of the book.
I highly recommend to anyone who likes sci fi, dystopias, love triangles and stories that make you think (or not, since you can take both approaches, I guess).
From my Crossed review:
Other questions I'd like answered include (but are not limited to):
- Who is The Enemy and how did they become "The Enemy"? Not answered.
- What happened (history-wise) to create the separation between The Society and The Enemy? Not answered.
- What's with that weird Society Employee who told Cassia that they'd put Ky's name on her card? Why did she lie like that? Not answered. And that's one that I really would like to know. But at least we know how the card happened...
- What's with The Rising and what's the connection with The Society? Answered pretty well.
- What's with Xander? Did he know... (spoiler)? Answered. Poor Xander.
- What's happened to the artifacts? Where are the things that were "removed" from The Society? Not answered.
- What's happened to the farmers (sure we know part, but why now?)? Not the why now. Not that I understood anyways (could be because of the Plague?)
- What's happening in The Society? Why it's getting different? Sort of answered, I guess. The Plague.
For me this book started off slow and I didn't expect much. It didn't seem to have a lot of plot at first and seemed to have the typical dystopian theme of a rising, rebellion and people who want to change the system. I like that it switched perspectives between Cassia, Ky and Xander as it gave us a view into all of their lives as they split up and all did their jobs. The story picked up about half way when we found out more about the pilot and the plague, then creating another plague making everything worse. We found out a lot more happened in society than they let the people know and how the rising and society got merged and they couldn't tell the difference between the two anymore. I liked Ky and Cassia's ending that was lovely but I was unsure about Xanders. I find it hard to believe that he would leave his family to run off with a girl he doesn't even know that well and love her like that. We were left hanging about what happened with society and how the city was ran, this could have been done allowing Condie to continue the series if she liked but I would rather have a good solid conclusion that have to make it up myself.
I didn't like it. the first two were ok but I didn't bother finishing this one.
I'm excited for this but it releases the same month as the sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone...guess which one I'll be reading first! (;
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
slow-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well what can I say about this book, and consequently, the series generally? When I read Matched, it was a strong starter with well developed characters and although my interest was always more in the Society itself than the ~*love triangle*~, that aspect wasn't too painful either. Crossed however was a lot weaker, slower bordering on painful at times- out of boredom. Reached has clawed It's way back to being similar to the first book, Matched, but barely. It was slow at times and the characters weren't very interesting. I've felt bad for Xander through the entire series but I hate how Condie tried to tie everything up in a neat little package- that doesn't tend to work well with dystopians because it can't all end happy for characters, even if you feel guilty for some of the crap they go through. Basically this series, while it is worth a read, is nothing original or amazing, and it's left me disappointed.
As a whole I really liked this series! I loved the characters and the story! This book was probably my least favorite in the series but it was a good ending for the trilogy!