crossed

crossed
matched trilogy #2
ally condie
dutton juvenille
published 2011

In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky— taken by the Society to his certain death—only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

Cassia’s quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander— who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia’s heart— change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever.

The upside to this book was that we got to see things from Ky's point of view.  We learned more about who he was and what he's seen.

The downside is that is was just kind of boring.

Think about this: we've come to a place where children are being taken out to the desert and killed.  They have no hope, but three try to escape into a huge canyon (reminiscent of the Grand Canyon).  Constantly on the look out for the Society who will either capture them to return them to the 'villages' or kill them outright.

That sounds exciting, does it not?  Yet somehow, Condie was able to make it incredibly slow and boring.  She made it less about the action and what they were all trying to do and more about too awkwardly in love kids trying to figure out how to be awkwardly in love.  Maybe this is the truth in her book.  Most YA books center around two teenagers who desperately love each other and nothing else matters.  Their love is cement.  Here Cassia and Ky don't truly understand how to love each other except to make sure they find themselves together.  They are probably more realistic teens than any others I've read.

Cassia is still a worthy protagonist.  She's still so naive, but not in a weak way.  She wants to trust in the Rising so much, that this is what she was born for, that it will change everything.  She trusts that she loves Ky, but that she also loves Xander.  She questions the path she has chosen, but doesn't whine about the hardships she's facing.  Instead, she tackles them head on and still remains optimistic and radiant.  That in itself, a strong & capable female lead, is worth reading this series.

But that doesn't save the book from being ultimately quite snooze worthy.  I'm hoping with Reached we will get something worth ending.