Review: Crossed (Matched #2) by Ally Condie

Publisher: Penguin
Published: November 1, 2011
Pages: 367
Source: Purchased
Rating: 3.5 Stars

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.

In short: While Crossed by Ally Condie was distinctly lacking in action, there was just enough intrigue to keep me interested in reading Reached.

I am such a lemming. People say how great Matched is and I find a way to read it as soon as I can. People say how disappointing Crossed was and I put off reading it for a year because of that. And unfortunately - and despite how much I loved Matched - I can't help but agree with reviewers who thought Crossed was a slow and sort of monotonous read. Not a whole lot happens and it seemed more like just a set-up book for the final book in the Matched Trilogy, Reached. I mean, Matched was a slow read as well, but I found that it at least held my interest throughout with its excellent world building and beautiful writing. With Crossed, the detailed introduction to the world was supposed to be over with in book one and I wanted some of the action promised to me at the end of Matched.

I'm also very much disappointed that I don't feel like I have any particularly strong connection to the three main characters - Cassia, Ky, and Xander. Especially Cassia. She's a bit on the bland side. And again, I remember feeling the same way about her character in Matched, but I was willing to excuse it at the time because I thought maybe all the characters were supposed to be sort of bland and similar because of their restricted freedoms and limited choices. And with how Crossed was set up at the end of Matched, I thought for sure this was going to be Cassia and company's time to come into their own a bit more. But alas, this was not the case. They're not bad characters by any means - I just don't have any particular attachment to any of them.

Okay, okay, so it may seem like I didn't like Crossed at all, but that's not true! I am still a huge fan of Ally Condie's writing style. She somehow manages to incorporate poetry and symbolism flawlessly into the text and not have it be distracting or over-thought. Ally Condie's writing accounts for the bulk of my enjoyment of Crossed. And I can't deny that there was just enough intrigue in Crossed to keep me coming back for Reached. So what am I hoping for in Reached (to be released November 13, 2012)? Ideally, more character depth and I really hope Ally Condie takes this opportunity to ramp up the action to make a truly exciting read. It is the final book in the trilogy after all!

Previously, my review of Matched.

Other Reviews:
Books: A True Story
Burning Impossibly Bright
Lunar Rainbows
My Precious

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