Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
Before I read this book, I expected to demolish the entire thing in one or two sittings. Granted, I'm attending college right now and am extremely busy with other classes, but this did not and would not (if I weren't in college) have happened. I liked a lot of things about the book; the atmosphere, the characters (Oh My Ky. But I'll get into that later...,) and generally the world that Ally Condie created. I felt like something was still missing though, which was what kept me from racing through it.
I think what was the least appealing to me was the plot. I wanted there to be more action throughout the book and also a bigger climax! I feel like Ally built up my emotions for some crazy cliffhanger (which is totally what I was craving) that didn't happen.
The characters... well from my statement above, I'm sure you can already tell that I'm in love with Ky just as much as the next girl. When I think of Ky, I think of a bad boy in reverse. He comes across as a good guy but on the inside he hides secrets which peaks Cassia's interest, and my own. I think the main reason I fell in love with him was the temptation and inability to have any type of intimacy with him, kind of like how Edward and Bella's relationship was in Twilight. (Don't worry, I'm not comparing the two stories, just the temptation that these two main characters bring to the plate.)
The whole world Ally Condie created was so interesting and creative! I actually got to read this book because of my English class, and we discussed how the world she created could definitely be an Utopia opposed to a Dystopia, which is totally true! When I sat down and really thought about the book afterwards, it seems nice to not have to make any decisions for yourself. I know a lot of stress in my life comes from making decisions (what to major in [in college,] how to approach different situations, etc.)
Anyway, I'm going to wrap this review up and get excited to read the next book (Crossed) which is sitting on my bookshelf as I type (even though I won't be able to read it for a while, due to textbooks!)
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