Crossed by Ally Condie

367 pages

"RULES ARE DIFFERENT OUTSIDE THE SOCIETY.

Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his sure death - only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices everything to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again." -Dust Jacket

I had to re-read Matched before I could start this one because I couldn't remember much of it. I've read a lot of dystopian fiction this year and there are similar elements in all of them (read: love triangle). Crossed was a typical filler book, like a lot of seconds in a trilogy are. I like it but it was sort of slow going. It set up some interesting things for book 3, I hope.

{SPOILERS}

WHAT I LIKED: The switching points of view. We already know Cassia fairly well and in this book we get to know Ky. He discloses bits and pieces of his story and how he became an Aberration. I thought it was an effective way to show how his and Cassia's experiences overlap while they're apart and then to show their thoughts and feelings when they're together. Ky is much more interesting than Cassia is.

Ky. I really like him. I think he's smart and clever and resourceful. In this book it's revealed that he's at least as good a sorter as Cassia is. You also learn just how adept he is at blending in and playing people to his advantage. I like his potential. I liked the history that he has with Xander.

The new characters - Indie, Eli, Hunter, and Vick. I thought they were a good addition if they have parts to play in the last book.

The poetry. I love books that show love for the written word, and in this world the written word that is not part of the Hundred Poems is considered valuable enough to trade. I like how poetry is used as a secret code and to express love.

The potential for book 3. I have high hopes for the last book in this series. I think Ally Condie's set up some great ideas and story lines. I like that Cassia has rejoined the Society and will work from the inside even though I didn't like how she got there. I like that there are so many unanswered questions. I like that Ky is wary of the Rising.

WHAT I DIDN'T REALLY LIKE: Xander's involvement...or lack thereof in this book. Love triangles have become a part of every story it seems like since Twilight and love triangles are all pretty much the same: you want the reader to like both guys and anxiously wait to see who the girl will pick. Xander and Ky are both likable guys, so this series will inevitably create Team Xander and Team Ky. The author does a good enough job that I'm undecided, although I do tend to lean towards Team Ky. I would have been okay with Xander's absence since Cassia is in the Outer Provinces looking for Ky and he's back in the Society, except that the dust jacket says "ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again." Xander shows up one time in this book. He gives Cassia a packet of blue pills with secret messages hidden inside. The blue pills, it turns out, are poisonous, but he doesn't know that. The secret messages, except for one, are just a recap of his Match information. On that one it's revealed that Xander has a secret. The reader gets reminded of that over and over until you finally learn that the big secret is that Xander has been recruited by the Rising and that Ky knows because he was approached too. Frankly I wasn't surprised that Xander's part of the rebellion. If he wasn't, his part in the story would become irrelevant.

The Rising. It's so vague which makes me not care much about it. You don't really know if they're good or bad, you just know that they're supposedly fighting the Society and have been for some time. Cassia and Indie eventually make it to the Rising only to be immediately sorted and Cassia sent back to the Society, this time to the Capital. The Rising reads her data and sends her on her way, so by the time Ky makes it there she's already gone. I just thought it was awfully fast and abrupt for a newcomer.

Several loose ends. Cassia escaped from her work group and yet can somehow rejoin Society, in the Capital no less, and begin working there. Her status as a Citizen hasn't changed, which makes you think that there's someone on the inside watching and helping her. Someone put Ky's face on the port screen for her to see. There's more going on with Cassia's mother and her work than we know. There are a lot of questions about the Society.

Bottom line is that I'll really love this series if all the loose ends are wrapped up in the last book.