Review - Crossed by Ally Condie (Matched #2)

Picture from Chapters.ca

 Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance

Format: Hardcover (367 pages)

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile

Publication Date:  November 1st 2011

Rating: 4/5
Source: Library Loan

Get it at: Chapters | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Summary from Goodreads:

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 a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

Narrated from both Cassia's and Ky's point of view, this hotly anticipated sequel to Matched will take them both to the edge of Society, where nothing is as expected and crosses and double crosses make their path more twisted than ever.

What I Think:

I was a bit skeptical about the seuqel when I read the first three chapters because of the way the chapters were presented. In contrast to the first book of the trilogy, Matched, Crossed was written in both Ky and Cassia's point of view and the chapters alternated between the two POVs. So the writing was a bit inconsistent in comparison to the first book. I do enjoy this particular style of literature, but it only works efficiently if the two POVs is completely different in ideals (for example Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen). For the first couple of chapters, I got lost in which POV that I am currently reading, which forced me to  flipped back to the beginning of the chapter to look. However, I did get used to it after five chapters or so and I am super glad that the author made the chapters the way they were as they elaborated Ky's character.

Crossed picked up where Matched left off, where Cassia is sent to a camp so the Society can finalize her future and that Ky is sent of to Outer Provinces as a pawn of the Society. Cassia met a girl named, Indie, in whom she befriended and escape with to find Ky. In Ky's POV, the audience learned that he is able to find friendship in Vick, whom he met at his work camp and Eli, whom remind him of Cassia's brother. I really like the new characters, especially Vick and Eli. I was sadden and upset of what happened to Vick. Also, perhaps it is only me being weird, I felt that Cassia's and Ky's reunion was a bit...forced in the way Ally Condie portrayed (still beautiful and heartwarming though!). Indie, however, I felt like she is starting a love-square in some ways.

Although Cassia and Ky's POVs were interesting to read. I didn't enjoy both character as I did in the first book. I felt that the confrontation part was a bit late in the novel and the climax did not do justice. In addition, both character development was intriguing until the very end, they were still clueless about what they really want. The important decision making part was a bit rushed.

However, I like how Xander was put back in the story even though there was a brief appearance of him in the beginning but his existence was not lost at all in Crossed. Flashbacks of him were pretty much all over the book. I have hoped to know more about his character and his intention which I was not disappointed but I felt there were more things about Xander that should have been put in the book (he wasn't a big focus in Matched either). Overall, I hope to find answers to the questions I have in Reached (sigh...6 more months....).

After reading Crossed, I understood Ky's character more since he was pretty much an enigma in Matched.  Overall, Crossed was beautifully written. I especially enjoy how Ally Condie used poetry to tie everything together. The cliffhanger in the end was definitely intriguing, even more so than in Matched.  I look forward reading Reached when it comes out.

Rating: ★★★★

Random Rambling/Rant --> Contain Spoilers: Click below to read


I have a BIG feeling that Indie will end up with Xander but I really really really wish that Xander and Cassia will still be together and that Ky should end up with Indie. Who would have thought Xander is in the Rising?! OMG. I thought it was super annoying that characters suffer so much for their journey to the Rising and Cassia is like send back to Society to undercover. SERISOULY?! WTF. It's like go back to square one please. jhashfjafasf.