Crossed by Ally Condie

* * * 1/2

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.

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.

The driving force behind the first half of the book is Cassia’s search for Ky and her acceptance of her new life away from the Society. Ky on the other hand is undergoing a crisis. Condie shows us a complicated Ky by revealing his back story out of of which arises his cynicism towards the Rebellion. So as Cassia moves in that direction, he is reluctant to ally himself with any one side. Despite his love for her and his disbelief that she chose him, he finds himself insecure and questioning his place in her life and his role as a leader. While Crossed is told from both their perspectives, I felt that it was more about Ky deciding what kind of man he wanted to be.

The things I loved in Matched annoyed me slightly in Crossed. For instance, in Matched, I admired the simplicity of Cassia’s and Ky’s relationship, how their physical intimacy was minimal yet so alluring. In Crossed I wanted more. Even though they were openly more affectionate with each other, they held back a lot. I think I got wrapped up in the Romeo and Juliet of it all and fell in love with the idea of them being together in spite of all the odds stacked up against them. I naively expected it to be easy for them to reconnect and instantly be a couple without fear of the Society. But Condie subtly reminds us that all relationships are a work in progress and need to be grounded in trust. Though Xander is not in the Outer Provinces with them, between Cassia's and Ky's memories, his presence figures prominently only fueling Ky's insecurities. For someone like Ky, exposing his vulnerabilities can be even scarier than some of the harshest things he has had to face in the Outer Provinces.  

Despite that, I still enjoyed it. Crossed once again has that same language that was in Matched. You can see so clearly the reserved mannerisms and behavior. The standout is the new character Indie whose bluntness and quick observations adds some brisk pace to the storyline. She is perhaps the closest thing to “normal” as compared to Cassia and Ky. There is an increased sense of urgency as the Rebellion becomes more amplified. The ending was surprising and hats off to Condie for leaving us with that cliffhanger! 

~ Bel

A Peek In The Biblio-Bin (15)

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren. It is a way for bloggers to share what books they have won, received for review, bought from the bookstore, borrowed from the library or friend, etc.

This week Bel gives you a Peek in the Biblio-Bin.

The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

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.

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it.

The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation.

Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest.

But there is a cost.

The Keeper likes to keep things.

Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Why not give us a peek into your Biblio-Bin?

Matched by Ally Condie

* * * *

“IN THE SOCIETY, OFFICIALS DECIDE. 

WHO YOU LOVE.  WHERE YOU WORK.  WHEN YOU DIE.

Cassia has always trusted their choices.  It’s hardly any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate.  So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one…until she sees another face flash for an instant before the background fades to black.  Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared to follow – between perfection and passion.”

Where do I begin?  Matched is about a young girl, two different boys, their every move strictly calculated by a government system called the Society that defines and confines each individual in their world.  Everything – culture, technology, music, education, careers, activities, knowledge – has been pared down because an overabundance of choices leads to misery and failure.  Every thought, emotion and intention is closely monitored and no one questions it because that’s the way it’s always been.  People are told exactly what to do.  Any deviation and an individual can be classified into a different part of society.  For the most part, it appears that people are content and the Society is viewed as a just and fair organization providing all their necessary needs in a structured and orderly manner.  But then they don’t know any other way.

It is with this backdrop that Cassia slowly awakens to realize that this supposed utopia may not be all that ideal.  Because of a simple error at the Matching ceremony when she is paired up first with her best friend, Xander and then sees that she is also paired with Ky, a boy she barely knows, Cassia begins to question the rules she has always obeyed.  She begins to wonder what’s real and what’s pre-determined by the Society.  The budding friendship between Cassia and Ky is the catalyst that propels her into the unknown where she has to come to grips with the dilemma she faces – do what has been chosen for her and conform or risk everything to create her own life.

Cassia is an impressive protagonist who emerges into her own.  She’s reserved, a characteristic that’s expected of everyone who lives in this society.  She’s not a rule breaker and is genuinely happy to have Xander be chosen as her future mate.  However, as she gets to know Ky, she becomes slightly unhinged to learn that there's a different world beyond theirs that she's been oblivious too all this while.  Ky’s definitely not the archetypal bad boy.  Unlike everyone else in this particular “province”, he came from one of the outer provinces where circumstances were the opposite for him.  Before his aunt and uncle adopted him, his early life was marred by misfortune – something he's not supposed to talk about.  He has revealed little of himself and his past until Cassia becomes more important to him.  Although he's a smart kid with great potential, he has his own motives and prefers to be perceived as average in order to stay under the radar while he quietly bends the rules.  

Cassia and Ky’s growing bond would certainly meet with disapproval so they must be careful about how they conduct themselves publicly.  Despite the physical constraints it’s amazing how Ally Condie manages to make the simple gesture of a smile or a hand on the arm be so sensual.  I can't believe I'm saying this because I myself love a good make-out session in a story but the minimal physical intimacy here is a good thing.  Without that distraction you can actually witness the beauty of Cassia and Ky falling in love. Their precious few stolen moments during regulated activities are opportunities for them to be authentic. Their personal revelations come bare and their language is so simple. Each discovery they make about each other has such a profound impact on them.  I was so drawn to these characters and their emotional depth that I even started to feel nervous and protective of them. 

I feel Ally Condie has done something so remarkable here.  She's written a beautiful love story about two people who are not only discovering the power of their own individuality but also their purpose amid a disturbing political setting.  Now that they have dared to question, the fight begins.  Look for Crossed, the second in the trilogy that comes out November 1.

~ Bel

P.S.  I was listening to this song in the car after I finished the book and somehow made this Cassia and Ky's theme song.  I tend to do this with books I read where I produce a soundtrack in my mind.  In this particular case, I think the lyrics for the most part speak for them.  In fact, I don't think this song would mean as much to me if it weren't for them.