Author: Ally Condie
Genre: Young Adult Dystopian
Synopsis: 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. (from Goodreads)
Why did I pick it up?: I thoroughly enjoyed Matched.
My Review: A different kind of story from Matched, Crossed focuses on Cassia's journey through the Border and Outer Provinces in search of Ky and Ky's journey to get to Cassia. Point of view is divided between the couple, with alternating chapters. This works well as they are both searching for each other and for several chapters they were just close enough to drive me crazy.
While traveling through canyons called, the Carving, Cassia experiences freedom for the first time. The Society controls everything back home, but in the Carving even though pickins are slim she is the only one in control of her life even what she eats. She can sleep or stay awake and count the stars. She can run as far as she wants without the treadmill being shut off. Nobody watches her every second. Nobody documents her every move as a statistic.
Coinciding with her realization that life without the Society may be possible she learns about the rebellion called the Rising. Cassia is eager to find the Rising and join them. Ky on the other hand is hesitant. He would rather live on the outskirts, not under the Society's control but not engaged in battle with them either.
In the Carving it seems everyone has secrets. Even Ky who throughout Matched seemed almost without flaws. It makes their love more realistic, once we see he isn't perfect. But it also leaves an insinuation of a choice Cassia may still have to make between Xander-her Society chosen match-and Ky. Xander appears in Crossed but in a very different capacity. I suspect the third and final book in the trilogy will have more of a love triangle, but that's all I will say for now.
In the end, as so often happens, it seems the resistance may not be that different from the society they are rebelling against. See: The Hunger Games, Animal Farm, etc.
But that is kind of the point of dystopian novels, there is no utopia and every time a society strives to reach that elusive perfection, they are going to fall short.
Recommendation: If you liked Matched you need to read this.
Next Week: Marcus of Umbria by Justine van der Leun
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