Soundless - Richelle Mead

Began reading: 23.1.2016

Completed reading: 28.1.2016

Overall rating: 3.8 stars

In a village without sound…

For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 

When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.

One girl hears a call to action…

Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.

She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…

And unlocks a power that will save her people.

Soundless by Richelle Mead is a young adult novel that consists of genres including fantasy, romance and historical fiction. I did not purchase this book immediately, as I was sceptical about how Asian culture would be portrayed. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I had hoped.

The book was well-written and contained great detail. I really liked that almost everything was described in detail. For example, the view from the mountain’s cliff, and the broken bowl in the Red Myrtle Inn. Also, there were some great quotes. For example:

Some things don’t need words… (p. 82).

We need to know how to describe the world. Otherwise we’d fall into ignorance (p. 82).

Elder Lian has lectured us many times on proper behaviour between boys and girls, darkly warning of how ‘dangerous feelings’ can arise. I’m not that worried about any feelings arising, though. They’re already here, no matter how I try to suppress them (p. 92).

You shouldn’t marry because of someone else’s wishes — because it’s a wise match. You should marry someone who loves you. Someone who loves you passionately and would change the world for you (p. 113).

Moving me up the line at such a fast speed is no small feat, especially after all the work we did climbing down. But there is a relentless air about Li Wei as he turns, a determination that tells me I have nothing to fear so long as my fate is in his hands. He will guide me up to the top of the mountain, no matter the cost to him. His resolve wraps around me, securing me more than any rope could (p. 185).

I’m hanging here in the darkness, suspended between heaven and earth with nothing propelling me forward anymore (p. 187).

We’re pretty good at the impossible (p. 215).

Perfection is an admirable thing to strive for. But so is knowing when to stop (p. 261).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I really enjoyed the character development throughout the novel. It was slow-paced, but I believe that it made the characters realistic. It was not rushed, which was great. Before I had completed the novel, I thought that the development was dull, due to its pace; however, after completing it, I believe it was well-paced.

I thought the plot was unique,  as it dealt with hearing and sight impairments. This stood out for me, and made the plot a lot more interesting. I found the lack of verbal dialogue made the story a bit tedious, but again, I thought the uniqueness of it made it all the more notable.

Similarly, I enjoyed the interaction between the main characters and the secondary characters. At first, I thought that the secondary characters would be introduced then quickly forgotten as the story progressed. I was surprised when the secondary characters were brought back into the plot towards the end of the book. I liked that the epilogue provided closure, explaining what happens to the main characters as well as the secondary characters.

                                             

As I mentioned previously, I was adamant about reading this book, as I was worried about how Asian culture would be depicted. I feel that I was right to be adamant, and I’m disappointed. In the Acknowledgements section, Mead claims to have conducted thorough research on “language acquisition and hearing loss”, as well as seek information from others regarding the “Mandarin language and the cultures of Taiwan and China”. In the novel, this research did not seem to be incorporated. There was very little about Asian culture, and at times, I forgot that the story was even taking place in Asia. I was expecting more from the acclaimed author of the Vampire Academy series. To say that I’m dissatisfied would be an understatement.

                     

My favourite character from the novel is Fei. I found her to be compassionate, headstrong, adventurous and creative. Her development in the book was slow, but it made her more relatable. I also thought that Zhang Jing’s character was relatable, as she was obedient, responsible and loyal to Fei. I only wish that she had a bigger presence in the novel.

I thought that the relationship between Fei and Li Wei was adorable, especially as he called her ‘general’. A cute example is after he shares his opinion about entering the township:

…Well, that’s what I think, at least. But I’m only the advisor.

I give a faint smile at the joke of referring to himself as xiangqi’s second most powerful piece… (p. 122).

I think they are just so cute together. I was glad that Mead didn’t rush their relationship, as some authors tend to do. I found this quote to be adorable too:

Goodbye, Fei, he says when he straightens back up again. Save our people… and don’t forget about me.

Tears threaten me. I release the line long enough to sign, There will never be another name on my heart (p. 184).

                                     

My favourite parts of the novel include Fei’s time at the Peacock Court and the Red Myrtle Inn. These places were described in immense detail, and highlighted the relationships that Fei had with the people in those places.

Recommendation time! If you like The Courtesan and The Samurai and The Last Concubine by Lesley Downer, and The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Memoirs of a Geisha and Shu Shan Zheng Zhuan.

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Trust Me, I'm Trouble - Mary Elizabeth Summer

Began reading: 18.1.2016
Completed reading: 23.1.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

I crawl around the blood. Uncurling his fingers, I pull out a three-inch figurine. She's in a sparkly blue dress, her hair is shorn in a pixie cut. Her expression is mischievous, but what shakes me to my core is the feeling of long, thin ridges pushing out of her back. I turn the figurine over: delicate, translucent wings.
The blue fairy.

Staying out of trouble isn't possible for Julep Dupree. Running cons holds her guilty conscience at bay, but unfortunately, someone wants Julep to pay for her mistakes... with her life.

Against her better judgment, Julep takes a shady case that requires her to infiltrate a secretive organisation, one that may be connected to her long-gone mother and the enigmatic figure called the blue fairy. But there's not much time to worry about right and wrong - or to save your falling heart - when there's a contract on your head.

Murders, heists, secrets and lies, hit men and hidden identities... If Julep doesn't watch her back, it's her funeral. No lie.

Trust Me, I’m Trouble by Mary Elizabeth Summer is a contemporary young adult novel that incorporates mystery, thriller and romance to create an action-packed sequel to Trust Me, I’m Lying. I was excited to read this book when I purchased it, and overall, I thought that this novel was slightly better than the first.

First of all, the book was well-written, as there were no spelling or grammatical errors. Also, situations were described in great detail. However, the same could not be said for the characters’ descriptions. I found this an issue in the first book too, and I hope that this issue could be fixed when the next book is released. As usual, I found some quotes that I really liked. They include:

Ghosts don’t haunt people. Guilt does (p. 4).

Normal is not a thing I’m ever going to be, no matter how hard I try to convince myself otherwise (p. 101).

‘No one gives you a leg up in this world. The only advantage is the one you take when no one else is looking’ (p. 318).

…bad things only get worse when you hide from them (p. 334).

Character development was one the highlights in this novel. Many of the characters experienced growth, which was great to see. For example, Julep grew more confidence, Sam matured, and Dani grew to be more compassionate. Character development provides readers with a way to connect with the characters, and allows us to see why a character is the way they are. For this reason, I value character development in a novel, and why I enjoyed this book.

There were so many plot twists throughout the novel, which is what I like to see! I may have mentioned before that too many plot twists ruin the story for me, as it becomes overwhelming. In regards to this book, the amount plot twists kept the plot interesting, and had me going:

                   

A great deal of humour and sarcasm was included in the dialogue, which made me chuckle a few times. The use of humour and sarcasm was good in the previous book, and I was glad that it continued in this novel. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Here are some examples:

Julep: ‘This isn’t Petrov. If he had this kind of reach, he’d have gone for me directly.’

Murphy: ‘As someone who stands next to you a lot, that’s really comforting,’ he says (p. 26).

…Murphy pulls the van into the back of the parking lot for Allied Security Systems, Inc. I’m pretty sure the Inc. was added for the sake of the acronym (p. 232).

‘His name is Spade. He is not just a professional. He is the professional you call if you are not getting results.’

Mike rubs his face. ‘I’ve heard of him. From D.C., right?’

‘D.C., Los Angeles, Istanbul. He is a force of nature.’

‘Fantastic,’ I say, hugging my soon-to-be- dead self. ‘Do you suppose it’s too late to take out a life insurance policy?’ (p. 263).

I think that Summer should have given bigger roles to secondary characters such as Sam, Bryn and Murphy. I didn’t like that they were just there in the background. It would have been nice to read more about them. Hopefully, they’ll make a bigger appearance in the next book!

In the previous book, Dani was my favourite character. Now, Sam is my favourite character. Although he didn’t play much of a role, I did enjoy reading about him when he did appear. I thought that Sam was mature, extremely loyal, mysterious in terms of sharing his findings and experiences with Julep, and supportive. Lily closely followed, as she gave us a clue into how Tyler’s family was coping after his death. Lily was someone that I didn’t trust in the beginning; however, she proved to be trustworthy and helpful. I hope to read more about her in the next book.

On the other hand, I didn’t really enjoy Julep’s character at certain times. In contrast to the previous novel, she had become more childish, whiny and clingy. It just really annoyed me. As I mentioned in my review for the last book, I thought that Julep exaggerated her grifter reputation. She kinda sucks at getting jobs done, yet has the audacity to say: “I am the best grifter in Chicago…” (p. 338). Yeah, no. You may be the luckiest, but definitely not the best.

                                   

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* Also, I had no idea why Mrs. Richland was mentioned in regards to the contract. It seemed totally out of place, and did not affect the outcome. It bothers me that such a bombshell was dropped, yet didn’t influence the story line. Hopefully, it will have a bigger significance in the next novel.

I enjoyed reading about Julep’s first day at NWI, with the leadership and trust activities. I thought this was creative, and was a great way for Julep to meet the other characters. I didn’t see how this would later involve a major plot twist, but now that I know, I think that it was an awesome idea!

I also liked the suspenseful ending! I will definitely read the next book to find out what is on the flash drive, but I really, really, really hope that the suspense won’t result in disappointment.

I have to admit that I ship Sam and Julep — much more than Julep and Dani. I think that Sam and Julep have known each other for far longer, share some intimate memories and get along incredibly well. I really want to see these two together! My favourite part of the book with these two:

‘Do you remember taking my hand?’ He turns my hands palm up in his.

I nod. I remember losing my equilibrium for a split second and grabbing Sam to steady myself.

‘You took my hand and you looked at me, and suddenly I knew how to fly’ (p. 210).

                     

Recommendation time! If you like Unbecoming by Jenny Downer, Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom and Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes 3 Days to Kill, The Tourist and Rush Hour.

My review for TrustMe, I’m Lying can be found by clicking on the title.

I will also be reviewing the rest the series when the book(s) are released. Keep an eye out for that!

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Reached - Ally Condie

Began reading: 10.1.2016
Completed reading: 18.1.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

Cassia's journey began with a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect facade of the Society. After crossing canyons to break free, she waits, silk and paper smuggled against her skin, ready for the final chapter.

The wait is over.

Cassia has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most - family, love, choice. Her quiet revolution will soon explode into full-scale rebellion.

In the gripping conclusion to the bestselling Matched trilogy, Cassia, Ky and Xander return to the Society to save the one thing denied to them for so long: the power to choose.

Reached by Ally Condie is the third and final novel in the Matched series. It combines science fiction, fantasy and a hint of romance to create an interesting plot for young adults. Overall, I enjoyed the book, especially as the structure was more clearly defined.

I found the book to be well-written, as expected, with some grammatical errors. There were also quite a few good quotes that are worth sharing. These include:

I can’t wait to get out of this uniform. It promises more than we can deliver, and it represents something I haven’t believed in for a while now (p. 46).

Either the Rising will take me to the ones I love or I will find a way to do it myself (p. 125).

There are many of them in the world, I think, good men and women with their frail deeds. Wondering what might have been, how things might have danced, if we had only dared to be bright (p. 128).

You cannot change your journey if you are unwilling to move at all (p. 232).

If you let hope inside, it takes you over. It feeds on your insides and uses your bones to climb and grow. Eventually it becomes the thing that is your bones, that holds you together. Holds you up until you don’t know how to live without it anymore. To pull it out of you would kill you entirely (p. 255).

‘You walked through the Carving to find me,’ I tell Cassia softly. ‘I’m going to walk through this to reach you’ (p. 291).

When you fall in love the first time, we don’t know anything. We risk a lot less than we do if we choose to love again (p. 504).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

There were a few plot twists throughout the novel, which kept me interested. In particular, I liked how the twists weren’t too major. Each twist was subtle, and readers could predict the lead-up to it. Deaths of some significant characters kept me intrigued. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* My favourite twists were when Xander realised his feelings for Lei, and when Cassia realised who Lei really was. I predicted that Xander would fall for Lei, but I didn’t recognise who Lei was until Cassia pointed it out. I didn’t see Xander and Lei coming — totally unpredictable. I hoped that he and Indie would be together, but I think these two make a cute couple.

As I mentioned previously, this novel’s structure was more clearly defined, in comparison to the two previous books. I think that this was one of the main reasons why I enjoyed this book. I could easily distinguish where I was in the book, as the complication and resolution were emphasised. If only Condie had done this in her previous novels… Anyway, it was great to see!

I was glad to read about the secondary characters from the past two books. Even Em got a mention! I still don’t understand why some of these characters barely got a mention in the last book, but bringing them back made the plot and characters more realistic. It would have been great to know what happened to Em and Hunter in the end, but I suppose that it’s good to leave a bit of mystery for the readers.

Including Xander’s point-of-view in this novel was also a good move. It provided readers with yet another voice, and added diversity to the slightly dull voices of Cassia and Ky. As I mentioned in my review for the last novel, I found Cassia’s and Ky’s points-of-view to be a bit dull, but including Xander’s voice added diversity.

The love triangle was beginning to drag on. I was hoping that this love triangle would have finished at the end of the last novel, but no. In this novel, Xander just kept going on about how he’s trying to let Cassia go. JUST. LET. IT. GO.

                                                          

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I got a bit excited when Indie became attracted to Ky, but I was also confused. I thought she liked Xander. I was so confused. I wanted her to be with Xander! In the last book, Cassia mentioned that Indie was in love with him, and yet she hardly showed any interest to him in this book. It just goes to show that the loosely-used ‘love’ in this series made things somewhat unrealistic. I was excited when she kissed Ky because I thought it would spice up the dull love triangle, but obviously not. I was left disappointed.

As always, Cassia is my favourite character, but I had hoped that Indie would end up taking that position. Obviously, it didn’t happen. *WARNING: SPOILER* I still have no idea why she had to die. I mean, it would have been better if she became the Pilot. It’s just another disappointment for me.

       

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* My favourite parts of the novel include when Ky contracted the mutated Plague, the idea of the Gallery, and the dance section in the end. I liked the part when Ky contracted the Plague because it made him more realistic. Up until this part, he seemed to be invincible, so having him finally succumb to something made him more realistic. I enjoyed the idea of the Gallery, as it was set up in an unexpected place, and allowed people to share their poems, songs, etc. It was very creative, and I would have loved to have been able to be there. Finally, the dance section towards the end was also sweet. I could see the little girl with the wings running around and dancing with Ky. I could also picture Cassia and Xander talking and dancing together.

Recommendation time! If you like Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Naughts and Crosses by Mallorie Blackman and Countdown by Michelle Rowan, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium, Oblivion, and In Time.

My reviews for Matched and Crossed can be found by clicking on the titles.

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Crossed - Ally Condie

Began reading: 6.1.2016
Completed reading: 10.1.2016
Overall rating: 3.8 stars

The Society chooses everything.

The books you read.

The music you listen to.

The person you love.

Yet for Cassia the rules have changed. Ky has been taken and she will sacrifice everything to find him.

And when Cassia discovers Ky has escaped to the wild frontiers beyond the Society there is hope.

But on the edge of society nothing is as it seems...

A rebellion is rising.

And a tangled web of lies and double-crosses could destroy everything.

Crossed by Ally Condie is the second novel of the Matched trilogy. This novel combines dystopian concepts with romance, science fiction and fantasy themes to create an adventurous plot suitable for young adults. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and it helped that I liked the first novel too; however, there were issues with it, which I will discuss in detail.

Let’s start with the positives! As I expected, the book was well-written. Similar to the previous novel, everything was described in great detail. I had no difficulty picturing myself in the scenario with the characters, which is always what I love most in books. As usual, there were some great quotes that I will share with you:

The dead do not see but I do.

I see too many things. I always have (p. 4).

The Society wants us to be afraid of dying. But I’m not. I’m only afraid of dying wrong (p. 5).

It was brave of them to love again. It made me think I could do it too (p. 151).

I lift the tablet to my mouth. And then I hear a voice from a place deep in my memory.

You are strong enough to go without.

Fine, Grandfather, I think to myself. I will be strong enough to go without the tablet. But there are other things I’m not strong enough to go without, and I intend to fight for them (p. 307).

Love changes what is probable and makes unlikely things possible (p. 322).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

As I found in the first novel, I really love dystopian novels, and it was no surprise that I enjoyed this book. The plot was similar to other science fiction novels that I have read, but I still really enjoyed this book. I think that I found this novel to be relatable, especially as it was directed at young adult readers. Whatever the reason, I enjoyed the plot, which helped me enjoy the book overall.

The characters that were introduced in this book contained a lot of emotion and mystery, which was good. I was wary about these new characters, but they added depth to the otherwise dull and predictable interactions between Cassia and Ky. The situations were also emotional, which was great. I felt sad when a particular secondary character passed away, but as I said, it gave the plot more depth. I hope this emotion and mystery continues in the next novel!

                     

The ‘adventure’ aspect of the plot kept me interested. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I really enjoyed reading about how Cassia followed Ky through the Carving. I thought that the idea of Cassia following Ky through a canyon, especially with no idea which canyon he’s in, was creative. I also enjoyed the idea of a township in the middle of the canyon. The canyon was associated with colours, including red, orange, blue and pink, which I could just imagine. 

                                     

I’m glad that Condie decided to add Ky’s point-of-view in this novel, as it gave us a new perspective, and provided us with his history and thoughts. The downside to this was that his point-of-view seemed very similar to Cassia’s, and so I was often confused about whose point-of-view I was reading. Speaking of points-of-view, Cassia’s was a little irritating. She was constantly mentioning Ky, and it became too repetitive. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* It seemed ok in the beginning of the novel, when she was searching for him, but once she found him, it was unnecessary.

                      

As I mentioned in the previous review, I had hoped that this novel would incorporate more of the secondary characters, especially Cassia’s school friends (Em and Piper), Cassia’s family, and Ky’s ‘parents’. I was disappointed when not one of these characters made an appearance. I was also surprised to find that Cassia DID NOT mention her parents and brother. If I were in her position, I would be worrying about them way more often than she did. It made the plot somewhat unrealistic.

The structure of the novel was not obvious, just like in the previous book. I found the structure to be jumbled, and unclearly set. There was nothing to indicate a major complication in the plot, nor was there a massive climax at the end. I felt that the story just ‘plodded along’, which made it feel dull and dragged out. I’m beginning to wonder if this is Condie’s style of writing…

As in Matched, my favourite character was Cassia, as she developed the most throughout the novel. She’s also responsible, compassionate and not afraid to stand up for her beliefs.

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I ship Indie and Xander together — oh my gosh, oh my gosh! I really, really, really hope they meet each other in the next novel. I wonder what they would be like together… probably really adorable! If I had one wish for the next book, it’s that these two get together!

                                             

My favourite parts of the novel include when Cassia is journeying through the Carving towards Ky, and when Ky helps Cassia through the tunnel. As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed reading about Cassia’s journey, as it was creative, and demonstrated how strong her love for Ky is. I also liked when Ky helped Cassia through the tunnel, as it shows how he will always support her. Here is the excerpt:

I try to calm myself, tell myself it’s all right. Living things have flown from tighter spaces than this. I’m just a butterfly, a mourning cloak, sealed inside a cocoon with blind eyes and sticky wings. And suddenly, I wonder if the cocoons sometimes do not open, if the butterfly inside is ever simply not strong enough to break through.

A sob escapes my throat.

‘Help,’ I say.

To my surprise, it’s not Hunter who speaks from ahead. It’s Ky’s voice from behind.

‘It will be all right,’ he says. ‘Push along a little more.’

And even in my panic, I hear the music in his deep voice, the sounds of singing. I close my eyes, imagining my breath is his own, that he is with me.

‘Wait a moment if you need to,’ he says.

I picture myself smaller even than I am now. Climbing into the cocoon, pulling it tight around me like a real cloak, a blanket. And then I don’t imagine myself bursting out. I just stay tucked inside, trying to see what I can.

At first, nothing at all.

But then I feel it. Even hidden away in the dark, I can tell that it is there. Some small part of me is always, always free.

‘But I will,’ I say out loud.

‘You will,’ Ky says behind me, and I move, and then I can feel space above me, air to breathe, a place to stand (pp. 242-243).

Recommendation time! If you like Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Naughts and Crosses by Mallorie Blackman and Countdown by Michelle Rowan, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium, Oblivion, and In Time.

My review for Matched can be found by clicking on the title.

I will also be reviewing the final book the Matched series: Reached. Keep an eye out for that!

Happy reading!

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Matched - Allie Condie

Began reading: 2.1.2016
Completed reading: 4.1.2016
Overall rating: 4 stars

On her seventeenth birthday,

Cassia meets her Match, Society dictates

he is her perfect partner for life.

Except he’s not.

In Cassia’s society, Officials decide who people love.

How many children they have.

Where they work.

When they die.

But, as Cassia finds herself falling in love with another boy,

she is determined to make some choices of her own.

And that’s when her whole world

begins to unravel…

Matched by Ally Condie is a young adult novel that combines dystopian concepts with romance, science fiction and fantasy themes. I have wanted to begin this series for so long, but I only bought them for myself this Christmas. I fell in love with the cover, and I was not disappointed with the story.

                                  

The book was well-written, and everything was described in great detail. I had no difficulty picturing myself in the scenario with the characters. There were some great quotes, which I will include below. These include:

I don’t move. I don’t want to go inside yet.

If I do, that means that this night is coming to an end, and I don’t want that (p. 21).

Every minute you spend with someone gives them a part of your life and takes part of theirs (p. 25).

Is falling in love with someone’s story the same thing as falling in love with the person himself? (p. 196).

We go through a forest that is complicated and full of tangles and there are no stone cairns to guide us except the ones we build ourselves (p. 221).

Everything I dream is something simple and plain and everyday.

That’s how I know they are dreams. Because the simple and plain and everyday things are the ones that we can never have (p. 260).

We have come so far but never made it to the top (p. 303).

…I am higher now. If I had wings, I could spread them. I could soar (p. 314).

If she had a way to track all my memories, she would see they are pure. That I truly wanted to fit in and be Matched and do everything the right way (p. 341).

This is a difficult balance, telling the truth: how much to share, how much to keep, which truths will wound but not ruin, which will cut too deep to heal (p. 357).

My father has always broken the rules for those he loves, just as my mother has always kept them for the same reason. Perhaps that is yet another reason why they make a perfect Match (pp. 361-362).

More quotes from the book can be found here.

I really love dystopian novels, so it was no surprise that I enjoyed this book. The plot was similar to other science fiction novels that I have read, but I still really enjoyed this book. I’m not entirely sure why people have found the originality of the plot to be a negative on Goodreads, but I really did enjoy reading the plot.

I thought that the story was unpredictable, which was great! I wouldn’t say there were plot twists, but a few unexpected moments throughout which kept me interested. *WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* For example, the way Cassia’s parents reacted to her announcement that she loved Ky. I hope that the next novel will have a plot twist or more unexpected turns!

A few reviews on Goodreads mention the slow pace of the novel, and I have to agree with them. The story was a little slow-paced for my liking, but I suppose that this novel was more of an introduction to the characters. I’m glad that there weren’t too many ‘major’ events occurring in this novel, as it would’ve been unrealistic and overwhelming. Anyway, I was a little confused about where I was in the book, especially since the structure jumbled. I hope that the next novel will be a little more structured.

*WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILER* I also found that the timing for Cassia and Ky revealing their love was unrealistic. There was hardly any reason for them to develop feelings for each other so soon — they only spent a couple of days together, writing. This was a bit of a letdown for me.

                                               

My favourite character by far was Cassia, as she developed the most throughout the novel. She’s also responsible, considerate, and not afraid to stand up for her beliefs. I felt bad for Xander, especially since he didn’t do anything wrong. WHY HURT HIM LIKE THIS?! I also felt bad for Ky at the end. 

                                                         

I hope to read more about the secondary characters in the next book. I want to know more about Cassia’s parents, Bram, Xander and Em! Can you tell how impatient I am to read the next novel?

My favourite part of the novel was when Cassia and Ky declared their love for each other.

‘Close your eyes,’ I say to Ky, and I bend down, his breathing above me while he waits. ‘There,’ I say, and he looks at what I’ve written.

I love you.

I feel embarrassed, as though I am a child who has tapped out these words on her scribe and held them out for a boy in her First School class to read. My writing is awkward and straggly and not smooth like Ky’s.

Why are some things easier to write than say?

[…]

Ky looks at me. For the first time since the showing, I see tears in his eyes.

‘You don’t have to write it back,’ I say, feeling self-conscious. ‘I just wanted you to know.’

‘I don’t want to write it back,’ he tells me. And then he says it, right out there on the Hill, and of all the words I have hidden and saved and treasured, these are the ones I will never forget, the most important ones of all.

‘I love you’ (pp. 274-275).

                        

Recommendation time! If you like Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Naughts and Crosses by Mallorie Blackman and Countdown by Melissa Marr, you will love this book. Also, I recommend this book to anyone who likes Elysium, Oblivion, and In Time.

I will also be reviewing the rest of the books from the Matched series: Crossed and Reached. Keep an eye out for those!

Happy reading!

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