Author: Ally Condie
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Penguin (Imprint: RazorBill)
Publication Date: 13th November 2012
ISBN: 9780141333083
Stand alone or series: Matched # 3
Pages: 520 pages
Book Received from: Penguin (Publisher)
First Lines: Every morning, the sun comes up and turns the earth red, and I think: This could be the day when everything changes.
Possible spoilers if you haven't read the previous two books!
Synopsis:Cassia faces the ultimate choices in the long-anticipated conclusion to the "New York Times" bestselling Matched Trilogy After leaving Society and desperately searching for the Rising--and each other--Cassia and Ky have found what they were looking for, but at the cost of losing each other yet again: Cassia has been assigned to work for the Rising from within Society, while Ky has been stationed outside its borders. But nothing is as predicted, and all too soon the veil lifts and things shift once again. In this gripping conclusion to the #1 "New York Times" bestselling Matched Trilogy, Cassia will reconcile the difficulties of challenging a life too confining, seeking a freedom she never dreamed possible, and honoring a love she cannot live without.
My Thoughts:
Waiting for this to come out was .... to be honest a little painful! I really wanted to find out where Ky and Cassia would end up and what the final book had to offer.
I must admit that picking this one up it was a little hard to get back into the story. One of the big reasons for that was that I'd read so many books since Crossed that it took at least a chapter to find my bearings with what the characters were up to. In saying that I was pretty excited to find that we not only read from Ky and Cassia's POV but we get to hear from Xander.
All three characters are separated from eachother when the book begins. Cassia is stuck back in central, Ky is flying planes and Xander is a medical assistant. Something I felt was a big step from the ending of Crossed. I did find that throughout the story I felt a bit sorry for Xander. He's a little bit of a third wheel when it comes to the three characters but we also get to see more of what he can contribute to the story as a whole and I did really grow to love Xander.
I am a bit sad that this is the final book in the Matched story. I really enjoyed Ally's worldbuilding. I think the biggest thing I liked about this was how sucked into the story I was with all three characters. All three are so different. Ky, who is willing to grit his teeth and do as he's told so he doesn't wreck his chances of getting back to Cassia. Xander, who puts others first and does everything he can to help regardless of the situation and how it will affect him. And Cassia, who when she puts her mind to something will get things done and will go that extra mile just to make it back to the others.
Another thing that the Matched series has taught me was to never take for granted the choices we make because they are "Our Choices" not the Society's. I couldn't imagine living in a world where you couldn't write down on paper thoughts and ideas or to share songs and art that aren't on an approved list. How crazy would that be?
Recommended reading for sure! Loved this
Water, river stone, and sun.
Wind over hill, under tree.
Past the border none can see.
Climbing into dark for you.
Will you wait in stars for me? - page 292
