Crossed by Ally Condie

Here's a quick little blurb from the product page: 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.

My Take

 I liked Matched a lot and was anxious to see what Crossed would bring.  It wasn't disappointing.  I liked the fact that Cassia was stronger and more independent in this book.  There are some surprises that I never saw coming.  I like the new characters added to the mix as well.  I really enjoyed the time they all spent in the canyon, and getting to know the farmers that came from that area.  Whenever I read these books it always brings me around to thinking about This Perfect Day by Ira Levin (re-released and I desperately need to re-read).  I think it's very dystopian nature reminds me of it.  However, I would swear there are little whisperings around the edges that smack of similarity (only in minor details).  It's left off in a place making me want more.  I can't wait to read the third installment.  So definitely pick this one up and do yourself a favor and pick up This Perfect Day as well.  I'm giving this one 4 1/2 kisses!!

Connecting with Books in your Teens

I just got word that Ira Levin’s This Perfect Day is going to be re-release in paperback November 15, 2010. I remember that I completely LOVED this book. The thought of not even having a name of your own, but merely a ‘nameber’ and a computer that tracks your every move, was thought provoking and a little freaky to my teenage mind. I remember really pulling for the main character Chip (a nickname his grandfather gave him), who’s trying to connect with a group of rebels he’s heard about. I’m excited to re-read it again and see how my adult mind interprets things.


Here’s a blurb: Considered one of the great dystopian novels-alongside Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange and Aldous Huxley's BraveNew World -Ira Levin's frightening glimpse into the future continues to fascinate readers even forty years after publication. The story is set in a seemingly perfect global society. Uniformity is the defining feature; there is only one language and all ethnic groups have been eugenically merged into one race called "TheFamily". The world is ruled by a central computer called UniComp that has been programmed to keep every single human on the surface of the earth in check. People are continually drugged by means of regular injections so that they can never realize their potential as human beings, but will remain satisfied and cooperative. They are told where to live, when to eat, whom to marry, when to reproduce. even the basic facts of nature are subject to the UniComp's will-men do not grow facial hair, women do not develop breasts, and it only rains at night. With a vision as frightening as any in the history of the science fiction genre, This Perfect Day is one of Ira Levin's most haunting novels.

Did you ever read this book?  What did you think?  What book did you really connect with as a young adult?  Have you gone back and re-read a book from those years and was your interpretation any different?