Book 3 in the Matched Trilogy
AUTHOR: Ally Condie
PUBLISHED: November 2012
CATEGORY: YA
GENRE: Dystopianish, romance
PREMISE: The Rising starts with Cassie, Ky, and Xander all in the middle of it.
MY REVIEW: Here's the thing about the Matched Trilogy: I don't think it's godawful like I've read some reviewers call it. To be sure, I definitely don't think it's worth all the hype it got. Seriously, if ever there was an example of overhype, this is it. However, it's not the worst thing ever written either. I actually quite like Condie's writing style. I just wish everything else was as strong as her lovely prose.
Technically speaking this book does do the trick. I will say it at least wasn't nearly as dull as the second book, which wouldn't be hard. Unfortunately it's not enough to bring this trilogy to epic heights. Honestly all I feel about this trilogy is ho hum. I just felt like the author never really brought her A game to the table. This was just...all right. It finished it off neatly in a bow but honestly felt half hazard. For one thing, that coup has got to be the cleanest and most boring coup I've ever read about. Literally no one dies? No, the father dying off page in a plague does not count as high stakes, author. To top it off the love triangle is never more forced then it is here. I mean it was bad in the first book, but even now I still wonder what the hell it is about Cassie that makes Xander and Ky so hung up on her because I honestly don't get it. I understand the Gale/Katniss/Peeta thing more then I understand this love triangle.
Honestly this was just...lackluster. I think that is the ultimate problem I have with the Matched Trilogy: it's safe. The author never goes outside the box, I never really believe the danger the characters are in because I know the main three will always be okay, and all the "twists" are pretty predictable. Even the Rising being just another Society was practically a mirror version of the District 13 idea in Mockingjay. If nothing else, it was too similar for me to be really surprised. Honestly if you really want a romantic dystopian series, may I suggest Delirium instead? It's better written, has better thought out characters, as well as a better thought out world. Which is weird considering its premise is less believable then this one.
WHO SHOULD READ: fans of books 1 and 2, Chemical Garden Trilogy fans, Once Trilogy fans
MY RATING: Two and a half out of Five yawns
RATING FOR OVERALL TRILOGY: Three out of Five for a overall lackluster effort.
No comments:
Post a Comment