Reached (Matched Trilogy #3)

What a read! I have been waiting a long time for this third book.As with the previous novels, Ally Condie's writing is fluid and poetic. We learn more about Xander as a narrator while continuing with the multiple narrations from Cassia and Ky. All three narrations are strong and plot never misses a beat. It is a rare book that can take multiple points of view and make it work, without it getting cumbersome or confusing. With Reached- the multiple narrations are put together seamlessly adding to the story without slowing down the pace of the plot.

In this last book, the citizen in the Society are changing and changing fast. But with a plague becoming an epidemic and concerns about the cure, things are getting very difficult for everyone, including Cassia, Ky and Xander.
I love how Reached brings something different to the genre. Just like Matched and Crossed, the plots are not violent like in some dystopian novels, and on the surface the Society doesn't seem so terrible- The citizens are taken care of and seem happy. What makes the Matched trilogy so different is the fact that are so many things going horribly wrong beneath the surface, things the citizens have even forgotten.

I felt that this installment was more focused on the characters themselves and their development and growth than in all the events in the story. Although this can be a disappointment to some, in the end it worked out perfectly. Reached is an outstanding conclusion that will captivate readers until the very last page. Ally Condie's writing is evocative and engaging. Definitely a series I would recommend to dystopian fans.

I was so excited when I found out I was going to have a chance to read this early! Thank you Penguin and YABC!

There's always a lot riding on the final book in a series, from unanswered questions to a love triangle that needs to be sorted out, and Reached is no different. Topping off at a whopping 500+ pages, readers will learn the true identity of The Pilot, The Rising makes it's intentions known and the mystery of Ky's inclusion in the Matching pool is solved. If readers thought Cassia, Ky and Xander were through the worst of things, they may want to pop a green tablet because before all is said and done, love will be pushed to it's limits, people will die and new beginnings forged.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Crossed (Book 2) was the dual POV. It's always nice to be able to "hear" what's going on in another character's head and the fact that it was Ky made it all the better. *flails* Reached ups the *flails* factor by including Xander's POV, giving readers a chance to see the story unfold from...count em', one, two, THREE different angles. BTW, if that seems spoilery then I apologize, (not really) but feel free to open your tablet containers and pop a red one - then you'll forget I even said anything. Maybe. *winks*

What I liked:

~ Reached picks up where Crossed leaves off and we find Cassia, Ky, and Indie all working for The Rising in some capacity, while Xander seems to have taken a different route. He's still holding onto the hope that Cassia will see that they are in fact, a perfect match but if she doesn't agree, I'd be more than happy to volunteer for the position.

~ All three of these characters have grown quite a bit since we originally met them in Matched. They all discover that not everything is black and white and each of them have a purpose to fulfill, even if it means sacrificing what they want.

~ While the high page count seemed a bit daunting at first, it was necessary in order to tie up all of the loose ends.

~ This was one of the more interesting love triangles I've encountered and I felt all three handled it maturely. No one came to their final decisions lightly and it seemed to work out for everyone in one way or another in the end. (Regardless of who Cassia chose, I'll forever be, Team Kyander!)

What I wasn't crazy about:

First let me say that, "not liking" certain aspects of a book is not necessarily a negative.

~ The Matched Trilogy has always felt like a love story to me. Yes, there's questions about The Society and the role that the Rising plays but I expected this final book to focus more on the love aspect and it fell short for me. (There was not nearly enough kissing in Reached for my liking. There, I said it.)

~ I wasn't a fan of Indie in Crossed and I really didn't like her in Reached. Her behavior, which was borderline obsessive in book 2, is amplified in this one. She made a few choices that were selfless but for the most part, her actions made me uncomfortable.

~ I understand that any good love story needs to go through a time of "testing" but I felt as if these characters had been through enough already.

~ The focus seemed to be more on the future of their world and their government but I would've liked to have seen a glimpse into the future, a "Where are they now" kind of thing. What line of work did they choose? What about their relationships, etc.

This was a good ending to this series and fans won't be disappointed.