Reached by Ally Condie
(Format used for this read: Audiobook)
This is the final book in the “Matched” series and I’ve been waiting a few weeks for it to come thru because I just HAD TO KNOW how it ended.
(You can read my reviews on the first two books here:
Book #1: https://brainglitterwithdani.com/matched/
Book #2: https://brainglitterwithdani.com/crossed/)
Now was NOT THE TIME to listen to this, yall! 😱
You’ll see why in a second.
Here is the summary:
“Perfect for fans of 1984, Brave New World, Black Mirror, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
Cassia’s journey began with an error, a momentary glitch in the otherwise perfect façade 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.
One young woman has raged against those who threaten to keep away what matters most—family, love, choice. Her revolution is about to explode into full-scale rebellion. As an incurable plague sweeps through the Society, Cassia races to save both the lives and freedom of those she loves. With exquisite prose, the emotionally gripping conclusion to the international–bestselling Matched trilogy returns Cassia, Ky, and Xander to the Society to save the one thing they have been denied for so long, the power to choose.”
The story begins like this:
A mysterious virus starts spreading throughout communities at a lightening speed.
It’s causing extreme physical distress and overcrowded hospitalization.
There is no vaccine, no cure and not much is known about the science behind it at all.
There are quarantines, building closures, societal unrest and fear…
GUYS.
All I could think in the beginning of this book was…
THIS IS NOT WHAT I NEED FOR ENTERTAINMENT RIGHT NOW!
I kept thinking if I would have read this a month or two ago, I would have been able to enjoy it SO MUCH MORE.
I would have gotten lost in the “unrealistic” plotline.
But that shit felt WAAAAYYY too real!
As the story moves on, there are various turns in the story that made things start to get back to the “fiction” category for me. Government involvement and cover ups, rebel groups with their own research labs, secret societies living in mountains, young adults being the ones to solve world problems….
BUT….
if you are someone right now who is on the whole “this pandemic is a giant conspiracy created by people in charge” train, you DEFINITELY won’t feel like what you’re continuing to read is made up .
I am NOT part of that craziness, so for me the story got more “out there” as I chugged along…which I was sooooo glad about!
I think this was my least favorite book of the 3 in the series…the 2nd was hands down the best in my opinion….
but I don’t know if my judgement on this book is skewed because of the weird time we are living in right now.
It was kind of a stressful read at first….it was just too weirdly real and made me feel even more like we are living in this odd apocalyptic time period.
The voices of the characters in this audiobook were a bit irritating , which always infringes on my opinion of a book too.
The voice actress that reads Cassia’s parts has this really high pitched, weak sounding, child like voice that is NOT how I would envision her character sounding.
And Ky’s parts are read by an actor who I feel tries WAAAY too hard to make his voice come across as “dark and brooding”. The dramatics were VERY overdone. (which coming from me you KNOW it’s gotta be A WHOLE HELLA LOT! 🤣)
My final opinion on this series as a whole is that it is a good one.
Not amazing like other similar books in the “teenage dystopian” category (Hunger Games, Divergent)
But good.
Since I’m in a weird pandemic headspace right now (as we all are!) I don’t think I can give a honest, non biased opinion on this last book.
I didn’t enjoy it as much I should have…but think that may be different if I read it at a later time.
I do recommend this series…but maybe hold off on this last book for awhile.