Crossed (Matched Trilogy, Book #2)

Crossed by Ally Condie

** Crossed is Book #2 in the Matched Trilogy.**

Crossed
Chasing down an uncertain future, Cassia makes her way to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky--taken by the Society to his sure death--only to find that he has escaped into the majestic, but treacherous, canyons. On this wild frontier are glimmers of a different life and the enthralling promise of a rebellion. But even as Cassia sacrifices every thing to reunite with Ky, ingenious surprises from Xander may change the game once again.

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Crossed picks up right where Matched left off.  Ky has been sent to the Outer Provinces.  He's been told that he'll fight there for 6 months and then his status will be restored to Citizen.  He quickly finds that no one makes it 6 months.  The Enemy fires on them every night, the weapons the Society gave them are shooting blanks, and children are dying every day.  Ky knows the only way he's going to survive is to escape into the Carving (the desert).  He and his friends Vick and Eli leave in the midst of Enemy fire and everyone assumes they're dead.

Meanwhile, Cassia is living in a girl's work camp.  She doesn't know how, but she has to find a way to get to Ky.  When the Society conveniently comes to pick up some of the girls to take them to the Outer Provinces Cassia manages to slip aboard the plane mostly unnoticed.  However, when she gets there she's told that Ky has already escaped.  She, her friend Indie (who is a sneaky, untrustworthy person!) and the one and only boy left that knew Ky escape off into the night following Ky. 

As Cassia and Ky finally find each other many things are brought to light, the main thing being the Rising, a group of people rebelling against the Society.  Cassia wants to find and join them, but Ky knows better.  He blames them for the death of his mother and father and their entire village.  What Cassia wants is the one thing Ky doesn't think he can do for her.  And then there is Xander's secret.  Cassia knows Xander has something to tell her, but what she doesn't know is that Ky already knows what the secret is. 

I feel torn on how to rate and review this book.  I really enjoyed Matched, and while I didn't dislike Crossed, I also didn't love it either.  Given the fact that this group was on the run for most of the book I really expected more action and adventure.  What I got was poetry.  A lot of poetry.  A lot of the same poetry repeated over and over.  Now, don't get me wrong, the poetry is a big part of the premise of the series, and it's important.  I just feel like it was a bit over done this time...and boring. 

I'm holding out hope that Reached (Book #3) will deliver an excellent wrap-up to the series and that it will completely change my opinion of where Crossed has lead us.  I definitely enjoyed this book enough to continue the series, but it was boring enough to make me concerned for Cassia's future.

I gave this book 4 stars, mainly based on the fact that I like the series too much to go any lower.