The Final Book!

Hooray! WE'RE FINALLY TO THE END! I have finally managed to blabber on for four posts, and I'm about to blabber on for one more, and then we'll officially have ONE POST LEFT!! For those who don't already know, I seriously whack-o'd my ankle on Saturday and am currently cripping around on crutches, which sucks. NEVER FEAR: it isn't broken. Merely reeeeeally sprained (and I may have torn something. Depends on if the swelling goes down by Thursday if I need an MRI or not.) So, I've gotten a lot of time to read.

My FINAL BOOK (which was chosen completely by me, not off a list) is Matched by Ally Condie. I must admit, it is yet ANOTHER science fiction selection (Cheezus Crust, Taylor, explore some more genres) but they're just so awesome! This is one of those books you see everywhere, hear about people reading, and think, "Huh, I should read that," and then completely move on with your life and forget all about it for the summer. Does that make it a bad book? How could it? I hadn't even begun to read it when I noticed it. There are just some books, I suppose, with less memorable titles than others. The thing is, I did remember this book, and I remembered it well enough to seek it out the first day of school and be the first person to check out a book in the new school year (which is probably the coolest thing that's happened to me in ages.) So I start reading.

At first, it seems pretty typical utopia: all-controlling society (called, appropriately enough, the Society...which reminds me of Mt. Doom) that chooses everything about everyone's lives, including who they marry. Cancer and other diseases have been eradicated, leading to healthy lives for everyone who lives in the cities, and everyone lives to be exactly 80. Everything's orderly, everything's calculated, everything is pre-determined and certain: you're told who you marry when you're 17, you marry at 21, you have children at 24 and stop at 31, you do your job, and you're happy. Call me what you will; it seems perfectly fine to me. I have absolutely no problem with this idealized society.

Enter Cassia Reyes, who, in my opinion, is one of the most foolish girls I've ever met. She has a happy family, a promising future, and a perfect Match....and she throws it all away. For a guy. Which, in my opinion, is one of the stupidest decisions anyone ever can make. You can say, "OH, but TAYLOR, it's sooooo ROMANTIC!"
Bah, humbug. I don't think there's a guy out there who is really worth your future, your best friend (and perfect Match), your home, your family, and everything else you hold dear. Call me a cynic. It just seems perfectly stupid to throw it all away for a fling. WHICH, I might add, is exactly what Cassia does. Instead of pursuing Xander, she wistfully daydreams about Ky (who, really, she couldm't marry anyways) and pretty much goes around all dewey-eyed for him for the entirety of the book, foresaking law and order AND HER BEST FRIEND WHO IS TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH HER for this other guy who has far too many secrets for my liking. This is why I'm a Hufflepuff. Stick to who and what you have, and be happy: don't go gallavanting after what isn't yours and screw everyone else to Hell in a handbasket. Simple enough, Cassia?

At any rate, don't think I hate this book. No no no no no, I adore this book. It's the main character whose head I'd like to bang against the wall (see left) and scream "YOU"RE RUINING EVERYTHING!!" but I won't. HOPEFULLY she'll start making better choices in the second book of the trilogy, Crossed, which I have just begun and will make my last post about shortly.

Adieu, my egghead brothers and sisters.





"And may the Force be ever in your favor, Mr. Potter."
-Gandalf, Doctor Who