Crossed

by Ally Condie
Hennepin County Library audiobook 8 CDs
read by Kate Simses and Jack Riccobono
genre: YA dystopian (book 2 after Matched)

Mildly interesting to see where this story goes . . . the Society has made life miserable for both Ky and Cassia as they strive to find one another. Set primarily in canyons remarkably like those of the Grand Canyon area, the action is fairly interesting. The interpersonal stuff just got irritating for me.

At one point, I wondered if it was the actual written text or the performers' vocal work that was irritating me so much. The agonizingly drawn-out conversations about nothing made me want a print copy so I could do some skim-reading.

That said, I loved how books, poetry, reading, writing, painting, etc. were so highly valued by those escaping the Society. I like the Farmers and these young people striving to break away from the control of their lives.

Matched

by Ally Condie
PRMS paperback ? pages
genre: dystopian romance

My 8th grade book club discussed this today. Since I read it last year, I didn't re-read it. I did okay discussing it with the kids, but was curious to see what my initial response was. Checked my blog for the last year and a half (after searching for the author's name and the title) and came up empty. I never wrote about it! Grrr. How often do I do that? I really, really like having this record of books and impressions so I don't get so darn confused.

Memories:
Liking Ky better than Xander, but feeling kind of bad for the "safe" best friend.
Not liking it as much as Hunger Games.
Comparing grandpa's death in this society to a Logan's Run scenario - the old are killed before they get to be too much of a health expense.
The beauty and power of poetry and literature.
The fearfulness of a tyrannical government (very Big Brother-ish)