Reaching the Finish Line ~ Reached (Matched #3) Review

Reached (Matched #3)
By Ally Condie

Rating: 3.1


“If you let hope inside, it takes you over. It feeds on your insides and uses your bones to climb and grow. Eventually it becomes the thing that is your bones, that holds you together. Holds you up until you don't know how to live without it anymore. To pull it out of you would kill you entirely.”


I 'reached' my mental capacity extremes in this book. 

Having enjoyed the previous books in the Matched series, I had high expectations for the final book. But in many areas Reached failed to reach its potential. 

My thoughts on the book:

At first I was in the 'Wow, gees, it's a new book!' corner of the ring. 

Getting re-acquainted with our good old friends, and being back in Ally Condie's amazing world had me all:


Then I became a little confused over Xander's POV.

I mean, seriously Xander - where were you in the last two books?


To top it all off, just as some reading contentment settles in, we get this whole watered-down love triangle. 

It lacks passion, conviction and effort...but still manages to be defined as a love triangle. 

Xander's all: 'I don't hate Ky, I love Cassia, but hey - everything's cool, man. If I see other girls that look nice, maybe I could like them too. But I do love Cassia, but I don't mind at all if she's with Ky, because we're kinda like buds.' (not a direct quote...but you get the picture.)

What is this?

It's like some whacked-up soap opera! We have...*drum roll*

Xander the Physic: The brooding and intelligent doctor who is working on a cure. Voted Most Likely To End Up a Bachelor due to unresolved (and unnamed) issues.

(Xander as McDreamy - for creative purposes!)

Cassia the Poet: The pretty, swooning, emotional girl who is pretty much only around to hold people's hands, do a few menial tasks and will end up saving the day. Because they always do.


Ky the Pilot: Is cute, vaguely talented and is the 'The New Guy' whose arrival cues every single possible rebellion, disaster and change from the normal way of life. Why? 'Cause he's just that awesome.


So, yeah. The book was good and I am happy that the ends are all tied up. 

But some of it was just a tad sappy. I've had jawbreaker lollies that were less sugary than this book!