Crossed by Ally Condie - ADVISABLE

Condie, Ally Crossed, 384 p. Dutton (Penguin), NOVEMBER 2011.  $18.  Ky has been sent to the Outer Provinces to die.  Oh they say it is only for six months, but all of the boys know that no one has ever made it that long.  Under the guise of a work tour, Cassia has been working her way closer and closer to where she hopes Ky is; if she gets a chance, she will make a run for it to join him or to rescue him.  Xander, Cassia’s lifelong friend and her Society “match”, is willing to help her, even if it means losing her.  Ky and Cassia will risk certain danger to remain alive – whether to thwart Society’s plans for them or to rediscover each other, it doesn’t matter.  Along the way however, they will bits and pieces more of the great secrets their Society is keeping and of the organized opposition.  Novel two raises many more questions than it answers.  There is no way that this novel could stand as its own story – kind of the biggest trap for so many middle novels.  While there is plenty of danger and angst, there is so little revelation – adult readers will not be so thrilled with this offering.  Ms. Condie is lucky that her first novel was so fabulous – it is the only thing that will keep her readers going.  MS, HS – ADVISABLE (only because the first book was so popular). Cindy, Library Teacher