This is a teen melodrama romance so there's a bit of navel gazing going on. It seemed to me that the main character tried too hard to be poetic, which was somewhat annoying. But it picks up towards the middle and becomes a more interesting. I plan to read the second in the series. If I were a teenage girl, I would probably give this book a higher rating, so apologies to the author.

Going into this book, I expected a typical teenage romance novel. However, Allyson Condie delivers here on a much deeper level. Set in the "Society"--a future utopian community similar to the one from Lois Lowry's "The Giver"--it follows the story of a 17-year-old young woman named Cassia Reyes. Cassia's character development is well-paced and multi-layered. The numerous instances of symbolism throughout the novel reflect Cassia's growing awareness of herself and of the unsettling underpinnings of the Society she has always known. As a welcome surprise, Condie transforms the all-too-typical overt teenage love triangle romance plot thread into a refreshingly subtle choice between not just two young men, but two different ideologies. Another of Condie's refreshing changes to the genre: the Society and Cassia's role in it take the forefront here, so those who aren't fans of romantic plotlines will find plenty to enjoy! The addition of some excellent classic poetry doesn't hurt this novel either. Overall, this book is fast-paced, enjoyable, and much more complex than it first seems. I am looking forward to the next installment!