As book one of a trilogy, Ally Condie does a fantastic job of piquing your interest with this futuristic series. It is intriguing to see her idea of a future with similarities to how we currently live, but also with many surprising differences. While the characters have to deal with an incredibly stifling government, it’s almost unbelievable how compliant and passive the majority of the population is–until you realize what makes them this way. Their lives are good, life is fairly easy and for the most part everyone is healthy and happy, but it comes with a cost. Can everyone be submissive all the time and in all situations? The way a few of the characters evolve from beginning to end makes this a very engaging book. A complicated love triangle also adds to the readability of this story. I really look forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out how the characters continue to develop.

Content Analysis:

Violence/Gore: Few (6) brief instances of violence including second hand reports of people being poisoned; boy watching parents get murdered; grandparents death; death of large population; murder of young boy; very brief depiction of blood.

Sex/Nudity: Many (33) very brief instances including hand-holding; kissing; hugging; touching hand, lips or arms; daydreaming of kissing or holding hands; discussing having children and fertility.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death; Death of grandparents; Masochism and anorexia mentioned; Death of parents; War.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Everyone is given pills to help them calm down and they are allowed to take frequently. People are also given pills that will make them forget a certain amount of their past.