Review
3.5 starsAfter the breakout which presumably took Alex's life, Lena is rescued by a group of survivors living in the Wilds. What follows is a back and forth flip of the time line between past and present day, showing us the conditions under which the survivors and Lena live and her present predicament in the 'real world' acting undercover for a cause she obviously doesn't fully understand.My first thought after I finished was that even after all she's been through, Lena wasn't particularly smart about a lot of things. She isn't cautious when she needs to be and she's a whole lot more lucky that she deserves. She also doesn't question the motives of the people she's with, allowing herself to be pushed around like a pawn which puts her into situations which leaves her extremely vulnerable.But my biggest problem was the introduction of the ubiquitous third side of a love triangle, Julian. It's clear to me why Lena and Julian would feel attracted and dependent on each other and I was OK with the progression of their relationship throughout the story. They were, after all, put through some pretty scary and tense situations. What I was not OK with was the reveal at the end; a bitter and scarred Alex sneering at Lena with contempt while she stands there stunned by his sudden reappearance. Why, Lauren Oliver? Why cheapen it with the predictable cliffhanger? Lena had moved on in a mature and, I think, plausible way. She's more invested in her future now that she knows what is going on and she's got a lead on her mother which will hopefully play out more in Requiem. I guess I will have to trust that this will play out in a completely different manner than I expect, because if anyone can do it, and make me love it, Lauren Oliver can.
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