If you realize, about 150 pages into a book, that you really don't like it, you can stop reading it without any guilt. In fact, you can return the book. You can return it and not have to look at it while it guilts you from a corner of the bookcase. And it won't cost you anything, either.
I read about half of this book, Matched by Ally Condie. The characters weren't doing anything for me. As a matter of fact, the main protagonist was irritatingly obtuse, willingly naive, and unapologetically milquetoast. I don't like girls like that. I prefer my female heroes to have a backbone. To have the capacity for independent thought.
I mean, she doesn't even seem to want to question anything. There are a thousand red flags in her life, and she's all, "La, la, la, I'm fine. I won't ask any questions."
Now granted, the character of Cassia may very well become that strong girl later in the book. Or probably later in the series. (This is the first book of three.) She could become the most kickass heroine ever. But I don't think she will. Because if you're halfway through the first book, and your "hero" still doesn't grasp the concept of the plot, the identity of the bad guys and the stirrings of an independent soul, then she's kind of a lost cause.
The solution to such a disappointment as this is a simple one: Close the book, and return it to the library.
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