Review: Torn True Love

Title: Torn: True Love
Author: K.D. Ferguson
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult
Publication Date: May 7, 2014
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
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Everyone has a choice. Abide by the government’s rules and regulations and you may live the average life. Or you can become a Sweeper. Krissa Channing’s destination was clear until Braiden entered her life and clouded her future. 

Krissa’s future, which once seemed so promising, is compromised when her relationship with Braiden is forced by the hands of the government. The pressure of an automatic pairing pushes them both down a path they never dreamed they’d travel. 

While Krissa accepts the change, Braiden revolts against the government leaving Krissa alone, her heart torn. Should she follow the rules and regulations and continue down the road mapped out for her? Or should she go against everything she’s been taught and follow after her true love?

I love the idea of the world that is created — there were several districts that were specialized in something, and then there was the Headquarters. To a sense, there is some sort of a “freedom” where you can request for a district you want to work in, and to be forever paired with someone you choose.

However, I think the development fell short. For me, there was a lack of world-building. I started the book with the thought that this is a dystopian one (well, it is), but it felt more of like a contemporary one. It was more of how Krissa struggled with the relationships around her than it is about the world. This may be because of the length. It’s very short, and it felt rushed. There was little dialogue or interaction between the characters, and it was more of a narrative. It made it hard for me to connect with the story and the characters, especially when Krissa would encounter a problem, and dwells about it for a few minutes, then BAM. She just pushes it to the back of her mind, and for me, it felt like the problems were left unresolved. By this I mean, even though the problems were resolved, but there were little interactions and only explanations, which made me feel detached from the situations.

With this, I was sad that I didn’t get to connect with the characters at all. It felt like I had to sympathize with Krissa’s situation, but I couldn’t. I kept on wishing that Krissa would come to her senses and realize how borderline abusive Braiden is with her, but she didn’t. She just keeps on hoping that Braiden and their relationship would get better, and I found it annoying on how she realizes at some point that the relationship is of no good, but doesn’t break it off anyway. I also was surprised at how fast they got together, and how much in love Krissa felt with Braiden because the romance seemed to developed very fast and felt one-sided.

I hate that this didn’t work out for me, especially with characters that refused to grow and continuously trying to make good of a situation that obviously will not change. It was different to focus more on the characters rather than the society itself, and how contemporary and dystopian were mixed together, but sadly, it didn’t just had me invested. Although, I like how this book definitely leaves you thinking on how relationships like Krissa and Braiden’s may be very much happening in the real world as well, on how difficult it is to let go, and most of all, to realize on how much the relationship is already hurting oneself.