This book was actually not that bad. It was certainly better than some of the same-y YA I've read before. But it was still just that. Same-y. 
 That's not to say I didn't appreciate the concepts and the structure of the world and all the other little bits that came along. Because one of the coolest parts of this book for me was the little blurbs that framed the beginning of every chapter. It was a really neat peek into what it would be like to live in this world. To have grown up with this indoctrination. And it was really neat. 
 But overall, this book just didn't enthrall me in any way. It didn't surprise me. It pretty much did what I thought it was going to do most of the time. And not like that's always a bad thing, but it didn't grip me. That said, I still powered through it, but that's mostly because it was an easy read with good pacing. 
 Some of it just didn't feel genuine or organic. (view spoiler)[The whole visit to the Crypts, oh syke your mom's alive, bit just did nothing for me. At all. (hide spoiler)] And Lena's being paralyzed with fear only works when she doesn't turn around half a page later and go "Lol, jk, let's do this". Which is what happens. Like every time. How tiresome. 
 I never really connected with her either. The only time I even marginally respected her was when she developed her rather fatalistic attitude towards the end. So that's a problem. And everyone else was kind of one-dimensional. 
 I wanted more about the Wilds and the world beyond Portland too. But I suppose that's coming in the next book? I don't even know if I care enough to follow Lena on, though. So. 
 Anyways. Long story short. Entertaining, but still mediocre. But better than some of the comparable YA out there. So not a total loss.