Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched

Series: Matched #1

Author: Ally Condie

Genre: YA, dystopian, sci-fi, romance

Publication date: November 2010

Published by: Dutton Juvenile

Source: Borrowed from library

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Synopsis:

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

My rating: ★★★★☆
This is actually one of the first dystopian books I have read; my very first one being The Giver…but that was long ago so I barely remember, lol.

This takes place sometime in the future, but instead of telling you about I’ll just give you some quotes that will pretty much sum up their society:

Cassia: “I think people should be able to choose who they Match with.”
An Official: “Would you say next that people should be able to choose how many children they have, and where they want to live? Or when they want to die?”

Crazy stuff, right? Well, here is another:

Cassia: “I want to pick my work position. Marry who I choose. Eat pie for breakfast and run down a real street instead of on a tracker. Go fast when I want and slow when I want. Decide which poems I want to read and what words I want to write. There is so much that I want.”

That being said, I hate their society!!! Don’t get me wrong, I loved this book; but imagining living the way they do…*shakes head* uh-uh.

Cassia and Xander have been best friends since childhood. And in their Match ceremony they are Matched with each other! They are thrilled that they will marry! But later when they receive microchips with each other’s info on it and Cassia goes to look at it, the screen flashes Xander’s picture, goes blank, then flashes another picture. Ky’s picture.

Cassia is totally confused and freaked out, of course. The Society doesn’t make mistakes! Do they?
Cassia later talks to an Official about this, and it turns out it was a mistake. There is nothing to worry about, the Official says, Cassia and Xander are still Matched.

If that’s true, why is Cassia suddenly very aware of Ky? The more time they spend together, the more she seems to be falling for Ky…and she likes it. She knows it’s wrong and that she is Matched with Xander, but she can’t help it.

I really enjoyed watching Cassia and Ky’s relationship develop…I like Ky ;) I like Xander too, but I feel like I don’t really know him. So I am totally Team Ky :)

[And imagine how I was freaking out towards the end when they took Ky away. That was horrible!! They made Cassia sort the people from where Ky worked; she put him with the higher group, and they took him away to fight in the war (according to his parents)!! It’s terrible!! I want him back!! But Cassia will find him, I know she will!]

This book was just amazing!! And even though it didn’t quite end in a cliffhanger, I can’t wait for the next book!! :D

Have you read this book? If so, what did you think about it? If not, what do you think? Does it sound like something you might want to read? Leave me a comment! :)