Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Publisher: Speak

Pages: 400

Source: Personal Copy

Cassia always accepted what was predetermined to be best for her, trusting fully in the government’s system, she accepted what she was told and never questioned anything. Statistics and probability determine practically everything including careers, children, and partners. All of life’s major decisions are made for each citizen. Nutritional needs, and fitness are also determined. Life has been going rather smoothly for Cassia, and  on her seventeenth birthday, she attends her match banquet. Nervous, and excited, she can’t wait to see who she will spend the rest of her life with. At the end of the night she will receive a silver box, with a microchip explaining all about her future partner. Cassia anticipates a content life with whomever the government chooses. Looking at her parents successful marriage, she has very little fears. When her best friend is announced to be her match, she is elated. Matches are usually not made with someone in your district. Xander knows everything about her and what little fears she had dissipates. Life seems perfect, until her microchip malfunctions and Xander does not appear on her card. Cassia is shocked to see Ky, and aberration appear on her card. Cassia won’t accept the official’s explanation that it was a mistake, or perhaps a joke that Ky appeared on her card. 

I really enjoyed Matched and can’t wait to read Crossed. While I initially saw many similarities to The Giver by Lois Lowry, Matched built a world that quickly had me caught up in the characters. I really liked Cassia’s character, she began as a respectful obedient girl and slowly transformed into a someone who began to question her surroundings. Her life seemed perfect but not is all that it seems. Her own parents are not as up front as she would like to believe. The tensions that built up in the book had me absorbed in the story. I loved Cassia’s grandfather, and I felt so sad with the society’s treatment of the elderly. The story was very well written and flowed easily. I would like to see a little more character depth and I’m hoping to see more of this in Crossed. I was really surprised that I liked it as much as I did, because the first few chapters had me comparing the worlds with The Giver. Once the story began to take shape, I was able to forget the similarities. Matched is a thought provoking, dystopian read. A book that raises important questions, about what it means to have the perfect life with no free will. The ending was very unexpected for me and I quickly bought Crossed, and have every intention to read it soon. If your wondering if this one is worth the read, it really is. 

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