Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Title: Matched (Matched #1)
Author: Ally Condie
Publication Date: November 30th, 2010
Genre: YA - Dystopian


"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." ~Goodreads

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I know there have been a ton of mixed reviews on Matched, some people really like it, some people don’t. But that’s usually the way it is with books in general right? Luckily for me I fall into the “people that really like it” category. I had been wanting to read Matched for quite awhile and then I won a copy in a friend’s giveaway, so of course I was really excited to start reading it.

Although in some areas it seemed a bit similar to other Dystopian books (namely The Giver) I still found the storyline to be intriguing enough to keep interest throughout the whole book. Ms. Condie created a place that seemed like the “perfect” world, but if you looked hard enough you’d really see that there was something disturbing and eerie looming in the shadows.

I really liked how the author developed Cassia’s character throughout the book, she started out as someone who quietly went along with everything that the Society told everyone to do and believe and she never really thought twice about it. But as the story progresses she begins to see things for what they really are and through that starts to find her real identity and become her own person. Overall the author did a great job with the characterization in this book and you really felt an emotional connection to each of the characters.

The romance was sweet and beautiful, it wasn’t an over the top cheese fest and for that I was grateful. There is a love triangle in this book, and while I think love triangles are becoming overused, I think Ms. Condie did a good job of not making it too mushy or full of teen angst. And I just have to say I love Ky and Cassia together, it’s just so sweet and touching. I’ll be rooting for them to end up together in the end!

I did have a few nitpicks with some things, I felt that there were areas that needed more detail and I wish there would have been more back history on the Society. I was left with several questions, like Why was the Society created, and by whom? Who is in charge of it now? What caused the war that’s going on? Etc. But then seeing as this is a series I’m hoping that more of this will be explained in future installments.

There may have been a few things that were a bit lacking but overall I thought Matched was an entertaining, and interesting read. This book has quite a different tone than say the Hunger Games or Divergent but is still appealing in its own right. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing on with the series.

4 Stars!