Book Review: Matched

Title:  Matched
Author:  Ally Condie
Release Date: November 30, 2010

Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, 42 Challenge, Women UnBound,  Sci-Fi Challenge, YA Reading Challenge, Once Upon a Time, Hogwarts Reading Challenge,

Plot Synopsis
In Cassia's world, the Society determines everything: what you eat, what you wear, where you work, who you marry, how many kids you have, when you die...you get the picture.  Her story begins with her Matching Ceremony, the moment in time she will learn who she is to marry. Typically, Matched couples are from different cities, but Cassia's match is her best friend, Xander.  When Cassia uploads the microcard which will give her Xander's information, she is pleased to see his face.  But then for one brief moment, another boy's face flashes across the screen. Another boy she knows. Cassia now wonders who is her real Match?  And who does she love?

My Thoughts
Dystopian literature revs me up. Excessively controlled, socially repressive society captivates my imagination with its focus on individual freedom versus community success.  Few can argue that the world in dystopian literature, Matched included, has its benefits.  Comfort, health, safety, a sense of purpose and place, these are positive additions to life.  It is always, however, at the expense of choice; life is controlled by a select group of people who are more concerned with logic than emotion.  And despite efforts and ego, humans are primarily emotional beings.

Specific to this book, I felt the story well-crafted if a bit lacking in depth.  For example, I would have enjoyed more backstory on the origins of the Society and more details on their level and methods of control.  Also, the relationship between Ky and Cassia felt a bit random.  It was sort of like love-at-first-sight except the two had known each other for some time. It's not until Cassia sees Ky's face as her Match that she begins to have romantic feelings for him.  I needed a bit more explanation for that.  First thought says Cassia was just too indoctrinated to harbor feelings for someone, but the book makes it pretty clear that teenagers still engage in flirtations with at least some kissing.  So why hasn't Cassia crushed on Ky before this?

Overall though, I really enjoyed the book.  I could read it for long stretches of time without getting bored, a giant plus in my opinion, and my appetite has been whetted for the remaining two books in the trilogy.  At least, I'm pretty sure it's a trilogy...it better be.

The Filmic Connection
If they were to film this book, I would like to see Logan Lerman play Ky.  Lerman, for those who don't know, played Percy Jackson in the film version of Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief.

For Cassia I chose Emma Roberts:

And for Xander, David Kross:

I'd like to stress that this is based almost entirely on looks; I know very little of their acting abilities.  How superficial is that?

Matched Around the Web
If I've missed your review, let me know!

Ally Condie's website; at Goodreads;

Check out Amy's review at Amy Reads and Alix's review at ????

Question: Why in the world does Blogger spell check not recognize the word "dystopian"? I mean really????