Helpful Score: 10
I got an advanced reading copy of this book through Librarything's Early Reviewer program. The cover of this book is just stunning and caught my attention immediately, when I found that is was a dystopia I was even more intrigued. This was a very good book. Think of it as Brave New World for the teen crowd.
The book starts with Cassia going to her Matching Day. Matching Day is where all the seventeen year olds are presented with the picture of the person that they are a genetic match too; this is the one and only person they can marry and raise a family with. Cassia's Matching Day is unique instead of being matched with someone from a different city she is matched with someone she knows very well; this is something that almost never happens. Then when she gets home to look at his datacard she sees his picture and then up pops a picture of another boy she knows. It appears she has been matched to two different boys. When the Officials claim it is all a mistake, Cassia is shaken. In a society where they predict the dress you will pick to wear, the order you will finish in gym class, and your vocation ahead of time and with great accuracy, how can they make a mistake this big? As other strange things start happening in the City Cassia begins to question the perfection of the world she has always believed to be utopia.
This was a very creative and well thought out book. Cassia is easy to like and it is interesting to follow her path from happy innocence to inquiring unease. This book reminded me a lot of Aldolf Huxley's Brave New World; although not as crazily strict as the society in Brave New World, there are similarities. People's vocations are predicted early on, no one is allowed to live past the age of 80, and beneath the polished exterior of the City there are many dark secrets. Some people have been comparing this to the Hunger Games; but I don't see a lot of similarity between the too. This book doesn't have much action or violence (Cassia is a peace loving girl at heart) and the people here are living in happy ignorance not destitute conditions. The only similarity is an organized government controlling every aspect of these people's lives.
Of course there is the teenage love triangle going here. Cassia is stuck between her original Match (Xander, a boy perfect in just about every way and a good friend) and the accidental Match (Ky, a boy who is dark, moody and tortured, who draws her in a way Xander doesn't). Ky was a wonderful character full of depth and intriguing. I felt like Xander was neglected though, he kind of fades in and out of the story and doesn't have a ton of depth to his personality.
The book is very engaging and hard to put down. Condie gradually introduces more and more events that are a bit off; as a reader you can see things coming to a head slowly but surely. The writing was very easy to read, it was a bit simplistic at times, but overall I enjoyed it.
I am not sure if a sequel is planned for this book. The story is fairly complete at the end but there are things that could be further expanded on in a future books. I would love to see another book where the City starts to crumble and things come to a head between the Outer Lands and the City.
Overall this was an excellent read. It was like Brave New World, but with romance and aimed at a teen audience. If you like dystopias you will love this one. There isn't a ton of action but the plot is suspenseful, intriguing, and though-provoking. If there is a sequel I will definitely be picking it up.
The book starts with Cassia going to her Matching Day. Matching Day is where all the seventeen year olds are presented with the picture of the person that they are a genetic match too; this is the one and only person they can marry and raise a family with. Cassia's Matching Day is unique instead of being matched with someone from a different city she is matched with someone she knows very well; this is something that almost never happens. Then when she gets home to look at his datacard she sees his picture and then up pops a picture of another boy she knows. It appears she has been matched to two different boys. When the Officials claim it is all a mistake, Cassia is shaken. In a society where they predict the dress you will pick to wear, the order you will finish in gym class, and your vocation ahead of time and with great accuracy, how can they make a mistake this big? As other strange things start happening in the City Cassia begins to question the perfection of the world she has always believed to be utopia.
This was a very creative and well thought out book. Cassia is easy to like and it is interesting to follow her path from happy innocence to inquiring unease. This book reminded me a lot of Aldolf Huxley's Brave New World; although not as crazily strict as the society in Brave New World, there are similarities. People's vocations are predicted early on, no one is allowed to live past the age of 80, and beneath the polished exterior of the City there are many dark secrets. Some people have been comparing this to the Hunger Games; but I don't see a lot of similarity between the too. This book doesn't have much action or violence (Cassia is a peace loving girl at heart) and the people here are living in happy ignorance not destitute conditions. The only similarity is an organized government controlling every aspect of these people's lives.
Of course there is the teenage love triangle going here. Cassia is stuck between her original Match (Xander, a boy perfect in just about every way and a good friend) and the accidental Match (Ky, a boy who is dark, moody and tortured, who draws her in a way Xander doesn't). Ky was a wonderful character full of depth and intriguing. I felt like Xander was neglected though, he kind of fades in and out of the story and doesn't have a ton of depth to his personality.
The book is very engaging and hard to put down. Condie gradually introduces more and more events that are a bit off; as a reader you can see things coming to a head slowly but surely. The writing was very easy to read, it was a bit simplistic at times, but overall I enjoyed it.
I am not sure if a sequel is planned for this book. The story is fairly complete at the end but there are things that could be further expanded on in a future books. I would love to see another book where the City starts to crumble and things come to a head between the Outer Lands and the City.
Overall this was an excellent read. It was like Brave New World, but with romance and aimed at a teen audience. If you like dystopias you will love this one. There isn't a ton of action but the plot is suspenseful, intriguing, and though-provoking. If there is a sequel I will definitely be picking it up.
Helpful Score: 5
Cassia's Society is perfect. The Society's Officials calculate all the data and give you what's best for you: your job, your food intake, and most especially your Match, the person with whom you'd be perfect and raise a family.
At Cassia's Matching ceremony, she feels glad when her best friend Xander's image appears as her ideal mate. However, a glitch in the software reveals another's image: Ky, a reserved boy in her neighborhood with an unusual history. Cassia can't help but feel all the more attracted to Ky as she learns more about him. With things starting to crumble all around them--tense, missing Officials, mistakes that should not have been made--what does the future hold for Cassia and the two most important boys in her life?
MATCHED is quite possibly the most highly anticipated YA novel of late 2010. While MATCHED does not quite live up to all its hype, it is still a relatively powerful dystopian work that will keep you up late reading.
The most stunning part of this book is its world-building. It is all too easy to do a half-assed job of creating a frightening believable future world. Thankfully, Ally Condie is no fool, and the world of the Society is one that thrums with realistically nervous energy. The world is laid out for us from the first chapter, told with an almost hypnotic narration. I don't think I've seen kind of dystopian worldbuilding this convincing since Lois Lowry's The Giver.
While the writing was fantastic, I felt like there were pieces missing from the characterization and plot. I enjoyed Cassia's relatable wavering between being the perfectly obedient citizen, the way she's been her whole life, and daring to question and doubt. However, I found that I wasn't able to connect with the developing romance between Cassia and Ky the way I wanted to, the way the story needs readers to in order for everything to be justified. Ky is an interesting character, to be sure, but neither of them did much throughout the story. I understand that under such a heavily surveillanced Society, it would be almost impossible for Cassia and Ky to develop love the way we know it, but still. That was what the story needed to do in order for everything else to fall into place, whether it's near impossible or not, and unfortunately that aspect didn't pull through for me.
MATCHED is a highly accomplished work of literature. Ally Condie quite obviously has a wonderful way with words, though the story part feels slightly lacking. I will hope that future installments in this series up the stakes in order to grab on hard to me and never let me go.
At Cassia's Matching ceremony, she feels glad when her best friend Xander's image appears as her ideal mate. However, a glitch in the software reveals another's image: Ky, a reserved boy in her neighborhood with an unusual history. Cassia can't help but feel all the more attracted to Ky as she learns more about him. With things starting to crumble all around them--tense, missing Officials, mistakes that should not have been made--what does the future hold for Cassia and the two most important boys in her life?
MATCHED is quite possibly the most highly anticipated YA novel of late 2010. While MATCHED does not quite live up to all its hype, it is still a relatively powerful dystopian work that will keep you up late reading.
The most stunning part of this book is its world-building. It is all too easy to do a half-assed job of creating a frightening believable future world. Thankfully, Ally Condie is no fool, and the world of the Society is one that thrums with realistically nervous energy. The world is laid out for us from the first chapter, told with an almost hypnotic narration. I don't think I've seen kind of dystopian worldbuilding this convincing since Lois Lowry's The Giver.
While the writing was fantastic, I felt like there were pieces missing from the characterization and plot. I enjoyed Cassia's relatable wavering between being the perfectly obedient citizen, the way she's been her whole life, and daring to question and doubt. However, I found that I wasn't able to connect with the developing romance between Cassia and Ky the way I wanted to, the way the story needs readers to in order for everything to be justified. Ky is an interesting character, to be sure, but neither of them did much throughout the story. I understand that under such a heavily surveillanced Society, it would be almost impossible for Cassia and Ky to develop love the way we know it, but still. That was what the story needed to do in order for everything else to fall into place, whether it's near impossible or not, and unfortunately that aspect didn't pull through for me.
MATCHED is a highly accomplished work of literature. Ally Condie quite obviously has a wonderful way with words, though the story part feels slightly lacking. I will hope that future installments in this series up the stakes in order to grab on hard to me and never let me go.
Helpful Score: 3
This book had me hooked from the first few pages. I loved the idea of a different "society" and all that entailed. While it does favor Hunger Games, the characters are different in my opinion. The idea that the government or "society" would have control over every aspect of your life down to what you eat really had me wondering if things like this could happen. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Helpful Score: 2
I enjoyed this book immensely, as it was so similar to "The Hunger Games"...exciting, young adult reading, but will also hold the interest of an adult as well. Can't wait to read the 2nd & 3rd in this series! Makes one think about our future and how scary it could become...
Helpful Score: 2
One of my teacher friends told me to read this book, as it is expected to be the next Hunger Games. I am hooked, and I can't wait to read Crossed, the second book in the series. A few of my students have read it as well and enjoyed it too, and I expect that as it gains popularity, it will make a big hit as the Hunger Games did.
Matched is very much like the Hunger Games in many ways. The love triangle between Cassia, Ky, and Xander is very reminiscent of the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. The story of survival in what seems to be an apocalyptic society of the future is a bit less violent for older elementary/young middle school readers than was the Hunger Games. I remain an avid fan of the Hunger Games series, but Matched, though a bit more romantic than the Hunger Games, seems more suited for readers under 13. I anticipate that female readers will grow to like Matched more than boys for that reason too.
Matched is very much like the Hunger Games in many ways. The love triangle between Cassia, Ky, and Xander is very reminiscent of the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale. The story of survival in what seems to be an apocalyptic society of the future is a bit less violent for older elementary/young middle school readers than was the Hunger Games. I remain an avid fan of the Hunger Games series, but Matched, though a bit more romantic than the Hunger Games, seems more suited for readers under 13. I anticipate that female readers will grow to like Matched more than boys for that reason too.
Helpful Score: 1
This book is amazing. After reading it, I recommend it to everyone. Even those who are not normally drawn to post-apocalyptic or dystopian. If you are ever in a swap with me in the games forum, and have this on your WL, rest assured I will get it for you! If it is on someone's WL, I feel like I would be depriving them, if I didn't pick that book to send. It is that good. Like others said, you start reading to see what its all about, then next thing you know its 2am!
Helpful Score: 1
Predictable? At parts, yes. Original? Not entirely, with all of the other dystopian YA novels floating around these days. A couple parts reminded me of The Giver and a bit reminded me of Delirium. That said...
An incredibly engrossing read? Definitely! I planned to read a bit before bed, and ended up staying up until 2 to finish the book. I like the world Ally Condie has created-- it's very easy to be sucked in to, even if there are a couple plot holes that bother me.
Looking forward to the sequel in November!
An incredibly engrossing read? Definitely! I planned to read a bit before bed, and ended up staying up until 2 to finish the book. I like the world Ally Condie has created-- it's very easy to be sucked in to, even if there are a couple plot holes that bother me.
Looking forward to the sequel in November!
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent new series... can't wait to read the next one!
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book. With vampires and werewolves flooding the book market, this was refreshing and unique. I can't wait until the next book in the series. Adults will like this book as well as teens. It makes you think about our own society and what the future holds.
Helpful Score: 1
This story was about a young girl who is celebrating her birthday by going to a Matching Banquet. She will be Matched with someone who would be her best choice of mate. She is quite pleased with her match. However, when another boy she knows of ends up being on her matching card as well, after she was already matched, she "wonders". The place in which she lives is very controlled and protective. It seems a bit of a combination of 1984, Equilibrium, and Brave New World in one. However this is overall a love story and about standing up for making your own decisions. It was a very good book and I look forward to reading the next ones in the series when they come out!!!!
Helpful Score: 1
I was bored and found the writing to be amateurish. Not at all interested in continuing on with the series, Hunger Games beats this hands down.
Helpful Score: 1
Another "fight against the establishment" teen dystopian novel..., January 15, 2011
This was a fast read but a very predictable dystopian novel. Other reviewers have remarked upon the similarities between the premise in MATCHED and The Giver by Lois Lowry as well as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (to name two). The societies in each are quite similar as the people are completely controlled and their lives dictated to include the clothes they wear, the jobs they are assigned, the food they eat, and the way their mates are assigned to them. Men, women and children are not allowed to make choices or to think for themselves for the good of the Society. They have no concerns or worries, no fear of illness or accidental death -- everything is taken care of. In return, they are to ask no questions and are to obey the Officials. They carry 3 pills to be taken exactly as directed, they work and they play according to the plan, and they don't look beyond their own lives to wonder if there is anything else out there.
The book starts out well -- Cassia is going to her Match Banquet and her world seems full of happy possibilities. During this enchanted evening she is matched to her childhood friend, Xander, which is unusual since it's rare that matches know each other. In some type of computer glitch the next day, another boy's face flashes on the screen and it's someone else she knows -- a boy named Ky, an Aberration and someone who is unsuitable for match. It's after this that the story slides into cliche -- a love triangle, secrets, festering rebellion, etc. Cassia is fascinated with the words illegal poems that were given to her by her grandfather before he dies, and since the society has eradicated everything from the past except for the 100 best of everything, she commits them to memory. The words of one poem, "Do not go gentle..." fuel her dissatisfaction and stir the seeds of restlessness that lead her to defy convention and take chances that result in calamity and big changes in her life and in the lives of those she loves.
This is the first of a planned trilogy with the next book, Crossed, due out in November, 2011. I will likely want to read the second novel to see if the author will come up with a unique approach in this dystopia or if she will continue to borrow heavily from other novels in this genre. I hope it will be refreshingly original.
This was a fast read but a very predictable dystopian novel. Other reviewers have remarked upon the similarities between the premise in MATCHED and The Giver by Lois Lowry as well as Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (to name two). The societies in each are quite similar as the people are completely controlled and their lives dictated to include the clothes they wear, the jobs they are assigned, the food they eat, and the way their mates are assigned to them. Men, women and children are not allowed to make choices or to think for themselves for the good of the Society. They have no concerns or worries, no fear of illness or accidental death -- everything is taken care of. In return, they are to ask no questions and are to obey the Officials. They carry 3 pills to be taken exactly as directed, they work and they play according to the plan, and they don't look beyond their own lives to wonder if there is anything else out there.
The book starts out well -- Cassia is going to her Match Banquet and her world seems full of happy possibilities. During this enchanted evening she is matched to her childhood friend, Xander, which is unusual since it's rare that matches know each other. In some type of computer glitch the next day, another boy's face flashes on the screen and it's someone else she knows -- a boy named Ky, an Aberration and someone who is unsuitable for match. It's after this that the story slides into cliche -- a love triangle, secrets, festering rebellion, etc. Cassia is fascinated with the words illegal poems that were given to her by her grandfather before he dies, and since the society has eradicated everything from the past except for the 100 best of everything, she commits them to memory. The words of one poem, "Do not go gentle..." fuel her dissatisfaction and stir the seeds of restlessness that lead her to defy convention and take chances that result in calamity and big changes in her life and in the lives of those she loves.
This is the first of a planned trilogy with the next book, Crossed, due out in November, 2011. I will likely want to read the second novel to see if the author will come up with a unique approach in this dystopia or if she will continue to borrow heavily from other novels in this genre. I hope it will be refreshingly original.
Helpful Score: 1
I love this book! It is a very frightening view of ultimate government control where "The Society" makes your choices for you and while they promise you a better life, there is always an underlying threat. They manipulate, use propaganda and keep nasty little secrets. The people believe in it because they are afraid not to. They have even selected 100 history lessons that are allowed, 100 songs, 100 poems, etc., and obliterated everything that does not serve their purpose. This first in the series wraps up well enough, but will leave you wanting to know what happens next.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was fantastic! I was drawn in and hooked from page one and couldn't stop thinking about it for days after I finished. I fell completely in love with the story and the characters and I think I'm ready for a re-read already (which I rarely do!)
Cassia is a strong female lead that had followed the Society's rules set out for her for her whole life. When she starts falling for Ky, and her Grandfather dies and leaves her something special and forbidden, she starts questioning all those rules. She was funny and flawed, and someone I really connected with.
The world created was great as well. The thought of a group of overseers controlling everything you do, what you read, what you eat, who you marry, where you work, is completely terrifying. When it came to a scene where they were incinerating books I almost cried...lol.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking, powerful, and very entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to read what Ally Condie comes up with next and I recommend this book to everyone!
Cassia is a strong female lead that had followed the Society's rules set out for her for her whole life. When she starts falling for Ky, and her Grandfather dies and leaves her something special and forbidden, she starts questioning all those rules. She was funny and flawed, and someone I really connected with.
The world created was great as well. The thought of a group of overseers controlling everything you do, what you read, what you eat, who you marry, where you work, is completely terrifying. When it came to a scene where they were incinerating books I almost cried...lol.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking, powerful, and very entertaining read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to read what Ally Condie comes up with next and I recommend this book to everyone!
Badly written, transparently plotted, and the concept of the so-called evil "Society" is almost aggressively lacking in sense. I think at some point Condie gave up on world-building and just started trying to make things sound epic, sometimes by rhyming and sometimes just by repeating things twice as if that creates heightened drama. When the lovers finally kissed, "closer, closer" and "at last, at last" were used in the same paragraph.
I had to drag myself through the last 100 pages or so, because I think the writing actually got progressively worse. Plus: civilization saved through poetry? Sounds like that nonsensical Christian Bale movie "Equilibrium."
I need a palate cleanser after reading this crap. Sure, a lot of recent dystopian YA fiction is the starving man's equivalent of "Hunger Games." But even by that low standard, this book is wretched. Even the "Uglies" series (which is hardly prize-winning) is better than this. "Divergent" is DEFINITELY better. And if you want something that's actually worth your time, read "The 5th Wave."
I had to drag myself through the last 100 pages or so, because I think the writing actually got progressively worse. Plus: civilization saved through poetry? Sounds like that nonsensical Christian Bale movie "Equilibrium."
I need a palate cleanser after reading this crap. Sure, a lot of recent dystopian YA fiction is the starving man's equivalent of "Hunger Games." But even by that low standard, this book is wretched. Even the "Uglies" series (which is hardly prize-winning) is better than this. "Divergent" is DEFINITELY better. And if you want something that's actually worth your time, read "The 5th Wave."
Good YA adult novel...very clean...The plot is well thought out...Held my interest all the way through. I would not be worried if my teen wanted to read this book ..The down side is you need to read the next book to get a resolution.
Liked the first one, and bought the next 2...but was disappointed. Didn't go in a direction that in my opinion was the best plot/storyline.
While this book was a welcome break from the vampires, werewolves, angels and witches currently flooding the YA market, it did not live up to its hype for me. The setting of the novel is thought-provoking, and the idea that even the color of a dress you'd choose is predicted ahead of time (there was a 78% chance she'd choose the green one, for example) is disturbing. However, that's pretty much as far as the book goes. Their society is one not heavily based on emotions, and this comes through the writing as well: I just didn't care very much about what happened.
There's a second book coming out in November, and I had it on my wishlist but removed it; if I decide to come back to this series, it'll be through the library.
3 out of 5 stars
There's a second book coming out in November, and I had it on my wishlist but removed it; if I decide to come back to this series, it'll be through the library.
3 out of 5 stars
I've looked forward to reading Matched for what seems like forever. Finally, I got the chance and I am so very glad that I did. I found myself wondering what it would be like to have all my decisions made for me. Wouldn't that be great if we didn't have a care in the world? Well, not really! When it comes down to it, what makes us all unique are the choices we make, whether we make the right choice or not. I mean, when it comes to love, wouldn't we rather make that choice ourselves? Who could possibly know us better than ourselves? And there's the rub. This, among many other life choices, are made by "The Society." One word comes to my mind, PRISON!
Cassia's journey begins with her match banquet. At the banquet, she is to see the face and hear the name of the boy she is matched to for the first time. Shockingly enough, her match is to a close friend, Xander, whom she already knows. Knowing your match is a rare occurrence; both Xander and Cassia are happy to be bound together. Soon, Cassia uses her microcard to learn more about Xander, as if she didn't know everything already, and is shocked to see another boy's face pop up on the screen. She knows this boy too! Cassia becomes curious about the other boy, Ky, and soon she begins to wonder which boy is her true match.
Condie has created a world that provokes the imagination, making you wonder what the future has in store for us. My heart dropped when I read about the Society only having the 100 best poems, songs, stories, paintings to enjoy. How limiting! Then I found myself angered that everything else was destroyed. WTF? But that is a fitting move for a society being controlled like lab rats.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cassia's journey and I'm eager to find out what happens next. "Crossed" can't come out fast enough! There was one thing that really bummed me out; the ending. The ending just kinda lacked a real ending. There wasn't a cliffhanger; there was just Cassia working in a field. UGH! Not sure what I expected but let's just say that wasn't it. Would I read it again? Heck yes! It's definitely one I'll pass around to friends.
Cassia's journey begins with her match banquet. At the banquet, she is to see the face and hear the name of the boy she is matched to for the first time. Shockingly enough, her match is to a close friend, Xander, whom she already knows. Knowing your match is a rare occurrence; both Xander and Cassia are happy to be bound together. Soon, Cassia uses her microcard to learn more about Xander, as if she didn't know everything already, and is shocked to see another boy's face pop up on the screen. She knows this boy too! Cassia becomes curious about the other boy, Ky, and soon she begins to wonder which boy is her true match.
Condie has created a world that provokes the imagination, making you wonder what the future has in store for us. My heart dropped when I read about the Society only having the 100 best poems, songs, stories, paintings to enjoy. How limiting! Then I found myself angered that everything else was destroyed. WTF? But that is a fitting move for a society being controlled like lab rats.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cassia's journey and I'm eager to find out what happens next. "Crossed" can't come out fast enough! There was one thing that really bummed me out; the ending. The ending just kinda lacked a real ending. There wasn't a cliffhanger; there was just Cassia working in a field. UGH! Not sure what I expected but let's just say that wasn't it. Would I read it again? Heck yes! It's definitely one I'll pass around to friends.
I liked this book, and I will read any sequels (if there are any).
However, when I first began reading it, I was thrilled, thinking how much enormous potential this book had in terms of where the story could go. Unfortunately, as I kept reading, the book failed in terms of potential. This was just pages and pages and pages of teen girl angst. Yes, she lives in a society quite a lot like Brave New World. Which is interesting. Yet, this is all background for this girl's teen angst.
So, I was pretty disappointed in that nothing really happens in this novel. Other than us hearing Cassie's thoughts on the two boys she loves. And we hear these thoughts for hundreds of pages. Over and over.
Things get slightly more interesting in the end, leaving events open to a sequel. I feel like the first chapter and the last chapter were pretty much the only interesting things in the novel. Everything in between was ... shallow, empty of any potential.
Hopefully, if there is a sequel, it will contain more action, as well as more depth.
However, when I first began reading it, I was thrilled, thinking how much enormous potential this book had in terms of where the story could go. Unfortunately, as I kept reading, the book failed in terms of potential. This was just pages and pages and pages of teen girl angst. Yes, she lives in a society quite a lot like Brave New World. Which is interesting. Yet, this is all background for this girl's teen angst.
So, I was pretty disappointed in that nothing really happens in this novel. Other than us hearing Cassie's thoughts on the two boys she loves. And we hear these thoughts for hundreds of pages. Over and over.
Things get slightly more interesting in the end, leaving events open to a sequel. I feel like the first chapter and the last chapter were pretty much the only interesting things in the novel. Everything in between was ... shallow, empty of any potential.
Hopefully, if there is a sequel, it will contain more action, as well as more depth.
I really enjoyed this book it had me hooked from the begining and wanting more as I went on. I would have given this book 5 stars if it wasn't for the ending. I won't go into detail so that I don't giveaway anything. :) Definately a good read and I'm glad I decided to venture out of my comfort zone to read this novel. I really related to Cassia on all levels and I think that most anyone can find at least on character in this book that portrays them.
Matched is a dystopian novel reminiscent of Lois Lowry's The Giver. We meet Cassia on her seventeenth birthday. She is heading to her match banquet to find out who her perfect match is going to be. The society has perfected these matches to ensure healthy offspring. The matches are done in the year of the person's seventeenth birthday. The courtship lasts until twenty-one. At that point in time, the matched couple can perform a commitment ceremony. Children are expected before the age of 31. Only matched couples are allowed to have children, but people can choose to be a single and not be matched. The Society seems to be in control of everything. Officials destroy everything from the old ways, ensure that only sanctioned plants are grown, control how food is prepared and sent out to citizens. They even control when people die (at 80). Anyways, Cassia's matched, but there seems to be an error when she looks at her data card. Her match shows up, but then another face shows up. This is when things get strange. We follow Casia threw her journey of learning about the Society, and both of her matches. We see her fall in love and learn about the sacrifices that she is willing to make for it.
We overall opinion of the book was that it was good, but just not gripping to me. I kept thinking back to The Giver and it just can't compare to that. There were too many similarities, so it was really hard for me not to compare. I just didn't like Cassia. I never felt like I was within her character like I usually do. I'm very fickle I suppose. I usually love very plot driven stories, but I noticed through this that I love very plot driven stories with relatable characters. I didn't ever feel like Cassia. Going through her whole journey of love, I never cared that much about her feelings. Everything about her seems too superficial and she is supposed to represent the awakening character. It's sad that I never really felt her development because I really like this idea. I wonder if my students that have not read The Giver would like this story better than I did. From a teacher perspective, this is a great book to have in my library. It has no bad language or sexual situations. It questions society and starts to show someone how to keep their eyes open to what could happen. Just like any dystopian novel, it focuses on the warnings of being too compliant. I think that is a good thing for teenagers, they are starting to form their own opinions about life. I would like to encourage that questioning, and dystopian novels are a good, safe way to do that. Even if I didn't particularly connect with Cassia, hopefully someone else will.
We overall opinion of the book was that it was good, but just not gripping to me. I kept thinking back to The Giver and it just can't compare to that. There were too many similarities, so it was really hard for me not to compare. I just didn't like Cassia. I never felt like I was within her character like I usually do. I'm very fickle I suppose. I usually love very plot driven stories, but I noticed through this that I love very plot driven stories with relatable characters. I didn't ever feel like Cassia. Going through her whole journey of love, I never cared that much about her feelings. Everything about her seems too superficial and she is supposed to represent the awakening character. It's sad that I never really felt her development because I really like this idea. I wonder if my students that have not read The Giver would like this story better than I did. From a teacher perspective, this is a great book to have in my library. It has no bad language or sexual situations. It questions society and starts to show someone how to keep their eyes open to what could happen. Just like any dystopian novel, it focuses on the warnings of being too compliant. I think that is a good thing for teenagers, they are starting to form their own opinions about life. I would like to encourage that questioning, and dystopian novels are a good, safe way to do that. Even if I didn't particularly connect with Cassia, hopefully someone else will.
Reviewed by Andrea for TeensReadToo.com
In the Society where Cassia grew up, everything was decided for her. The Officials decide where people work, when people will die, even who people will love. But all of this seems right to Cassia. After all, this is all needed in order to live a long, fulfilling life.
The Matching ceremony where teens find out who they are matched with is a big deal. And when Cassia's best friend turns out to be her match, she knows that the system works. Until she sees another boy's face flash on the screen for just a split second. And now she is torn between Xander and Ky. One boy will lead her towards the life she's always known - and the other will lead her toward an unknown life of passion.
Which path should she choose? Which path WILL she choose?
Wow, can you imagine living in a world where everything is decided for you? What you wear, what your job is, who you love, the age that you can have kids by, what you eat, when you die? Ally Condie paints this world in such vivid words that you can perfectly imagine it. And it's slightly creepy. I don't think I would do well in a world where everything is decided for you and you have almost no choices.
I really enjoyed all of the characters in the story. I love how Cassia grows so much from the beginning until the end of the story when she is questioning the ways of the Society. And Xander and Ky are both such great guys. Usually in stories where the girl is trying to decide between two boys, I find myself leaning towards liking one boy more than the other. But not so in MATCHED. I think I liked Xander and Ky equally. Neither of them had any bad qualities.
If I had one complaint about this book, it's that the middle got a little slow for me. I think it plod along and some of the story could have been told more quickly. That being said, though, the ending definitely left me wondering what happens next. I can't wait for the sequel!
Oh, and on a side note, I really love the cover of this book. The girl in a green dress in the bubble just really caught my eye!
In the Society where Cassia grew up, everything was decided for her. The Officials decide where people work, when people will die, even who people will love. But all of this seems right to Cassia. After all, this is all needed in order to live a long, fulfilling life.
The Matching ceremony where teens find out who they are matched with is a big deal. And when Cassia's best friend turns out to be her match, she knows that the system works. Until she sees another boy's face flash on the screen for just a split second. And now she is torn between Xander and Ky. One boy will lead her towards the life she's always known - and the other will lead her toward an unknown life of passion.
Which path should she choose? Which path WILL she choose?
Wow, can you imagine living in a world where everything is decided for you? What you wear, what your job is, who you love, the age that you can have kids by, what you eat, when you die? Ally Condie paints this world in such vivid words that you can perfectly imagine it. And it's slightly creepy. I don't think I would do well in a world where everything is decided for you and you have almost no choices.
I really enjoyed all of the characters in the story. I love how Cassia grows so much from the beginning until the end of the story when she is questioning the ways of the Society. And Xander and Ky are both such great guys. Usually in stories where the girl is trying to decide between two boys, I find myself leaning towards liking one boy more than the other. But not so in MATCHED. I think I liked Xander and Ky equally. Neither of them had any bad qualities.
If I had one complaint about this book, it's that the middle got a little slow for me. I think it plod along and some of the story could have been told more quickly. That being said, though, the ending definitely left me wondering what happens next. I can't wait for the sequel!
Oh, and on a side note, I really love the cover of this book. The girl in a green dress in the bubble just really caught my eye!
Fabulous series!! I love, love, love it and have already finished book 2~ Can't wait for the final book!! This series is a must read!
Read my review at http://bourg.info/2012/04/04/matched-by-ally-condie/
Do you want to know what I find scary? It's not blood, gore, guts, veins in the teeth kinda stories. It's also not things that go bump in the night or jump out at you in a dark alley. What I find scary are stories about dystopian societies that have gone a bit cray-cray! Societies that have dissolved into something far more scarier than a ghost or a random dead body in an alleyway. The Society in this book is a bit frightening. Your ability to make any kind of choice for yourself has been taken away for you. You are told what to eat, wear, whom to marry, what job you can have, and where you can live. You are not allowed to have any of your neighbors in your house and you are monitored 24/7 by "The Officials." The Society only lets you live till your 80th birthday and you can only have children up to the age of 31. At 17 you are matched to your spouse and at 21 you are married to them. Scared yet? You screw up and you get what are called infractions. The more infractions you receive the worse off your life can be.
All of the above is what happens to the main character Cassia. Cassia is 17 and is matched with her best friend Xander. She is soon to get her job placement and if she followed all the rules like she was supposed to she would have had the "perfect" life according to The Society. Well let's throw in another guy named Ky who is considered an aberration, some smuggled poetry from the old days, and feelings that she is not supposed to have. Matched is a pretty good story so far even though it is quite predictable. I'm not a huge fan of stories where the romance is the main focus, but I knew that going into the book. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Cassia in the next two books of the series.
All of the above is what happens to the main character Cassia. Cassia is 17 and is matched with her best friend Xander. She is soon to get her job placement and if she followed all the rules like she was supposed to she would have had the "perfect" life according to The Society. Well let's throw in another guy named Ky who is considered an aberration, some smuggled poetry from the old days, and feelings that she is not supposed to have. Matched is a pretty good story so far even though it is quite predictable. I'm not a huge fan of stories where the romance is the main focus, but I knew that going into the book. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Cassia in the next two books of the series.
This was amazing. I'm not sure how anyone could dislike this book. I don't want to give my copy back to the library. I don't want anyone else to have it, lol, I want to keep it. :(
LOL!!!
LOL!!!
If you liked The Hunger Games or The Divergent novels, you will LOVE this book. This is the 1st in a trilogy and I have only read this one, but I love it. The characters are fully formed and the plot is interesting.
I haven't finished the book yet, but so far I really like it! If you've read any of Collins' Hunger Games or Roth's Divergent series, you'll really love this book. The story is very similar; a girl stuck between two worlds, and to guys. There's love, action, risk, and more.
The characters were well-developed & relatable. The story flowed nicely, & the rate at which Cassia became enlightened to the ways of the world was realistic. The poetry & symbolism thereof were highly important aspects of the plot (& Cassia's epiphanies of the Society), & they were featured appropriately.
Condie's writing style is easy to read & realistic, not only for everyday speech & dialogue, but also for natural thought processes. I found myself, several times, feeling as though Cassia's dialogue & thought patterns were very similar to my own, which made the story flow seamlessly.
I loved that, while the Society had basically brainwashed everyone into believing that their way of living was optimal, curiosity was still abound. Cassia & Ky both showed their curiosity for the times of the past & the ways in which others had lived their lives. It's human nature to be curious in such a way, & not only was it fitting for the story, but it also helped carry Cassia along to her epiphanies about the Society in general.
As a lover of literature & art in general, I found the references to those topics to be especially appealing. Plus, the featured Dylan Thomas poem is one of my all-time favorites, so I was pleased to see it used. It was perfect for the story & what was trying to be accomplished.
Condie's writing style is easy to read & realistic, not only for everyday speech & dialogue, but also for natural thought processes. I found myself, several times, feeling as though Cassia's dialogue & thought patterns were very similar to my own, which made the story flow seamlessly.
I loved that, while the Society had basically brainwashed everyone into believing that their way of living was optimal, curiosity was still abound. Cassia & Ky both showed their curiosity for the times of the past & the ways in which others had lived their lives. It's human nature to be curious in such a way, & not only was it fitting for the story, but it also helped carry Cassia along to her epiphanies about the Society in general.
As a lover of literature & art in general, I found the references to those topics to be especially appealing. Plus, the featured Dylan Thomas poem is one of my all-time favorites, so I was pleased to see it used. It was perfect for the story & what was trying to be accomplished.
