Matched

February 24, 2012


Ok, where do I start?

I'll start at the beginning.

I've noticed Matched by Ally Condie on the book shelves for a while, but I never picked it up because I had no idea what it was about, but I always loved looking at the cover. The green just pops and it's simple. I liked it.

I finally got around to getting it a few days ago after looking it up online and deciding it was something I wanted to try. I'd just finished rereading The Hunger Games, and I need some more Dystopian type books to read. And this fit it very well.

Matched is about a girl Cassia, a girl who just turned 17 and by The Societies rules, is time for her to be Matched. Once a person reaches 17, if they choose to be Matched to be Contracted, they submit their information. In other words, their information is submitted to The Society for them to pick the right Match for them from the people of the communities. The choice of marriage is gone. It's all about the right genetic makeup to keep the people going on strong for a longer and to keep everyone more useful, till they turn 80 (the voted on time by the Society) for a person to die, the age where they no longer are able to do much and not be depressed about it.

Time is not your own in the world of Matched. You are allotted time for school, outdoor activities in the summer, recreation time, etc,... The world is drab, in blue, black or brown clothing. You no longer cook your food, The Society has people to deliver your food, according to your nutritional needs. If you want to eat out, you let people know so your food will show up where you need it to. You are assigned your job once completed with school when you turn 17 and that is what you do, by your schedule. And you have Officials watching to make sure that all is abided by.

As Cassia observes in the book, The Society gives you just enough freedom to enjoy. Enough to give you a full happy belly, but no more.

Cassia ends up having her matching ceremony the night of her actual birthday. One is held once a month. The Matches are allowed to dress up and after a special Banquet, it's time to find out who you will be Matched with. It is a rare thing to be matched with someone in your own area, but it happens to Cassia. She is matched with her best friend Xander. And it just seems perfect.

It is until, Cassia, looks at the information given to her and Xander is not her match, another guy ends up being her Match and Cassia is now confused and wondering how The Society could make a mistake. How is that possible, for someone who has lived by the rules and never dealt with a flaw before and it gets her to ask questions. Ones she never had to think about.

Ally Condie is a good story teller and has the ability to create a world that looks like a Utopia, but the perfection if it unravels to reveal the hard Totalitarian control of the Society. I say it is a to read!

I've already picked up Crossed, book two, from the store.

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