Matched

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 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.


For me, this book felt like a cross between The Hunger Games and The Twilight series. So naturally, I liked it, but I can't say I loved it because it had that all too familiar "I've been here before" feeling to it. (I also noticed on Goodreads, a fellow coworker from McNally said it was a cross between the The Hunger Games and The Giver... I have never read The Giver, but if you have, and need another reference point...)

This society attempts to keep it's citizens complacent by providing them everything they need, but nothing more, nothing less. There is no expression of individuality, everyone's homes are exactly the same, everyone wheres the same clothes... but as far as personality traits, they monitor you and then use your traits to match you perfectly with a spouse (should you choose to be matched), which eliminates divorce and results in perfect offspring.

Condie creates this society to make it entirely understandable why no one would rebel. I mean, yes, you cannot choose what you have for breakfast, or how much breakfast you eat. And yes, you don't get the choice of whom you marry. But if you knew that the breakfast you are supplied is exactly equipped with the nutrition and calories you need, and you will completely fall in love with the person that has been selected for your spouse because of all of the cross referencing and sorts ensure that you are completely compatible and perfect for one another... what is there to complain about?

This is a very interestingly interwoven tale of love and doubt, need vs. want, and the difference between friendship and courtship. It deals with many issues that are sometimes difficult to decipher in our own lives. Cassia also has this idealist nature that she has continuously throughout the story, when she has everything provided for her and also when she starts to see her life falling apart. I found that to be a good consistency that made her an ideal heroine. 

I did have to remind myself that this was a teen novel at many points as to not roll my eyes and think everything is so cheesy. It is a teen romance novel, so don't be fooled. Cassia's idealist nature is, as I said, consistant, but sometimes frustrating. But she is 17 --  and has not really had the life experience that someone who is 30 (like moi), who tends to be critical of this idealism. It can't even be described as optimism. It is honestly Blind Idealism. It will cause you to shake your head, but... she's a teen. And a lot of her actions are those that any teen would relate to. 

I will probably read the next couple in this trilogy, but I don't think it'll be any time soon. No rush to go out to find out what happens next or anything.