Matched by Ally Condie

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Hardcover: 384 pages 
Release Date: November 30, 2010
Publisher: Speak
Genre: Dystopian

Book One: Matched
Book Two: Crossed
Book Three: Reached (November 13, 2012)

Author's Website

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Amazon Summary:

     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.

My Review:

     This wasn't exactly what I expected it to be. Don't get me wrong, I was inspired by the idea of the book. The characters in this novel always had to do what they were told. Their whole life was mapped out for them, for example: when they were going to get married, when they would have children, and even when they had to die. Instead of going along with it, they chose to fight the authorities and map their own destinies.

I read this book because it was compared to The Hunger Games (which is one of the most amazing books in the world.) and got good reviews. This book had a lot of potential and the idea was new and refreshing, but I was instantly bored when I read it. Matched isn't the kind of book that will have you flipping pages eager for more, it was slow paced and uneventful. I found myself skipping pages and hoping for something interesting on the next page. The romance wasn't as descriptive as i hoped it would be either. The kisses were light and boring. The only part I found interesting was the day of the matching and the determination of the main character. Maybe it was just me and that I'm usually more interested in books with more action, but I would definitely recommend that you either check this book out in a local library or skip it altogether instead of buying it online.

Heroine- 3/5
Romance- 2/5
Action- 1/5
Comedy-1/5
Overall- 2/5