Matched by Allie Condie (Review)

     Hey guys! It's Caressa. Rae and I nominated to switch review dates this week so that she could review Crossed, a new release by Allie Condie, and I could review Matched, the first book in the series. I didn't give Matched a great rating, but I am super excited to hear more about the 'Society'.

"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 with complete certainty that 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 rating: 3.4/5  stars

Reviewed by: Caressa

     Matched by Allie Condie was one of the few books that showed up in my mailbox before I'd ever heard of it. Rae ordered it for me after its release last year (Thanks Rae!). After reading the blurb on it, I really, really expected to love this story and I read the book in a singular day.

     I loved the idea of the 'Society' and the world Condie described. I loved the turmoil in the outer provinces and relationships between Cassia and her peers. While a limit on art is not an unbreached topic in dystopian novels, it was a powerful part of this piece.

     And without a doubt, Cassia's grandfather was one of the most powerful, likable, and realistic characters I've ever felt deeply connected with in recent literature. (Spoilers) As he approaches his 80th birthday, his life is ended, but rebels both by not allowing the 'Society' to collect a sample and by reading a poem banned several years ago. I cried unashamed at this point in the novel. Cassia's grandfather may have died when the 'Society' wanted him to, but he did die on his own terms.

     The romance with Ky was sweet and a little different from the usual rebellious couple. (end spoilers) The ending, however, was so incredibly anti-climatic that I felt disappointed in the entire novel. It's my hope that Crossed will reignite the fire and carry on the story line in a more unpredictable and climatic fashion. Take a look:

"The hotly awaited second book in the dystopian Matched trilogy

"In search of a future that may not exist and faced with the decision of who to share it with, Cassia journeys to the Outer Provinces in pursuit of Ky - taken by the Society to his certain death - only to find that he has escaped, leaving a series of clues in his wake.

"Cassia's quest leads her to question much of what she holds dear, even as she finds glimmers of a different life across the border. But as Cassia nears resolve and certainty about her future with Ky, an invitation for rebellion, an unexpected betrayal, and a surprise visit from Xander - who may hold the key to the uprising and, still, to Cassia's heart - change the game once again. Nothing is as expected on the edge of Society, where crosses and double crosses make the path more twisted than ever."

What did you think about Matched? Are you excited about Crossed?

-Caressa. :)

For anyone wanting to watch my NaNoWriMo progress, I'll be vlogging about it every day on my Youtube channel. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/Cresselia16