Matched - Book Review

Matched (Matched #1)
by Ally Condie

What is it about:
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.

What did I think of it:
I will confess I didn't think much of this book when I first heard about it a couple of years ago. It sounded like it would be too love-triangly for me to like it.

Even when I did finally get hold of it and started reading it, I expected it to be an ok read, with lots of teen romance drama. The cover quotes even refer to how romantic this book is.

Imagine my surprise when I started reading and was drawn into the story and soon was hooked.

This is not a teen romance! Don't let anyone fool you into thinking it is. There might be a romance between Cassia and Ky, but I don't think it's what the story is about. It's just part of it.

This book is about questioning what you're told. Questioning the status quo. It's about standing up for what you believe in. Fighting for your freedom to chose.

The Society as it's described in this book is a scary one. It decides everything for everyone. What to eat, what to wear, what books to read, who to marry, when to die. At first Cassia doesn't think anything is wrong with that, but seeing Ky on the Matching screen opens her eyes to other possibilities, and she starts to think for herself.

I rooted for Cassia to find a way to free herself from the control of the Society, to find her own voice, and to be able to stand for what she believed in.

The ending was beautiful I think. It would have worked if this was a standalone novel, but it also makes you eager for more. And the fact that I immediately got hold of the next two books will probably give you an indication how much I loved this book.

Why should you read it:
It's a beautiful YA read about fighting for what you believe in.