Matched by Ally Condie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Cassia Reyes has just turned seventeen - and over the course of her entire life - there's one thing missing: she's never had a choice. The Society dictates everything - what you eat, what you wear, where you work, where you live, what you do with your free time, when you die - and most importantly, upon the year you turn 17, who you'll marry.
When Cassia is Matched with her childhood best friend, Xander - a rarity that individuals are matched with someone they know, let alone lives in the same district - things couldn't be more perfect. He's everything she's ever wanted and then some.
Upon being matched, every individual is given a profile microcard that contains data on their chosen partner - but when Cassia watches Xander's profile, someone else appears on her screen: another one of her childhood friends, Ky Markham.
She's told it's a glitch - a rare malfunction in the system - and to disregard the information about Ky and move on with her match to Xander. However, Cassia can't seem to forget.
With advice from her dying grandfather: Do not go gentle into that good night, from a secret poem only the two of them share, Cassia realizes that choices do exist. But is she strong enough to make them?
As the story unfolds, both Cassia and Ky find themselves partnered in various activities the Society has chosen for them. And the more and more time they spend together, the more she realizes that maybe Ky appearing as her match, wasn't a mistake after all. He brings with him an inspiring sense of creativity, something that isn't allowed in the Society - along with the ability to write, which he teaches to Cassia.
As the two of them fall in love, Cassia realizes the awful truth behind the Society, and she knows she can no longer follow its dictates. But the Society has other plans - which doesn't include the two of them being together.
Overall, I found the concept of the story intriguing, but sometimes a little slow. There were moments where I wanted something more exciting to happen - and it just didn't. However, I appreciate Condie's creativity and found myself upset at some of the actions the Society took - more so, because I would never have survived in a world where decisions were made for me.
With the ending unresolved and easily setting itself up for the next one in the series (this is book #1 in a trilogy), I will be reading the sequel.
Good read.