Review of Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pub. Date: November 30, 2010

ARC received through Book It Forward Tours

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.  Matched is a story for right now and storytelling with the resonance of a classic."

Cassia, the protagonist, lives in a futuristic world that is ruled by the Officials. They decide everything and anything concerning your life, such as who you will marry, where you will work, what you will eat, how you will spend your free time, and even when you will die.  They control it all.  But the citizens trust the Officials, because they get to live a life that is free from diseases, they never have to suffer old age and the many things that come along with it, and they don't have to spend time looking for their perfect mate.  They are paired up at age seventeen.  Sure, it sounds like a utopia at first, but underneath the facade, readers will see the truth.  On Cassia's 17th birthday, she will get matched to her perfect spouse.  When she sees the screen, which will showcase her future spouse, a familiar face appears, but then quickly another face appears and then the screen fades to black. This is highly unusual and it has Cassia wondering what's going on as the Officials rarely make mistakes.  She ends up questioning whether the Officials truly know what's best or if there is something more going on here.  Matched by Ally Condie is one of the best books I have read all year and for fans of a dystopian novels, this is a must read! 


Condie's writing style is impressive. She created such a vivid world that I found myself getting lost in it.  I haven't felt this way about a futuristic setting since Lois Lowry's The Giver.  Condie truly captivated me; in fact, I finished this book very quickly despite it being almost 400 pages.  I found out my fellow blogger and book pal, Becky from The Bookette, was reading this novel at the same time and we both were messaging back and forth about how much we enjoyed it.  Like many dystopian novels, this book lends itself to interesting discussions.  Condie, a former high school English teacher, also incorporated some poetry in Matched, which I loved.  I won't give too much away, but the society's take on poetry, as well as music and art, is quite interesting.  Needless to say, Condie created an unforgettable world.


Like The Giver, this novel also has a powerful theme that really makes you think and question things.  Young adult readers can take away a lot from this novel as I felt it to be extremely thought provoking.   Also, the characters in Matched were likable and strong, especially Cassia.  I enjoyed her; she's truly a non-conformist.  I also thought her relationship with her grandfather was heartwarming.  I rarely read a young adult novel that illustrates a positive and close relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren.  It was definitely nice to see.  Lastly, the pacing of this novel was also enjoyable. I never felt bored and most of the time it had me on the edge of my seat questioning Cassia's many moves.  


Thankfully, Matched is part of a trilogy. I can't wait to re-visit Cassia's world, especially after how Matched ended!  I realize this book doesn't come out until November, but if you are a fan of dystopian novels, then you must pre-order it immediately!  You won't be disappointed!  

*Pre-order Matched

*Watch an interview with Ally Condie