Published: Nov. 2010, 366 pp.
Source: Personal Library
Review: 4.5/5 stars
Brief Summary: Cassia Reyes lives in a world of no choices. The Society controls everything from the food the people eat and the clothes they wear, to the career they will have and whom they will marry. Cassia has never questioned this until, somehow, a mistake is made and she begins to question the way the Society controls her life.
My Thoughts: I loved this book. I've discussed it with two book clubs and a few people have agreed that it's a "watered down Hunger Games". While there are definitely similarities, I think that Matched has its own merits that make it worthy of all the hype surrounding it. I think the world Ally Condie has created is creepy and terrible in a much more subtle way than many other dystopian worlds. I like the quiet build-up of tension in the book. The love triangle is becoming a bit of a tired plot device for me but it still works here. I have lots of questions that I want answered in the next book and I'm looking forward to it.
Recommendations: This is a great book for those who liked the ideas behing Hunger Games but didn't like the violence. I think that kids as young as 11-12 could enjoy this one.
Ratings: 1.2.1 Includes kissing, references to violent actions by others, and no profanity that I can recall. (If there is any profanity it would be very mild).
Thanks for reading!
7 comments:
I feel bad because everyone is under the impression that I hate this book. It's not true I didn't hate it, the oppression just weighed me down and made me depressed and there wasn't enough hope offered. I'm hoping there's more hope in the next books. Plus I hated Ky and it went on and on about him! Argh!
Jenny, I can see that not liking Ky would make this book a bit frustrating. I'm quite interested to see where this trilogy goes. The lack of hope at the end leaves a big hole to fill in the next books. It better all end well, anyway. If this is another Hunger Games I might have to swear off of dystopian.
I've been wanting to read this book for a while. I didn't get the sense from other reviews that it was depressive although all dystopian novels have that oppressive feel to it. It's dystopia after all.
I Love your review! The quiet build-up of tension was one of the best parts of this book, in my opinion. I think she handled that aspect really well. So glad you liked it! :)
I love MATCHED. It's definitely similar to all the other dystopian books out there, but it's got its own thing going on, too. Personally, I can't wait for the sequels!
P.S. I'm reading WITHER right now, so I can't read your review of it yet, but as soon as I finish, I'm coming right back here to see what you thought :)
I just adored this book. When Ky reads Cassia the beginning of Thomas' "Poem in October" as a birthday gift, the English major in my heart nearly died from joy overload. Swoon!!! The sequel, Crossed, comes out Nov. 1 and I will be stalking my mailbox for sure. And I heard Matched will be made into a movie. Not sure how I feel about that...although fantasy casting in my head is fun. :)
BEST. BOOKS. EVER. So worth every second I put into reading them!!!
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