Review: Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS:

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 TAKE:
I've been meaning to read this series for a long time, but now that I've read this book, I'm not sure I should have started at all.

In Matched, Cassia lives in a society that has a lot of restrictions that are for the best of Society as a whole. Part of their Society's tradition is a Match Banquet wherein people get matched to someone whom they have the best chance of having genetically healthy offspring and a good marriage. Cassia gets her friend Xander as a match, but while looking at Xander's microcard, Ky's face flashes. She becomes curious and eventually falls in love with Ky. Around her, things she can't quite understand are happening. What's really happening in their Society?

This book began all right for me. The Society sounded interesting, in a has-its-benefits-but-no-real-choices kind of way. I know some people have compared this book to The Giver, but I haven't read it (yes, I just haven't gotten around to it), so I can't really compare it. I can say, though, that this was a quick read for me because the setting and atmosphere don't feel as heavy as other dystopian books I've read.

The primary reason I wanted to read this book way back in the day was the romance. When done right, love triangles can be interesting to read. In Matched, the choice is between Xander and Ky. Xander is the good guy, smart, kind, and handsome. Ky is the mysterious, artistic bad boy. I think we all know where this is going.

Matched is basically a romance book with dystopian elements, and not a dystopian book with romance elements. Not a problem, usually, except for the fact that I despised Cassia. I think the last time I was this enraged by a protagonist was when I was reading Twilight.

Cassia is a very selfish child. Really, the only truly selfless things she's done, wherein she didn't think about herself before making a decision for someone's benefit, was when it came to her family. When it came to anything Xander- and Ky-related, she put herself first. She literally thinks about how it will affect her. She knows she's selfish and she's hurting these guys, but she does it anyway. Why? Because she's SELFISH! It didn't help that practically every thought out of her head, even in dangerous situations, is Ky, Ky, Ky. If Ky was really the one she wanted, then she should own up to her decision and be with him and everything that means for her life. If she's not ready for that, then she doesn't love Ky enough and she should stay with Xander.

If I didn't feel the need to finish every series I start, I wouldn't bother reading the rest of this series.

THE GOOD:

1. It's not as heavy as other dystopian books.
2. There are some interesting things about the Society.
3. There are some cute romantic scenes.

THE BAD:

1. Cassia got on my nerves with her selfish ways and ruined the story for me. 

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

Is falling in love with someone's story the same thing as falling in love with the person himself? 

READ IT IF:

1. You read dystopian novels for the romance.
2. You like love triangles wherein the girl takes forever to decide.
3. You like Romeo and Juliet. 

RATING:


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