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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
Matched by Ally Condie, is the first segment of The Matched Series. It was basically an updated version of The Giver with your typical YA love triangle thrown in.
Did I enjoy it? Yes, for the most part. Now let me explain something before I begin. I loved The Giver, it's one of my all time favorites. This book compares to The Giver in more ways than one. However, I"m the type of person who believes every novel is a work of art in its own right, so I can view this book for what it is without feeling like it's a copy of something else.
Matched takes place in a dystopian society run by an all-seeing, all-knowing government. They control your job, food, medication, hobbies, spouse, and even when you die. The story is told by Cassia, a young girl whose life is turned upside down one unsuspecting day.
Let's begin by stating the obvious. The book provided no surprises at all. As much as I enjoyed it's likeness to other series in it's genre, it took away from the excitement of each twist and turn. For me that left it as more of a casual read. The pills, job placement, marriage arrangement, and government structure were just too predictable.
The pace of the story gives it a relaxed feeling as well. I certainly wasn't dying to reach the end but the pace didn't kill me either. Matched had a strange average feeling, like a lazy spring day. I guess I just didn't find it exciting at all. Truthfully I don't have a lot to say about the book because it was so ...soft? There wasn't a lot of action that's for sure. It just felt like a somewhat-tragic love story.
“Every minute you spend with someone gives them a part of your life and takes part of theirs.”
- Cassia
The characters didn't disappoint me very much. The only draw back was Cassia. Her personality changed throughout the story, which is normal, but it felt contradicting. Sometimes she would have such deep insight and then she'd be back to to, "oh no, Ky or Xander, my poor little heart". (¬_¬")
Ky and Xander however were definitely developed well over time. The classic story of boy next door vs. the forbidden fruit. I enjoyed how they conversed on occasion, that's not something you usually see. Ky was my favorite of course, I love picking favorites.
“Once you want something, everything changes. Now I want everything. More and more and more.”
- Ky
The secondary characters fit into the story almost better than the lead.
"I wonder if death will always taste this good."
- Grandfather
Now I must mention the use of poetry used Ally Condie. This brings the entire novel together in my opinion. Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas played a very large part in the overall theme of fighting for what you love or believe in. Cassia learns that the system isn't really what it seems but now she must decide if she is willing to do what's necessary for true love.
So overall I found Matched to be an average read for it's romance and genre. Nothing too special but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
Did I enjoy it? Yes, for the most part. Now let me explain something before I begin. I loved The Giver, it's one of my all time favorites. This book compares to The Giver in more ways than one. However, I"m the type of person who believes every novel is a work of art in its own right, so I can view this book for what it is without feeling like it's a copy of something else.
Matched takes place in a dystopian society run by an all-seeing, all-knowing government. They control your job, food, medication, hobbies, spouse, and even when you die. The story is told by Cassia, a young girl whose life is turned upside down one unsuspecting day.
Let's begin by stating the obvious. The book provided no surprises at all. As much as I enjoyed it's likeness to other series in it's genre, it took away from the excitement of each twist and turn. For me that left it as more of a casual read. The pills, job placement, marriage arrangement, and government structure were just too predictable.
The pace of the story gives it a relaxed feeling as well. I certainly wasn't dying to reach the end but the pace didn't kill me either. Matched had a strange average feeling, like a lazy spring day. I guess I just didn't find it exciting at all. Truthfully I don't have a lot to say about the book because it was so ...soft? There wasn't a lot of action that's for sure. It just felt like a somewhat-tragic love story.
“Every minute you spend with someone gives them a part of your life and takes part of theirs.”
- Cassia
The characters didn't disappoint me very much. The only draw back was Cassia. Her personality changed throughout the story, which is normal, but it felt contradicting. Sometimes she would have such deep insight and then she'd be back to to, "oh no, Ky or Xander, my poor little heart". (¬_¬")
Ky and Xander however were definitely developed well over time. The classic story of boy next door vs. the forbidden fruit. I enjoyed how they conversed on occasion, that's not something you usually see. Ky was my favorite of course, I love picking favorites.
“Once you want something, everything changes. Now I want everything. More and more and more.”
- Ky
The secondary characters fit into the story almost better than the lead.
"I wonder if death will always taste this good."
- Grandfather
Now I must mention the use of poetry used Ally Condie. This brings the entire novel together in my opinion. Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas played a very large part in the overall theme of fighting for what you love or believe in. Cassia learns that the system isn't really what it seems but now she must decide if she is willing to do what's necessary for true love.
So overall I found Matched to be an average read for it's romance and genre. Nothing too special but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.
I liked and disliked this book. First the dislikes. If you are a die hard fan of Twilight or the Hunger Games then go right ahead and read this! It has the same soppy love triangle and the same female character, though strong always seems to choose the guy forbidden, except for Katniss, neither of her guys were really forbidden to her, though she chose the sweet one. But you get the idea it's just Blah Blah Blah to me.
My first dislike was that...I honestly felt sorry for Xander even if I preferred Ky better. My second dislike is the inconsistency of the rules. Ally Condie sets them in the novel and makes them seem stern, not at all different to Lois Lowry's the Giver. But then she says that some rules are lax, like the kissing, I found this to be just an excuse for her to say that Cassia is not a friget.
But asides from the oh so repetitive love triangle I actually didn't mind the plot. But better, Condie's development of Cassia's relationship with Ky seemed...real. (Sigh) Because hello since when have writer's developed a romance that just was? Cassia and Ky's relationship became real to me, it had time, it had need and wanting, it had trust, even a bit of jealousy. It also seemed magical. That's probably the only thing that brought me to the end of the novel. It was perhaps, the best aspect of the novel.
My first dislike was that...I honestly felt sorry for Xander even if I preferred Ky better. My second dislike is the inconsistency of the rules. Ally Condie sets them in the novel and makes them seem stern, not at all different to Lois Lowry's the Giver. But then she says that some rules are lax, like the kissing, I found this to be just an excuse for her to say that Cassia is not a friget.
But asides from the oh so repetitive love triangle I actually didn't mind the plot. But better, Condie's development of Cassia's relationship with Ky seemed...real. (Sigh) Because hello since when have writer's developed a romance that just was? Cassia and Ky's relationship became real to me, it had time, it had need and wanting, it had trust, even a bit of jealousy. It also seemed magical. That's probably the only thing that brought me to the end of the novel. It was perhaps, the best aspect of the novel.
Another in a long list of dystopian young adult novels, "Matched" manages to avoid many of the melodramatic pitfalls of the genre by keeping the plot streamlined and focusing primarily on the inner life of the main protagonist. It also manages, amazingly, to present a teenage love triangle that never seems petty or extraneous. RECOMMENDED
medium-paced
I loved this book! It was so much better than I imagined it would be and I will very soon be reading Crossed, the second book in the series.
It took a while to get started it seems.
But I still couldn't put in down.
Ky and Xander are surprising!
And Cassia is strange to want to make her own choices... After many generations of the Society choosing everything for the population.
But I still couldn't put in down.
Ky and Xander are surprising!
And Cassia is strange to want to make her own choices... After many generations of the Society choosing everything for the population.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced