Matched by Allie Condie

Cassia Reyes lives in a Society where all members are Matched sometime during their seventeenth year. Cassie is thrilled to be going to her matching ceremony on the very day of her seventeenth birthday. As she stands and watches the screen, she has no idea that her Match is going to be Xander, her best friend growing up. But then when she goes home to review her Match materials, she sees another childhood friend pop up on the screen. Now she is unsure if her real match is Xander or Ky. And the more she thinks about it, the more unsettling the rules put out by the Officials become.

I was shocked by how different this book was from what I thought it would be like! Cassia's is a very sterile world, not unlike Aldous Huxley's Brave New World or Scott Westerfeld's Uglies. I loved how romantic it was that Cassia feel in love with Ky through his ability to be creative. The sensitive guy crush is a nice change from the tough guy crush. Not that Ky isn't tough in his own way! There were times I felt Ally Condie's writing was a little cliche, especially when it came to thoughts in Cassia's head. But she captured the confusion and innocence very well. The Match Banquet scene was my favorite - so much tension!- and the hiking scenes with Cassia and Ky were vividly beautiful. I was pulled along page by page without wanting to stop reading. My only complaint with this book was that I thought the conspiracy was revealed to easily and early, though I can't say any more than that without giving away plot. I would also be curious to hear more about the world of the Outer Provinces, though I am guessing Cassia will soon learn more as well. Highly anticipating the next book in the trilogy!

Overall Rating: 4 Stars