Saturday, March 12, 2011

Matched by Ally Condie

For the first seventeen years of her life, Cassia has believed that she lives in a perfect society. Everyone is healthy and happy. To avoid the confusion of too much choice, things like art and poems and novels have been narrowed down to the best 100 of each and the rest were destroyed long ago. Officials decide everything from the size and content of your meals to whom you will marry. Officials can always predict your actions. Well, almost always. When Cassia learns that Xander will be her life match, she is very happy... until she finds herself also attracted to Ky. Suddenly, having the freedom to choose becomes important.

Matched is the first volume of a projected trilogy. The premise intrigued me but I found it disappointing overall. I would have liked it better if both Xander and Ky weren't so annoyingly perfect. If this were Twilight, kind and loyal Xander would have the role of Jacob while Ky, the dangerous Aberration with exquisite self-control, would be Edward.

The ending leaves much of the plot unresolved. Usually, this doesn't bother me, but I wonder if I will like the trilogy better once I've got the entire story arc. Maybe there is simply too much romance cluttering up the dystopia for my taste.

Readalikes: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld; Across the Universe by Beth Revis; Useful Idiots by Jan Mark; and 1984 by George Orwell.

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