Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Book 1)
by Ally Condie
November 2010
Dutton Juvenille

In the society, officials decide.  Who you love.  Where you work.  When you die.

Like most dystopian fiction, Matched begins by introducing us to the perfect society.  Officials micromanage every aspect of your life.  From how much you eat and when to the exact day that you'll die (on your eightieth birthday) to who you'll love and be married to before then.  Cassia has always allowed the Officials to do what's best for her and trusts her society implicitly.  Especially when she is matched with Xander, her best friend from childhood for lifelong love and companonship.  Cassia has some very difficult decisions to make, however, when her perfect world cracks and then shatters.  Why has her grandfather given her illegal and dangerous poetry (such as Dylan Thomas' Do not go gentle into that good night)?  What does the red pill do that she has been forced to carry for years?  And perhaps most importantly, why did she see Ky's face instead of Xander's on her match data?  Tamer than some dystopian novels (such as the Hunger Games), Matched is a good introduction to humanity's pursuit for the perfect society, or an enjoyable read for fans of Lois Lowry's classic The Giver.

Matched Books
Matched
Crossed
Reached (TBR November 2012)

If you like Matched, try some of these other Dystopian novels.