Lit Blind Date - Matched by Ally Condie

I am FINALLY getting around to my Literary Blind Date thing set up by The Literary Glutton http://litglutton.tumblr.com in February. Mainly because I’ve been a little too lazy to actually write my review, but also because I’ve been a little lazy too. But I just finished a huge research paper, so I’m riding the energy drink high!!!

My book blind date was submitted by Sarah of http://thepilotthepoetthephysic.tumblr.com and she’s Canadian, which is AWESOME! (sorry love Canadians), and it’s Matched by Ally Condie. 

The funny part about all of this is that I had just read the book about a week prior to receiving my blind date, and was wanting to review it for a book review blog that I want to start, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet (i procrastinate… too many funny cat photos online!) Okay so on to the review:

From the get go, the book started off in an intriguing way. It enticed me to keep reading, though one you figure out they are going to a ceremony where their ideal mate is being found for them, I had an inkling that her neighbor and her were gonna be chosen. (I’m cynical like that). I found the descriptions very informative without getting too bogged down with details, which is good in a teen book. There was enough information for me to really enjoy the book without getting in the way of the plot. 

Basically it’s another post apocalyptic world where people are encouraged to do what they need to do for society, whether it’s learn how to sort people or how to care for crops. Disobeying the government has harsh consequences (which we find out later in the book), and they have ways of controlling the population with a set of three pills: a blue (helps you sleep), green (calms nerves), and red (unknown!) pills. 

Frivolity is frowned upon, even to go so far as to wearing dull, similar clothes, and eating food that only meets your nutritional needs. Special occasions allow for fancy food and dress, but that is it. Kids go to school until they are chosen for a job around age 17/18. At age 17, you go to a banquet and find out who your life partner will be. This is to ensure the best breeding. You find out later that they train kids in school to work on sorting patterns, and the best people go to the center where they pick out the male/female matches. People live to the age of 80, then decline rapidly and die the night of their 80th birthday. In the society, there are only 100 poems, the best ones chosen to not be destroyed. There are only  a few songs still around, and free time is limited to allowed activities.  Physical activity is monitored severely, but allowed.  

Anyway, cut to after the ceremony, and the main female, Cassia, has been told she is to marry her neighbor, Xander. Yet when she is examining her match chip (to just find out more about him), she is shown another’s photo, a guy in her town named Ky. 

Cut to an official coming to her, telling her that it was a mistake and that she is still partnered to Xander. Cassia is suspicious, but trusts the official. It turns out that when she picks hiking for her free time, Ky is in her group and they form a bond. He starts teaching her the alphabet, and how to write. Eventually they start to fall for each other, but Cassia finds out that the officials know and test her. 

In the end, Ky is taken away and Cassia annoys the government, so they ship her family off to another area. She is determined to find Ky, even if it means standing up to the government and getting in trouble. We find out that the red pill is not a death pill (like is hinted and what i thought), but in fact wipes peoples memories back a few hours if not a day. (I can’t remember). We also find out that there are people who it does not effect, one being Xander, and that he is quick to not mention it so that he’s not taken away. 

Overall I found it a good read. Was a little slow at times, and sometimes I found that passage of time too vague. But it was interesting and made me want to finish the series, even if it’s not RIGHT away, like many other books I love. I’d give it a 7 out of 10 for me. It was pretty original in some aspects, though I am getting a little tired of the mass wave of post-apocalyptic books that is flooding the teen sections right now.

Final Report:
Matched by Ally Condie
366 pages
$9.99
7/10

Available at your local Barnes and Noble for purchase