Matched By: Ally Condie

 

Matched by: Ally Condie is a book that takes place in the future where society is meant to be controlled so it is perfect. In this society your job, what you eat, who you marry, and when you die is chosen for you. When you turn the age of seventeen you get to chose whether you want to be in the matching pool. Which means that government workers take your name and your personality and match you with your "soul mate", or you could chose to remain single.  If you choose to be matched you go to a matching banquet where you get to see a glimpse of your soul mate and then receive a card of information about them. 

This book focuses on a girl named Cassia. She has chosen to be matched and is getting ready to go to her matching banquet. She also happens to be going with her best friend, Xander, they have been best friends since they were little and are very much alike. They both turned seventeen and are going to their match banquet together. There is many people attending this banquet that will be matched. When it is finally Cassia's turn to know her match she stands up to look at the screen to see her future spouse, but after a few seconds of waiting nothing comes up on the screen.  The matching officials then tell her that her match is within the room with her. Xander then stands up and looks at his best friend. An official then says that she has been matched with Xander. Through out the rest of her banquet, all Cassia can think about is Xander. She is surprised and happy that she is matched to such a wonderful guy, but also thought about how she was unexpectedly matched with her best friend. After the banquet she receives the card of information about her match, but she knows that she already knows everything about her best friend and soul mate.

In the book when she looks at the card of information about her spouse, she plugs it in and Xander's face shows up. After his face appears for a few seconds another boys face shows up for just a split second. It's the face of her other friend, Ky. She freezes and doesn't know what to do. Ky's face is NOT suppose to be up there. She just thinks that the society made just a little mistake, but they never make mistakes. After, all she can think about is if Ky is suppose to be her match and she later starts to develop feelings for him. She doesn't tell anyone about what happened, afraid of what they might say.

Later, when summer arrives and Cassia is able to chose a summer activity, she chooses hiking. On her first day of hiking she gets to meet the other people who chose the activity as well. And who else would chose hiking other than Ky. When she has to spend this time with Ky, she doesn't know what to do. She can't decide whether to avoid him, in hope of hiding her feelings, or over come her feelings and be with him.
I liked this book a lot! It is cool to read about books that are in the future, because I always wonder if that is how it will be in the future. I thought the author made the book better by having it in the future and having the government so controlling. I also liked that a couple of the characters has secrets and I never wanted to stop reading it. I thought it was very well written and I'm glad there is two more! I give this book an A+