Matched by Ally Condle

Just recently I finished Book 1 of the Matched Trilogy by Ally Condle.  Its based on a Utopian/dystopian society where Officials decide everything for you.  The story is about Cassia, a 17 year old girl, who has conformed to the ways of how the Society has laid things out for her.  The story starts with a Matching Banquet.  At the banquet, citizens are there to learn who their match will be, the person Society has decided that they will marry, have children with, and basically spend their lives together solely based on genes and probability for optimal survival.  Cassia learns her match is her best friend, Xander, and Cassia seems ecstatic with her life falling into perfection.  Cassia is given a microcard which is suppose to have all the information she needs to be proceed with her match, including pictures.  As she looks at the card another person's face, Ky, flashes for a brief moment.  With that moment Cassia starts to truly wonder, what if?

My opinion of the book: it was really depressing.  I expected a love story, which it did have, but really it focused a lot on the Society.  Ally Condle wrote about how the society works how they control everything.  The one topic that really depressed me the most was about how the society tells you when and how to die.  This also happened to be a Life Altering event that impacted Cassia to start to think for herself.  Cassia's Grandfather has to die, it's his time according to the Society.  With this event, Cassia's Grandfather gives her a memento that tells Cassia to fight and she starts to wonder.  Intertwined with Cassia thinking about rebelling, her life is a mix of Xander, her Society meant to be, and Ky, the forbidden. 

Once Upon a Time ....

Reading starts with one book that draws you into a new world.  With every turn of the page you make a new friend or find your darkest enemy.  You see things different for the first time.  A new adventure begins.  Books have been my escape from the real world.  I get lost in the story, in the characters. 

For someone who loves books and enjoys reading, it is time to share what I love. Let people know this was a great story or that it could of been better.  Read a book, enjoy the story, and find a new tale to tell.