Matched (Matched, #1) in What's the Name of That Book???

Oct 14, 2011 Eh?Eh! rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: babble-added

Recommended by an old high school mate. Interesting ideas, but the claim that it's the best thing since The Hunger Games, which isn't all that long ago btw, is a lieeeeeee. The only similarity it has to THG is the (over-used) description of a dystopian setting. The flaws of an over-controlled society are being examined through the bottleneck of a love triangle. Not good enough. ...more

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Apr 01, 2014 Wealhtheow rated it liked it

Shelves: ya, sci-fi

From the glossy cover I expected this to be another clone in the YA dystopias-with-love-triangle genre. And that does describe the basic set up pretty well: Cassia is a teen just coming of age in a regimented society, and her first clue that the Society does not always know best is when she accidentally gets matched for marriage to two boys at once. But the love triangle takes up very little space or energy, and the real tension is not in what boy Cassia will pick, but whether she will choose to ...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Nadine in NY Jones rated it liked it

Shelves: dystopian-and-post-apocalyptic, young-adult, lily

from the NPR poll of great Young Adult fiction ...

The Cassandra Clare blurb on the book jacket is probably the most lovely and succinct comment possible.

This futuristic fable of love and free will asks: Can there be freedom without choice? The tale of Cassia's journey from acceptance to rebellion will draw you in and leave you wanting more.

I won't deny this book was slow going at first. I was only reading a chapter or two each night because I kept falling asleep! It was pretty dull stuff. Oo ...more

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Jan 05, 2013 Kate rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: age-ya, audiobooks, dystopia, 2013

Cassia lives in an ideal society where everyone works together and life is set up for you. She's excited to attend her matching ceremony where she will find out who her future husband will be. She's thrilled when she discovers her match is Xander - both because he is her best friend, and because he is from her province and she won't have to leave her family to join her match in another province. But when she gets home and plugs in the memory card with information about her match, a different fac Cassia lives in an ideal society where everyone works together and life is set up for you. She's excited to attend her matching ceremony where she will find out who her future husband will be. She's thrilled when she discovers her match is Xander - both because he is her best friend, and because he is from her province and she won't have to leave her family to join her match in another province. But when she gets home and plugs in the memory card with information about her match, a different face pops up: Ky Markham, another boy in her province.

Though the officials quickly swoop in and tell her this was a mistake, especially since Ky is an "aberration" (an individual not allowed the full rights of citizens and not allowed to be matched), Cassia becomes curious about Ky. When Ky and Cassia are paired for a hiking activity, their relationship develops and Cassia begins to question why her society doesn't allow the citizens to make any choices. Will she ever be able to choose who to love, or have the officials even made that choice for her?

After reading Divergent, I felt that Cassia was a little weak as a main character - and I don't think the audiobook's narrator helped that impression. Cassia's society reminded me a lot of the society in The Giver where everything is controlled and monitored and small deviations are severely punished, with the government going to extremes, so it really is not Cassia's fault that she's been programmed since birth to obey. There were so many times that I wanted her to just rebel, even though that would have gotten her killed. I guess I just felt like I would have freaked out - meals are bland and simply for caloric intake, everything including sleep being monitored, only three outlets for "fun" (the games center, listening to music - and there are only 100 songs total, or going to a movie - which is basically propaganda). She'd doesn't read books or make art and doesn't even know how to write, and at any time the officials can swoop in and take everything away.

The love triangle aspect is a huge part of the story. Xander seems sweet and nice, while Ky is different and interesting, and yet at the end I felt like both boys were very similar, and had they both been brought up in the same environment they would have turned out the same. It will be interesting to see how Cassia's relationships with both boys develop in the next books, and who she will choose. ...more

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Feb 24, 2014 Rachel rated it it was ok

This book was a fun little YA dystopian to read on vacation, but it felt pretty fluffy to me. The protagonist is constantly thinking about the two guys she likes, which got a little tiresome (as believable as her crushes are). Her teenaged "only I know what is horrible/wrong in the world" was weirdly reinforced. The book did bring up some good issues for teenagers, like wondering if a crush or infatuation is "genuine" emotion and seeing how other relationships aren't perfect. ...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Malina rated it really liked it

Shelves: dystopia

I enjoyed the story overall. It has reminders of "The Giver". I think it is well written and the characters likeable and intriguing. But why did I keep hoping she'd just fall in love happily with Xander and forget about Ky? I understand Ky is supposed to represent passion but I feel like she could develop that with Xander just as well and he's not a doomed man. I think it is an interesting discussion of choice and free will though. ...more

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May 26, 2011 Marianne rated it it was amazing

This dystopian novel by Utah author Ally Condie has been flying off the shelves of my library ever since I got it! It was a great read--especially for girls.

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Dec 09, 2010 Pam rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, because-bethany-told-me-to

I'm a bit on the fence about this one. I think a 3.5 more accurately describes how I feel. I think The Hunger Games put this book at a bit of a disadvantage. I find it difficult not to compare the two, even though they are essentially different. I look forward to the next book! ...more

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May 03, 2012 Maggie rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, romance, series, dystopian, 2012-summer-challenge

This was an easy read! It definitely grew on me. It started off slow and got better and better! I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series! ...more

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Nov 09, 2010 Bethany rated it really liked it

This will certainly draw the inevitable comparisons to "The Hunger Games" but it's not a bad book on its own. Looking forward to the rest of the series. ...more

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