Matched?

Futuristic societies usually suck. That depressing fact rings true in Ally Condie's novel, "Matched,"  a dystopian love story that takes place in a society controlled so tightly by their government that nobody can even throw away a napkin without being cited. The love triangle within the 366 pages of drama is realistic, if not a bit predictable.

Plot

Cassia is 16. She has just been Matched to her best friend, which means that when she's 21, they will marry. Love has nothing to do with it. The Society decides who marries who. And that's that. Cassia, however, develops a deadly problem: she falls in love with somebody who is not her Match, and that could mean the destruction of her life as she knows it. Because nobody dares say no to the Society.

Pros and Cons

Something that was very refreshing about this novel was the short, Suzanne Collins-like style with which Condie writes. Another interesting factor was the slightly chilling realization that any society could easily turn into the world in which Cassia lives. Disappointment, however, came when you realize that most of the book is spent reflecting on feelings and analogies, rather than the plot at hand. The sterile structure of the Society is like looking at a Facebook page, and that makes it really hard to feel anything that the characters are feeling.

The Bottom Line

It's a great book for entertainment, but the love triangle falls flat halfway into the book. It's worth the read for lazy Saturday afternoons. The sequel is being released in November of 2011.  

 

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Matched?