Matched by Ally Condie

The Gist:  Picture a perfect world, where everything is just...well, perfect!  Everyone is in great shape and never has to cook because the Society provides perfect, well-balanced meals and a specialized exercise plan.  Everyone finds their perfect mate because the Society collects data on all individuals desiring a family and chooses their perfect match.  No need to be jealous of your neighbor as the Society provides everyone with the same clothes, the same housing units, and keeps any family heirlooms you may have safe and sound in a museum.  Worried about what job you will have?  No problem; the Society takes care of that too, assigning individuals according to personal skill levels. 

There is just one problem:  The Society made a mistake *gasp*.  Cassia was thrilled to find out her best friend, Zander, is her match...only another boy's face pops up on her screen.  Is there more to life than just going along with what the Society believes is best? 


Opinion if you please:  *Disclaimer: I listened to the audiobook, read by Kate Simses.  I believe her careful, articulate reading really brought home the point that this future world is a very cautious, practical place.**

I give it a 4 out of 5.  I'll definitely be continuing this series.

What can I say?  I love a good story on a dystopian future!   Ally Condie creates a world that is quite believable: far into a future where technology became so overloaded, society collapsed upon itself.  Recreated so that you only need the bare minimum to be happy, everyone within the Society happily and willfully complies.  Of course, this may have something to do with the use of force that no longer is needed. 

Some question how we could lose the skill of writing.  Let's think about that...anyone out that find themselves typing WAY MORE than writing by hand?  Recently, state standards have dropped cursive handwriting and replaced it with keyboarding.  Hmm...interesting...

The romance is rather weak, but I get it.  They must be very careful and abide by the rules for fear of endangering their families and each other.  I would have liked to see an uprising happening earlier in the story (such as in Uglies by Scott Westerfeld), but the next two books in the trilogy promise more than dutiful rule-followers.


Extra Info:

Follow Matched Trilogy on Twitter

Check out the Official Website - Got facebook?  The Society will help you find your optimal match. :-)


**I read (actually, listened) this book for the Eliot Rosewater 2012-2013 book selection committee.**