Matched

Matched by Ally Condie

This week when I was at the public library picking out books for this challenge, I came across an old favorite of mine!! Matched by Ally Condie is the first novel of a trilogy. I read this book for the first time when I was 13 year old but it is recommended for ages 11+. I was so excited to reread this book to see if I still enjoyed it as much... and guess what? I DO! This book is perfect for introducing readers to dystopian novels!

Cassia Reyes, the main character of Matched, is a citizen of the Society (as well as everyone else in the novel). Simply put, the Society is synonymous to the government. However, everything in life is decided for the citizens. Where citizens work, who they love, when they die, etc is all decided by the Society. When citizens are 17 years old they attend a Matching Banquet where they will be paired with their lifelong partners. At the beginning of the novel, Cassia is on the way to her Matching Banquet with her best friend Xander. Cassia was matched with two people... Xander and Ky. Ky is one of her neighbors. The day after the banquet, an Official informs Cassia that she is to remain with Xander and forget about Ky.. But what if she is meant to be with Ky? 

I don't want to spoil anything for you, so I am going to stop there. Throughout the novel Cassia begins to challenge the Society. Questions I ask myself at this point in the book are as follows:

• Will Cassia actually forget about Ky?
• What will happen if an Official catches Cassia with Ky instead of Xander?

Matched is a great novel for young adult readers. It keeps you on your toes yet allows you to temporarily experience a dystopian society. I have yet to read the other two novels of this trilogy so those are next on my list! I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do and consider adding it to your list of books for your classroom library!