Matched by Alli Condie is a brand new book in the Cosby Library. I had an opportunity to read it over the weekend and really liked it. This is what one blogger, Sweet Reader, had to say about the book:
I recently just finished the book Matched by Ally Condie. It’s a fiction/fantasy type book, and even though I don’t usually like fantasy, I did enjoy reading this. The story line is about a future society, where the officials decide what you do, who you love, when you die, where you live, etc. The story begins when a teenage girl, Cassia (pronounced Cash-a), has her match banquet, which is when you find out who the officials have chosen for you to marry. Cassia ends up being matched with her childhood best friend, Xander (pronounced Zan-der). Cassia and Xander are quite happy with their match, but when Cassia gets home and looks in her match box, there is a second person that is matched with her too. This other kid is Ky (pronounced K-ie), another person Cassia knows from school, and from her neighborhood. Ky has always been the mysterious one, and when he pops up in the box with Xander, Cassia is confused, and doesn’t know what to do. Luckily, an officer comes to her the next day and tells her that it was all a misunderstanding and an accident, and that she is really just matched with Xander. Cassia still seems to be intrigued by Ky, and when they do the same summer hiking activity, she starts to fall in love with him. Soon, together they are writing and reading poetry, two things that they aren’t allowed to do in their “society”. Cassia feels like she has to be with Ky, even though she isn’t permitted to. One day, the officials come to get Ky, and move him to an outer province to work. Everyone knows that really in the outer provinces, there is a war, and that they are taking Ky to start to fight in it. Cassia is extremely upset, and causes a scene while running down the street when he’s leaving. the whole street of people are upset about where Ky is going, and the officials make them take a pill to erase their memory about Ky being harshly ushered away. Cassia and Xander are the only two who remember it. In the end, Xander approaches Cassia and tells her to go after Ky, but come back for him when/if it doesn’t work out. The end doesn’t really tell you if she finds Ky, or if she ends up with Xander. I enjoyed it, although some of the chapters seemed a little predictable. I would suggest it if you like fantasy, but also if you like just regular fiction.
