Matched by Ally Condie

Matched (Matched #1) by Ally Condie
Release Date: June 2nd 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Add it: Goodreads
Overall: ♥♥♥

Normally I find it so easy to give a longer, more detailed summary of a novel than the synopsis on the back, however I think the words on the back of Matched tells the reader what it's about perfectly .
"On her seventeenth birthday, Cassia meets her match. Society dictates he is her perfect partner for life. EXCEPT HE'S NOT." Yeah. That's it. That's basically a perfect sum up of the entire plot.

Now, I don't have a major problem with the writing, or the premise or anything like that because that's what so many Dystopians are like these days, that hell, I'm used to it now. But looking back, I think I have the same problem with Matched as I did with Delirium by Lauren Oliver; it was nice and easy to read but nothing happened.

I hate reading books where I know something is going to happen - the character experiences a minor conflict that you just KNOW is going to turn into a really predictable shitstorm for them, but this didn't even happen! When I thought some shit was finally going to go down, it just didn't. I would have preferred a predictable shitstorm to boring. I admit though, it kept me interested enough to keep reading (and I have been TRYING to finish Fifty Shades of Shit, but I just can't, it's giving me a headache, so this was a wonderful break) and I found myself getting fairly emotional in some parts. I think the major problem was the overall plot - girl falls in love with boy who she isn't supposed to fall in love with. This whole concept to me is just kind of, "meh" and I love plots that aren't soley driven my romance, I like a bit of action, mystery or suspense thrown in there somewhere too. Although I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the last 30 or so pages, I nearly even shed a tear :(

The characters were likable and I loved seeing how much Cassia grew throughout the novel. As a heroine, she isn't one I've fallen in love with but I have a feeling that as the series progresses, she'll get more badass and just overall awesome. One thing I loved about Cassia's character was how her sensitivity was written. Too often, we see MCs written as sensitive but in a whiny, bitchy and annoying way but Cassia was perfect for me as I found I could relate to her. Her conflicting emotions, her love for her family and friends and how she handled situations with calm but had something completely different going on inside her head was something I adored.
As for Xander and Ky, I don't have much of an opinion on them at the moment but I must say, Ky's family breaks my heart into pieces. **spoilers on Goodreads**. I am looking forward to see how these two characters are further developed in Crossed :)

This is probably also a bit twisted of me, but one of my favourite characters was CASSIA'S OFFICIAL. OMG. I LOVED her characterisation.

The writing wasn't absolutely OHMYGODTHISISFUCKINGBEAUTIFUL but it was very well written and I loved the fact that Cassia got to the point and that there were no huge info dumps or unescessary scenes! It was nice to read about things that were necessary to the plot (what I thought there was anyway) rather than dribble about how some insignificant character's hair was the colour of chestnuts. (Seriously, THIS WAS AWESOME!)

It could be that I recently read it, but I couldn't help but compare this to Juno of Taris. It's the same sort of Dystopian, where EVERYTHING is controlled; from the food they eat to the activities they do in their spare time. But I feel that Matched could have been a little more engaging and have more of a solid story (like Juno of Taris, oh you should read that!) and I would have liked Cassia to have a stronger voice - there was *too* much focus on romance for me.

Okay, let me leave you with two quotes that just broke my heart into a million pieces because god, they are *so* true... *cries*

"It is one thing to make a choice and it is another thing to never have the chance"

"Is falling in love with someone's story the same thing as falling in love with the person himself"

Don't forget to check out my Stacking the Shelves post :) Let me know what books you got this week!