Matched by Ally Condie

So this is the book everyone was buzzing about at BEA this year. It's name just seemed to be in the air everywhere I went. And I made it a point to sit in on the Dystopian Lit panel and the YA Buzz panel, both of which featured the delightful Ally Condie with her new novel Matched. And she really was delightful. One of my most memorable moments from the entire conference was listening to her describe the origins of a scene in the book, which included her chaperoning a high school prom in which a boy proposed to his girlfriend on the steps of the building. Needless to say, it was a sticky situation for the chaperons as they weren't sure whether to be happy for them or to jump in the middle and yell, "You're making a big mistake!" We in the audience had a good laugh at that one. So it was with great anticipation (and not a little fear) that I cracked open Matched a few nights ago. Whenever the hype surrounding a book is built up so high, I find myself afraid to start it for fear it won't measure up and then the sadness will set in and who needs that, right? But look at that cover. I mean, wow. Dutton can package a book, can't they? The truth is I was simply not up to resisting a dystopian novel with that cover.

Cassia Reyes is about to attend her Match Banquet. All her life she's waited for this evening--the night the Society would reveal her Match. This person will be her partner in every sense of the word. Over time they will be allowed to court, along approved guidelines and with proper supervision (of course), they will receive jobs in their assigned professions, they will marry and produce healthy, strong children. In the words of the Society, they will achieve optimal results in life. Cassia is giddy with anticipation. What will he look like, this face that will appear before her on the computer screen? Will she like him? Will he like her? Was the beautiful green dress she chose the right choice for the occasion? And then, suddenly, all her questions are answered (and fears allayed), when her best friend Xander's face shows up on the screen. It almost never happens--being matched with someone you know. Everyone is surprised and pleased for Cassia and her family. Such luck to already know and care about the person you will spend the rest of your nice, neat life with. Cassia is happy and so is Xander. Then she logs into her computer at home to read more information on her Match and a different face appears. A different boy in place of Xander. And she knows this boy as well. This Ky Markham, with his serious eyes and closed face. Cassia's mind is immediately sent into a spiral of panic. What has happened? Which boy is her real Match? The Society never makes mistakes. Does it?

It really is a great idea. The whole setup is absolutely full of potential and I love the world Ally Condie has created. The atmosphere is appropriately stifling, made even more chilling because none of the characters are aware they are being so clearly and methodically oppressed. I liked how I felt immediately angry on their behalf. And how I felt sick to my stomach at a few of the so-called Society's methods of creating and ensuring such idyllic lives for its citizens. But the thing is, I would have felt that way on behalf of anyone. It wasn't these characters specifically that moved me. I kept wanting more from Cassia. I know she was just barely waking up to the realities of her life and her place as a cog in the wheel, but she never felt very distinct to me. Like the fluff of the cottonwood tree, she is borne here and there on the wind. And I wanted her stronger, more vibrant. Ky was clearly supposed to be different and Cassia (and the reader) picks up on that. But, honestly, their connection never felt like it reached its potential. It felt like another case of me being told these characters were a certain way, but the reality of those "ways" never punched me in the gut the way they really have to if I'm going to care about them in any meaningful, lasting manner. In the end, it felt like I was reading a prequel to the main event. And, while there is nothing wrong with a strong setup, it does help if there is some form of crisis and action in a book--even the first book in a trilogy. See The Hunger Games. Speaking of which, that book crouched over my shoulder while I was reading this book, their similarities hard to discount. Xander the golden boy, Ky the outsider, Cassia caught in the middle. The writing itself was very clear and precise and I appreciated that to an extent. But the preponderance of short sentences actually began to wear. And I know that, too, was representative of the oppression and Society, but it felt forced to me, rather than natural. As though it was trying so hard to create an effect, but I couldn't see past the effort to the effect behind the words. I wanted to love Matched. But I ended up merely lukewarm in the end. Perhaps things will pick up with a vengeance in book two. But not caring about the characters themselves will prove a difficult hurdle for me to overcome. Others will not feel the same way though. And I feel certain Matched will find itself a loyal and appreciative readership. Just not me. Matched is due out November 30th.

Linkage
Amy Reads Review
The Compulsive Reader Review
The Cozy Reader Review
Laura's Review Bookshelf Review