Matched by Ally Condie
I first read Matched a decade ago and I remembered enjoying it a lot so I decided to read it to my 13- and 15-year-olds for their bedtime story. Once again I enjoyed it very much. We had many great conversations sparked by the chapter or two we read that day. It was very interesting to discover one of my sons would be okay with being matched if it really did guarantee a successful marriage while my other son was totally against the idea. The book is dystopian, but the Society is presented as utopian. As with any utopian-appearing place it is anything but utopia. That inspired a discussion about how some people see the cracks in the perfect facade while others do not or deliberately overlook them and which type of person they’d want to be. The romance part of the book is sweet and very clean (one of my sons, who enjoys a little romance but gets annoyed if there is too much, was very much a fan of the amount in this book). I love the author’s writing style. I just find it very comforting somehow just in the way she phrases things. The use of a poem to push Cassia to act is very clever (and, back when my older daughter read the series at the same time I originally did, it kind of caused her to become a little obsessed with Dylan Thomas and especially with Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night). I’m glad I decided to reread this book and share it with my boys. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys young adult dystopian.
5 (out of 5) Stars
Books Read in 2022: 19
Pages Read in 2022: 6893
Graphic Novels: 1
Mama Reader 