Matched and Crossed, by Ally Condie

     

I finished Matched feeling as if it were a cross of the Hunger Games and 1984, with a little of Brave New World mixed in, but not as compelling as any of them. I think part of the reason I didn’t enjoy this book as much was because I chose one guy for the main character, and she picked another. I kept waiting for Cassia to come around and get it, but in the end, I had to come around. It wasn’t a pleasant experience for me.

The pacing didn’t particularly suit me, but the story line was interesting. The way the society uses the things people love to break their citizens was cruel. (For example, Cassia’s father loves books, but his job is to destroy any from the old society that are found.) Ally Condie conveys her love of poetry, art, and the written word throughout the novel. The way this society suppresses the written word (and thus elevates its importance in our eyes) is food for thought.

The three pills (green for calming, blue for nutritional sustenance, and red for only-the-society-knows-what) don’t add up – I thought the author hadn’t thought those through completely. Not so, but you have to read the other books. 

That I didn’t find much compelling in this book made it a loss for me.

I wanted to give the series a second chance because there were so many good reviews of the second novel, Crossed. I really enjoyed it – I found many philosophical questions that drove me to deeper thinking and that will make for good discussion with others who have read the book or enjoy dystopian discussions: the pros and cons of believing or not believing in the power of resistance. The choice between trying to change everything or just making the most of whatever time we have. The question “Is it worth it… to have no choice but to [get incredible, life-changing benefits]?” The problems that come with allowing those we love to make choices for themselves. And then the ultimate choice for Cassia: being able to do the things she always thought she would, or being able to do things she never thought she could.

I’m looking forward to the third novel in the series, which is slated to come out in November.