Saturday, June 12, 2010

Weekend Book Club: Matched


Thanks to the Book Fairy delivering another lovely package to my door last week, I got to read an ARC of one of BEA's hot YA titles: MATCHED by Ally Condie.
To be released 30th November this year, this is one intriguing book.
Here's the blurb:
In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It’s barely any price to pay for a long life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one . . . until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path no one else has ever dared follow—between perfection and passion.
Dystopia is hot in YA at the moment and this is the first dystopian novel I've read (apart from George Orwell's 1984 in high school, yonks ago!)
(Dystopia: an imaginary place (usually the future of our world) where people lead dehumanized and often fearful lives; where everything is as bad as it possibly can be.) Yes, I had to look it up when I first heard the term bandied around!
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, particularly the skilful way in which the author weaves snippets of the dystopian world throughout. Nothing is overt, the subtlety adding to the nuances threaded through the story.
The developing relationships between Cassia and Xander/Ky keep the reader turning pages to discover what happens next.
And I dare anyone to reach the end and not wonder 'what happens next?'
What are you reading this week?

6 comments:

Lois said...

First, I know what you mean about a nap. . . would love to take a nap right now, but given that it's almost bedtime, I probably should wait a bit. LOL Anyway, continuing on with rereading, with An Offer from a Gentleman, plus lots o'studying! :)

Lois

Kerrin said...

I'm reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Got it for my birthday - my husband thought i may like it seeing as i love P&P so i'm giving it a go. Personally i think it's a bit sacriligeous, but so far it's surprisingly funny! hilarious seeing how the zombie parts have been interwoven to my favourite classic!
Though i still think it's bad that it has been done at all...:)

Lacey Devlin said...

It sounds really interesting, great cover too. I'm reading Diana Palmer's Tough to Tame.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

When's that studying finishing, Lois, so you can get some serious reading time in? :)

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Think I'm with you, Kerrin, totally sacriligeous!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Diana is such a huge M&B author, Lacey but have to admit I've never read her.

Fill us in when you've finished :)