Matched
Book Review- By: Ally Condie
The Match Banquet
At the beginning of Matched Cassia, is heading to her matching banquet. This is when 17 year old's get matched with the person they have to spend their rest of they're life with. Also, they have no choice on who they chose. Cassia was with her best friend, Xander getting ready for the match banquet. They were excited, and Cassia was nervous. When they got there with their families, there were different tables to sit at and a lot of food. At a match banquet, they call the girls names then tell them who their match is. Then they get a silver box with information about their match on it. After a while, it was finally Cassia turn. The Officials, ( are the ones who run the Society. ) called, "Cassia Reyes" and she stood up. The screen that should show her match was blank, then they called, "Xander Carrow." Cassia was matched with someone from her same district! That is rare to happen, but isn't it weird that she got matched with her best friend?
After the Banquet
When Cassia, her mom, and dad got home Bram, Cassia's little brother, asked who Cassia got matched with. She replied, Xander. Bram was surprised, Cassia said it would be like if Bram got matched with one of their neighbors. He thought that would be weird. The next day, Cassia looked at the micro-card that was in the silver box that held information about Xander. It started by showing Xander's face. But, then it changed, there was a different face on the micro-card!
Ky Markham
The other face was also someone who Cassia knew, it was Ky Markham another boy in their grade. Once Cassia and her friends had free time they went to a game center. When they were there an Official came up to Cassia and asked her to talk. They went outside and the Official asked if anything was wrong, but she already knew that there was. Cassia didn't know what to say. The Official continued, and ask if Cassia saw a different face on the screen. Cassia said yes and added that she also knew who it was, it was Ky Markham. The Official looked confused, then she said that wouldn't be possible. Now Cassia was confused. Then the Official said that Ky wouldn't be able to be matched, he was an aberration. Cassia was stunned, but the Official added that she could tell her family or Xander. She asked the Official if she could tell her grandfather because he was turning 80 tomorrow. The Official said yes but no one else.
Grandfather
Grandfather was turning 80 soon, that means he would die soon. In the Society when you turn eighty it is time to die. But, the Society think that they can find a way to bring each person back to life. It was a day before grandfather turned 80, and Cassia came to visit. She told him all about what happened. Grandfather knew what she meant, he felt bad. Soon, Cassia had to go home. The next day Cassia and her family had to get ready for Grandfather's final banquet. When they got there each member of the family had brought grandfather a present, Bram brought a rock near the Hill and Cassia brought a letter full of poetry. Before they left grandfather asked if Cassia had brought the compact that he gave her. Cassia gave it to him to look at one last time. He opened up a part of the compact and took out a piece of paper. On the paper there were poems. But, in the Society you are not allowed to have poems, so Cassia will have to destroy them.
Hiking
Hiking soon became an after school activity. Cassia signed up for it, and so did Ky. The first time that they hiked, Cassia decided to look at the poems while she was alone. Soon, Ky passed her but she didn't notice. When she finished hiking, she saw Ky had passed her. He said that he will teach her how to write if Cassia tells him some of the poems. So every time after they hiked they shared with each other. But, a time came when Cassia had to depose of the poems, so she wouldn't be caught. Ky and Cassia soon started to fall in love, even though Cassia was supposed to like Xander.
The End
Cassia had to take a test to see what job she would have when grows up. She became the highest ranked out of the whole year. An Official said she should try to sort people, for their jobs. So she went to a place, and there were aberrations working. They had to poison the food for elders that turned 80. Then Cassia saw Ky, she thought that he deserved a better job so she sorted him to a different job. The next morning, she heard screaming. Her and her family went outside. There was Ky, tied up and being taken away. His aunt was screaming. Cassia had sorted him to go to war! Soon Xander's family came out. Ky was fighting to get out, and everyone else was watching in horror. After the Officials took him away, everyone who was watching had to take their red tablet. The red tablet made them forget what happened in the last few hours. Except, Cassia smashed hers with her foot and pretended to eat one. She decided to go find Ky and save him.
Read the next book "Crossed"