Matched Review + Contest to WIN a copy!
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rage at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
-Dylan Thomas
I have never understood or appreciated poetry until the moment I finished reading Matched by Ally Condie. There is apparently a lot that I, and all of us, don't appreciate. One thing I know for certain is that I will not take this beautiful book for granted. I loved every single moment I spent with it. It left me breathless from the innocent sweetness of a first romance and heartbroken over what could possibly be our very own future as human beings. In this spectacular dystopian novel we are taken to a world where people are controlled by the The Society in order to assure that they live their lives to an optimum efficiency, with as little conflict as possible. They are forced to give up almost everything that makes them individuals and surrender themselves to the science of statistics. This is a cautionary tale about what happens when choices are taken away and how some things really are worth fighting for.
Matched by Ally Condie:
In a world once overrun with chaos, there is now order. The Society keeps that order with strict rules and regulations. They tell you when and what to eat, what to wear, what you will be, when you will die and who you will love. It's is all decided by statistics and it is done for your own good. There is no more disease and everyone gets along with each other. There is no reason not to get along, it would only waste time. Everything has been simplified because too many choices cause confusion and clutter. Citizens are allowed to have one "artifact", or item from the past. Everything else about life is about the future. The Society has managed to selectively narrow everything down to only 100 of each thing. There are 100 songs, 100 poems, 100 books, and so on. The rest has been forgotten. Life is simple and everyone should be content and feel safe. Cassia does. It is her seventeenth birthday and she and her best friend Xander are on their way to their Match Banquet to find out who they will be spending the rest of their lives with. Cassia is excited to meet her perfect mate, and nervous about losing Xander to his. When it is her turn to face the Matching screen, she is thrilled to find out that she has been Matched with Xander. This is the best moment of her life and she knows that this is how it should be. When she is given a card with information about Xander to watch, she knows she doesn't need to see it because she already knows everything about him, but she decides to watch anyway. Her heart nearly stops when the screen fades to black and the face she sees is not Xander's. It is someone else, someone she knows. His name is Ky and from that moment, Cassia can't stop thinking about him. It's supposed to be a mistake, but the more she gets to know Ky, the more she begins to wonder.
As the days pass, Cassia finds herself in a love triangle involving herself, Xander and Ky. She has always loved Xander, but she is falling in love with Ky. How can her heart want both of them? As she questions her own situation, Cassia begins to wonder about the way that things are. She wants to make her own choices, but that is forbidden. You do what they tell you to do and don't ask questions. She has never before thought about what could be, but when she does, she draws attention to herself and now They are watching her. She could put her family and friends in terrible danger if she doesn't fall back in line and follow the rules, but just like the words of the illegal poem that her grandfather gave her, she is not willing to "go gently into that good night". Cassia must decide if she is willing to risk everything for love and freedom.
I really enjoyed Matched and I think I'm in love with Ky. He's such a wonderful character. Gorgeous, emotionally damaged, smart and a real fighter. I would follow him anywhere, but that's not what he would want. He would be more interested in a girl who wanted to lead. Xander is a great guy, too! He's tough, intelligent and also adorable. I can see how Cassia could have been so torn. Don't get me wrong, this is not just a book about a girl pining over two guys, it is a brilliant social commentary that gives so much to discuss. If there is anything I learned from MATCHED, it's that everything is important. Take nothing for granted and savor every moment, every sound you hear, every color you see and every person you know. Remember and revisit the past and take the time to understand the present. Be yourself and not what others tell you to be. It may not be the safe road, but it's probably the right one. This is an amazing book and I can't wait for it to be available for everyone to read (November). I also can't wait for MORE! Please, more!
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Contest!!!!
November is a long wait for this book, but, I happen to have an extra advanced copy that I would LOVE to give to one of you! Here is how you can enter to win it:
It's quite simple! Send an email with your name in it to michellesminions@yahoo.com and please make the subject of the email MATCHED CONTEST. Again, you do not need to include your address. I only need that if you win. This contest is International. The contest runs until SUNDAY, AUGUST 29th. I will randomly choose and notify the winner by 5pm est and post the reslult as soon as I receive confirmation from this person. If I do not get a response within a week, I will choose a new winner. GOOD LUCK!!
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Remember, there are some things in life worth standing up for. Sometimes people are actually looking out for your best interests, but it's up to you to decide whether they are telling the truth or just trying to keep you pacified. Be strong and don't be afraid to be yourself. Pay attention to life and don't become a "zombie".
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<3 Michelle
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