Matched... The Most Intriguing Book I've Read This Year

     As you can probably tell from the title of this blog I have started a new series and am loving it so far!   "Matched" by: Ally Condie is about a society in the future. A higher power thought we were unfit to be living the way we were. They decided that they would start over with a new generation that would be conservative and intelligent. I really like that the novel isn't the same boring apocalypse plot. The author is creative with her writing style and loves to leave the reader questioning what will happen in the next chapter. 
     I have dedicated 1 chapter for every night before I go to sleep. So far I am on page 115. The main character, Cassia is a young lady who has recently been matched with her best friend Xander. In the society, you are rarely matched with someone that you know, let alone your next-door neighbor! It is quite an advantage because this way the two don't have to take time to get to know one another. Cassia is happy that she is matched with her best friend. The night of the matching banquet Cassia and Xander are both give flash drive like devices that they can plug into their computer for a full back ground check on the other person. But, when Cassia goes back to review Xavier's file she gets a different boy's file who is known to be a criminal. Later, Cassia goes with a group of friends to a gaming center where a city official pulls her aside and reassures her that the criminal is not her real match. In the society nobody ever makes mistakes. It is very difficult to make one because everything is set up so geniusly. The officer tells her that Xander is still her true match and that everything would proceed as planned.
     The studies showed that once the average human has reached the age of 80 they have lived a full life. So, in order to have a perfect life you must always die at 80. The medics give you certain medicines that slowly shut down your body so you can die quickly and peacefully. Cassia's grandfather just died 2 weeks ago. It still makes her sick to think that he is gone because they were so close. Before you die each person has their own "last banquet" this is when you invite your friends and family to celebrate your life. At his last banquet, each person in his son's family gives him a present. Bram, Cassia's younger brother gives him a rock from the Arboretum where their mother works. Cassia gives him a letter that has sentiments from the computer printed on. Grandfather tells Cassia that he loves it but also tells her that she needs to express her own originality and use her own words which is not allowed in the society. When the higher power killed off the old generation, they made a council that decided what poems, songs, games and other things they should keep. 100 of each category was kept so the citizens are not allowed to write their own words just print them off a computer program. Grandfather also gives a face compact to Cassia that was her Grandmothers but it has a note in it. 
     I haven't gotten up to the point in the book where she opens it and revels what the note says. I think it will be a letter containing secrets about the society from her Grandmother who was on the council. Or it might be from her Grandfather. As soon as I read up to that point I'll make sure that I report back!