References to violence are minimal. The Society is at war in the distant Outer Provinces, but in Cassie’s world that’s the stuff of occasional rumor. There are some references to villagers killed in the Outer Provinces, and one story of a boy who was murdered. Citizens are poisoned so they’ll die peacefully on their 80th birthdays.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
It's hard not to be an obedient child in the Society, but Cassie stands out as a good kid: She loves her family, she wants to be a productive worker, she enjoys her friends, and she appreciates her life. Likewise, her rule-breaking is rooted in a desire to do right in the world. The other characters are equally admirable. Xander, in particular, manages to fiercely support Cassie even as she falls in love with another.
Positive Messages
a lot
Clear message about the cost of blindly following unjust rules -- and the dangers of surrendering personal freedoms to a hyper-controlling government.
Educational Value
some
The book may prompt some discussion about our relationship to technology, and what is lost in the name of progress. The Society saved 100 great works in different genres: music, art, books, etc. Readers who aren't familiar with the specific works mentioned might be interested in checking them out.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this absorbing page-turner is a classic dystopian tale. Its heroine is a model daughter and citizen who begins to suspect the pursuit of perfection comes with too steep a price. While there's danger and romance here, there's not very much violence or sex. Instead, it encourages readers to think long and hard about their relationships -- to people, to technology, and to authority -- and could lead to some spirited debates about how to best balance personal freedoms and government control. Parents and teens who read this book together will certainly find a lot to talk about.
While I do think that a 10 year old could read this book I wouldn't recommend it to them sense there is some more adult things that they wouldn't understand.
I was sooo disappointed by this book! I went into it thinking it would be good. At the start it was really good and then it just got boring. I hate the romance. I don't get why she would fall in love with Kye after only meeting with him once a week for like less than two months when she had Zander a perfectly good guy right in front of her. This book a so much potential but was just not good.
In my opinion, the book was pretty boring. The plot wasn’t complex and moved along fast. I expected it to be a thrilling romance, but there was really not that much romance and it wasn’t too thrilling.
What's the Story?
Cassie has never doubted the choices of the Society, which decides what she eats, whom she'll love, where she'll work, and even when she'll die. She's thrilled to learn she’s to marry Xander, her best friend. But then why does the face of her neighbor, Ky, flash on her Match microcard instead? The Officials tell her it was a rare mistake, but a tiny seed of doubt is planted. And as she grows to love Ky, she begins to see the darker truths of the Society. She embarks with him on a risky, dangerous path -- with the Society watching their every move.
MATCHED invites comparisons to The Giver and Brave New World, and some science fiction fans may rightly complain that it’s derivative. But most teen readers will agree that author Condie has crafted a fine addition to the genre. Her characters are complex and surprising; even the peripheral characters carry real weight. Cassie’s awakening -- to the harm caused by the Society, to love, to the complexity of the adults who have raised her -- feels authentic. As Cassie’s relationship with Ky deepens, so do her relationships with her parents, her brother, and even Xander.
This could easily turn into just another hand-wringing love triangle, or a ho-hum story of teen rebellion. Instead, it's a great coming-of-age story, one that encourages readers to think long and hard about their relationships -- to people, to technology, and to authority. There are just enough details about the Society to tell the story, making it pretty light as far as sci-fi goes -- so this will appeal to readers who don't consider themselves fans of the genre normally. Overall, it's a terrific start to the planned trilogy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of dystopian novels. What makes them appealing as a setting for teenage characters? Why do you think they are particularly popular right now?
Is it important to read stories about our possible futures? How could a book like this affect the choices we make in the present?
Does a future government like the Society seem plausible to you? What do you think might promote or discourage this kind of a future?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Darienne Stewart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
