** spoiler alert ** 
 I've heard a lot of mixed reviews for this book. I got around to buying it during the very beginning of this year. I was really excited, because of all the hype surrounding it. The premise sounded interesting, and I like distopian, so why not? 
 In terms of plot, I liked the whole idea of a world where you're Matched with someone, given a bit of information about them, and alowed to meet later. I also liked the tablets that the citizens had to carry around - it left me wondering what in the world the red one did. 
 I found it somewhat difficult to connect to the chracters. I did like Cassia, and I like how she came to realize that her society might not be as perfect as everyone thinks it is. But I didn't really understand why she was so into Ky, other than his status as an Abberation. I mean, if I was her, that would make me curious, too, and I would definitely want to learn how to write by hand if all I knew was typing (which would really stink, by the way). But I didn't care for how easily she dismissed Xander after so easily accepting that someday they would me married and have children. I did like Xander for the most part, and I felt bad for him being the third wheel. But again, I wasn't as connected to the characters as I would have liked to be. The only exception was Cassia's Grandfather, and he was gone pretty early into the book. 
 I have to say, however, that I adore Ally Condie's writing style. The words are almost like poetry in the way they weave together, and sometimes I re-read paragraphs just to marvel at the way they were written. 
 The pacing of Matched was slow. 
 The reason I know this for a fact is because while I was reading it, my mind wondered to other things quite a few times and I had to force myself to focus on the story. This is a rare thing for me - ususally a book can completely take my mind off reality and transport me into new worlds and realms. But this was . . . hard to focus on. And when I did manage that feat, I almost constantly thought, "This is kinda interesting, but I'm a little bored . . ." 
 I did like the ending. It was the redeeming quality of this novel that will make me pick up the sequel eventually. 
 I give this book 2.75/5 stars because I was interested enough to want to know what happens, because the writing was beautiful, and because I might feel differently about the characters in later books.