Dystopian and The Pandemic What do they have in common? The word ‘dystopian’ comes to mind: ‘relating to or being an imagined world or society in which people lead fearful lives. The difference: The last year and a half - real and full of fear. Matched was imagined. Ally's message to her audience, young and old: it's okay to not be okay. Matched, a dystopian young adult novel has been read by a wider readership than the young adult population. The first in a series of three, it has been compared to ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Twilight’.