Kiera Cass
HarperTeen
April 2012
3/5
Quotes:
"True love is usually the most inconvenient kind."
"No, I'm not choosing him or you, I'm choosing me."
"It's always the fear of looking stupid that stops you from being awesome."
"I hope you find someone you can't live without, I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to live without them."
"America Singer, one day you will fall asleep in my arms every night. And you'll wake up to my kisses every morning."
This series has been extremely popular since it was first released. I never had a huge interest in reading it, but I was curious to find out what the hype was all about. In some ways, the book is disappointing, but in others it's an addicting and well-written novel.
It's difficult for me to describe this plot, so I'm just going to get it right from Goodreads:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.
I think the biggest letdown for me was America and Aspen. Cass spends so much time on the relationship that they had before she leaves to join The Selection. I just didn't enjoy how much the past affects her time with Prince Maxon. I get that there needed to be some obstacle between the two being together, but it drags on much longer than necessary. I wanted to know more about the other girls with America in The Selection. I feel like not enough time is spent on allowing these characters to develop.
At the end of the day though, Prince Maxon is a great and naturally, a charming love interest for America. I like how the relationship starts out as a friendship and slowly but surely starts to buildup. Prince Maxon hasn't been around girls much, so spending time with America gives him the chance to spend some quality time with one. I enjoy the tension between the two and how innocent the relationship starts out as being. I'm not even going to mention the relationship between Aspen and America because it really bothered me and made me realize just how much I hate love triangles.
Love triangles aside, the romance in this book was sweet and meaningful. Even though she was wishy washy and more than a little bit irritating at times, America was a firecracker who made the book really fascinating. I enjoyed seeing things through her perspective and learning more about her and her experiences while staying with the Prince. Since it is a competition that also happens to be a reality show with the main objective to be marrying the Prince, there is a Bachelor level element to the story. Don't be fooled though, this has much more substance and general plot to it. The book has also been compared to The Hunger Games since it takes place in a dystopian world, but I saw few similarities between the two. In my mind, The Selection is an original book that is difficult to point down once you start reading it.
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