The Selection
(The Selection, #1)
By: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: April 24, 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
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.
America lives in a world where depending on the caste you are born in is the lot you’re dealt. There are 8 castes. 1 being the royal family, and 8 being those who are essentially left to die. America is a 5, which are made up of artists and performers. Her and her family get by but they definitely only make enough to survive. So when the Prince becomes of age for a wife, the Selection begins. Girls from all castes can enter in the hopes of being selected to live in the palace, vie for the Prince’s attention, and ultimately become his wife. After being talked into entering, America is chosen and leaves her old life behind. She doesn’t plan on staying long, however, she also doesn’t plan on becoming friends with the Prince either.
This was an interesting story. I liked that America is a strong character in the sense that she doesn’t back down or cower from those who are from higher castes than she is. She also doesn’t look down on those below her either. Unfortunately, not all the girls who enter feel the same way about their maids. Which manages to grab Prince Maxon’s attention. He quickly realizes that unlike the other girls there, America is neither shallow nor there simply to get the crown. The two of them become close friends and really help each other through the selection process.
I like that the author didn’t make this an insta-love story. In fact, the entire book is of America’s friendship with the other girls, her maids, and Maxon. Sure, considering they are in a dating competition, others view their one-on-one time as romantic outings, they’re really just hanging out and talking about random stuff. It would have been so easy for the author to force the two together, make them kiss, and continue playing her barbie prom fantasy. Instead, the author made the character more real by their friendship and bonds that they build throughout the book.
There were some things that irritated me about the book and that’s America’s constant self-doubt. She was always putting herself down, saying how she wasn’t pretty, whenever she was given a compliment. Sometimes she’d just be in her heard thinking about how not pretty she was. It was a little grating to read over and over again. I’m all for characters having flaws and being normal in the sense of finding flaws within themselves, but her constant put-downs on herself were just annoying and not needed.
This is a good book that mixes some aspects of very light dytopian and The Bachelor. I’m interested to see what happens with America and if she makes it to the top, if she falls in love with Maxon along the way, and if anything ever comes from the rebels and their constant attacks on the palace.
“It’s always the fear of looking stupid that stops you from being awesome.”
Haven’t read this one, but like the sound of it! I thought it would be more like the Bachelor, so like the idea of America and the prince just hanging out and becoming friends instead of the inst-love I can’t stand. Nice review!
Terri @ Alexia’s Books and Such…
The three things I can’t stand in my novels… insta-love, love triangles, and cheating. LoL Cheating gets a straight out “no” and I put it down fast. The other two I will try to read but if my eyes start rolling so hard that I get a headache… I put the book down and walk away. So I was really happy that that wasn’t the case with this book.
If you liked their friendship, I think you’ll really like the rest of the series. At least from what I’ve heard – I personally really hated The Selection, haha. I just hated the love triangle and the fact that Maxon would be dating like, how many other girls at the same time? And I figured a lot of unnecessary drama and miscommunication stuff would come from that.
Good review. I’m glad you liked it for the most part, and that the characters had a growing friendship instead of insta-love. That sounds cool. It would turn me off as well for a character to constantly put herself down. That’s a bit annoying. Thanks for the honest review though. Someday I might get to this one.
I never thought I could be interested in this book. It just didn’t sound like my kind of books…so I just kind of ignored it. But reading your review, I’m actually surprised it isn’t insta-love. I hate that!! Now I might give it a chance, if I can manage all the books I still have to read hehe
Yeah. That’s actually why I didn’t read it for a long time. I can’t stand insta-love but I was in a book funk and decided to add it to my library holding list. I definitely recommend borrowing it from the library though. It was enjoyable read, but I wasn’t blown away enough to recommend shelling out your money for it if you know what I mean 😉
I tried this and it wasn’t really for me, but my blogger friends who’ve enjoyed the series seem really happy with the way everything turned out, so I hope you enjoy the rest of the books!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen at YA Romantics
I like the Bachelor quality to this one. Excited to read it myself soon.
It was a fun and easy read. The characters can get on your nerves at times but it was enjoyable to read.
I have been meaning to read this book for a long time seeing as it is so popular and I have heard so many good things about it! I love the idea of there being friendship as a huge theme in the book even though there is a dating competition going on. It’s just a shame about the main characters attitude to herself.