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.
The Selection by Kiera Cass is the first book in the series that takes place far into the future, the United States no longer exist and the world as we know it now has changed immensely. The Country is segregated into castes the higher the caste the more privileges and higher your standard of living. America Singer is a 5, the only way to increase her status is to marry up in caste (which rarely happens) or to buy your way up. America’s mother and her boyfriend Aspen a 6 talk her into entering the selection in which 35 girls compete to win and marry Prince Maxon. America thinks it’s a terrible idea and has no interest but wants to make her mother and Aspen happy so she enters the competion. When Aspen breaks America’s heart she feels her acceptance into the selection maybe just what she needs to mend her broken heart and give her the space she needs to get over him. America finds herself in a unlikely friendship with the Prince and as her feelings grow for the Prince and she is seen to be one of the favorites early on she becomes increasingly more confused as to her place in the palace and if she really want to be or should be there when some of the girls maybe better suited to be the next princess. And what about Aspen her feelings for him run deep and she can’t forget him as easily as she would like to. I have had this book on my TBR pile for a while and as a general rule I like to read series when they are finished or almost finished as its torture to wait for the next book to come out. I have heard a lot of great things about the book so I thought why not since I had e-copies of both The Selection and The Elite. I have to say I really enjoyed the book it kind of reminded me of the TV show the bachelor, where all these girls are competing for the same guy. America is a feisty girl, she has a quite whit about her as well as temper. The characters are well rounded and none of them are as they seem. I was very interested in the idea of the caste system while it was clearly not working for this country and the kingdom seems to be under attack by the rebel constantly, there is no clear idea why exactly they are being attacked or what the rebels want. While reading this book I enjoyed watching the relationship bud with America and Maxon he is a complex character there is a lot more to him than we see but you get hints of it here and there, he could become a great leader if just given the chance but you get the feeling that he is mostly ignored and there for appearances. I couldn’t wait to dive into the next book the minute I finished.
I give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating
The selection began with 35 girls. Now, with the group narrowed down to the Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's love is fiercer than ever. The closer America gets to the crown, the more she struggles to figure out where her heart truly lies. Each moment she spends with Maxon is like a fairy tale, filled with breathless, glittering romance. But whenever she sees her first love, Aspen, standing guard, she's swept up in longing for the life they'd planned to share.
America is desperate for more time. But while she's torn between her two futures, the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want-and America's chance to choose is about to slip.
The Elite by Kiera Cass is the second book in The Selection series. America is clearly falling for Maxon but she keeps pulling back as she remembers her simple life back home and the feelings she shared with her first love Aspen. The completion is heating up there are only ten girls left and only a few of them are there for the right reasons. America doesn’t know if she is cut out to be a princess she has been a 5 all of her life and the constant attacks by the rebels leave her feeling shaken and scared. With very little information about what is actually happening in their Country and how they came to be in this mess America can’t help but doubt Maxon and feels he isn’t being completely honest with her. She is drawn back to Aspen who is familiar and safe.
I loved that we got to see more of Maxon’s character he is flawed to be sure but he also has a kind heart and has endured a lot under his father’s rein. I like that America shakes things up, the King definitely does not like this girl he won’t even speak to her, while everyone else finds her charming and likeable with the exception of Celeste. America really flops back and forth between her love for Aspen and what is safe and familiar and her feelings for Maxon which is terrifying and new. Every time she thinks she has a grasp on her feelings something happens to shake her up and leave her feeling confused anew. I like that she isn’t perfect, she is kind but not fake she has a temper and is quick to anger but she tries her best in every task they set out for them to not only do things to the best of her abilities but to be fair to her competitors and see the good in them.. America is starting the really question the motives and politics of her country and she still can’t figure out if she can trust the prince in his honesty, as he is holding back as much as she is, and they begin to make a right proper mess of things. I really liked this book I was up till 1:30 am reading just so I could finish it, my only real problem as it is with all unfinished series, I have to wait for the next one to come out SIGH!
I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star rating.