Author: Kiera Cass
Release Date: April 24th, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 327
Edition: Hardcover
Cover Judge: Big dress! Girl!
Quote Choice: I...I don't know what to say.Source: For Review
Goodreads: Link
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 the palace and compete for the heart of the 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.
So I promised you guys a review for this book because some of you were interested in finding out why I didn't like it! And as I always do with books I don't like, let's make a list!
1. I just don't think America cut it for me, character-wise. She's very nice and....well, nice. That's about it. She's a flat character and not someone that I'd want to slumber-party with*. Plus, I didn't understand the fact that she wasn't willing to go into the Selection because her family would get a better life because of it but decided to enter because her boyfriend told her to? Which brings me to another point:
2. Aspen. What's up, dude? I wish I liked you, really. You're the hottest boy in the village, America preaches to the choir (congregation? You know what I mean.) about you all the time, but really, all I saw was a boy who threw a temper tantrum because she's slightly richer than you. And I mean slightly. She's a five, you're a four. I understand wanting the best for the girl you love, but was that necessary?
3. The plot was probably my biggest problem, to be perfectly honest. I wanted lots of awesome. I mean, you have this game show where a Prince has to pick a girl to marry who's going to be queen. That's a big deal! And then every once in a while they would mention the rebel leaders as if to go: HEY. DON'T FORGET; THERE'S INTERESTING STUFF GOING ON. But you can't know about it; sorry. Which really frustrated me because every scene the rebels were in (and i'm pretty sure it was a total of two), I liked.
4. The contest! When you say a book is like The Hunger Games and then don't give me any like....fights or death, you're setting me up for disappointment! This is like watching America's Next Top Model where everyone's cat-fighting and then watching Australia's Next Top Model where everyone loves each other and give constructive criticism. The mean girl wasn't even that bad! (I'm pretty sure the worst thing she did was like, rip America's dress a little bit. And America's dress was still perfectly fine.)
5. So why did I keep reading you ask? Simple: Maxon and America are cute. Yup, that's what got me to the end. Maxon might not be the world's most interesting character (prince who's supposed to be an asshole but is really the sweetest person alive) but they were sweet enough for me to keep going. It's like when you're reading fanfiction and you know it's predictable but you can't stop reading! Her writing was also very nice, not full of overwrought descriptions or anything like that; clean and simple.
6. Forever Young Adult brought this up and I have to agree: the way Maxon calls the girls 'dear' got kind of creepy after a while.
Happy Reading!
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For Those About To Read
* I feel like there are two types of characters: the ones I'd want to slumber-party with (Sophie, Emerson, Evie) and then the ones I wouldn't want to mess with (Katsa, Saba, Tris)
