July 2, 2012

Review of The Selection by Kiera Cass

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.

 

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Publish Date:  April 24, 2012

Publisher:  HarperTeen

It’s the Bachelor meets the Hunger Games in author Kiera Cass’s novel The Selection.  I’ll admit that the only reason I showed any real interest in the novel was because I knew that it was going to be made into a TV show, but I am more than glad that I read the novel.  Seriously, if I could sum up how much I enjoyed the novel it would be used in the sentence: This is so good it made my brain cry!  Seriously, everything about the novel somehow fit into my idea of a perfect fantasy world; A lottery.  A feisty female main character.  Prince charming and a dystopian land to top it all off!!—it’s a princess story for teenagers (or grown-ups depending on your age group) and a series that I personally think everybody should keep an open eye for.

The Selection is a story about main character, America Singer, who lives in a dystopian world after world war three where a person’s worth is decided by their caste.  The caste system goes from 1 to 8 (one being the highest, eight being the lowest) and I have to admit that I found myself comparing it a lot to the Hunger Games district system. As much as I loved the novel, I hated that my brain kept on saying “Oh hey! That’s like in the Hunger Games.”  But talking to myself aside, America ends up putting herself into a lottery to be picked as a contender in the Selection, a competition between 34 girls who compete for Prince Maxon’s affections and the title of princess.

And the tiara. I would want the tiara.

As the story unfolded, I was surprised at the way Cass just threw us into the romance between Aspen and America.  The whole star-crossed lovers scenario was one that I found interesting, considering that America and Aspen want to get married but marrying Aspen would mean a bad life for America (different castes, they hurt us all).  I’ll admit that I wanted the story to hurry up and get to all of the fairy tale goodness and I was shocked to read that the story was nothing like I believed it to be.  The girls in this competition are ruthless, especially the wicked Celeste who I personally despise.

The one thing about the novel that I think all readers will enjoy is the relationship between Maxon (excuse me, Prince Maxon) and America.  Not only was every interaction put in place between them adorable, but laugh out loud hilarious especially when America ends up kneeing the prince in the groin.  The one thing that I hope Cass will expand on in future novels is the love triangle between Aspen, Maxon and America. I also really want to see who Maxon chooses to win the Selection. I’m dying to know!

I would recommend this novel to fans of the Hunger Games, dystopia, and to readers who want to try something romantic but not too romantic. Sit back and enjoy the brain crying goodness.

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