Book Review: The Selection

The Selection by Kiera Cass
Grade: B+
Summary: 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 Good: Let me start off by saying I adore the cover.  The dress is gorgeous, and the mirrors make this stunning.  America is a fun character.  I like how her relationship with Maxon developed, how she started off as just wanting to be his friend and help him choose the perfect girl.  Maxon was awesome, too.  He was willing to keep America around to help her family, but I also think he was falling for her all along, too.  I enjoy the mystery of Marlee having a secret (I have my theories as to what it might be), and Kriss actually became an enjoyable character.  I enjoyed trying to piece together where each province is and where the capital is (I think the capital is modern-day Los Angeles).  The book felt so contemporary, unlike most dystopian novels.  Also, the way Kiera Cass started the book was great.  She jumped right into the story and did a bit of explaining as she went along, although some things are still a mystery.  It's very much a habit to start with explaining your story's environment, and it's a hard habit to break, so I applaud Kiera for this.

The Bad: However, the beginning felt just a wee bit stereotypical-America not wanting to send in the application, her mother being all excited over it, her dad wanting her to do it but yet not... There's a love triangle, and that can always be a bit annoying.  I know exactly who I want America to choose, and I've heard she gets a bit wishy-washy in The Elite, so it'll be interesting to see if I like The Elite as much as I like The Selection.

The Ugly: The romance got a little too passionate at times for me.  I don't remember any foul language that crossed the border between PG and PG-13.  There isn't much bad language, period, that I remember.

Overall, I definitely recommend The Selection.  It's a good read and one of its few problems was that it was too short!!!  Honestly, I think Kiera could write all three books (The Selection, The Elite, and The One) as one 700-page book and I would love it even more.