Review : The Selection by Kiera Cass

Summary (from Goodreads)

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.

Personal Thoughts


When a book has such a pretty cover, you cannot help but be attracted towards it. This was the case with The Selection. Going into this book, I didn't really have any expectations, which is why I believe I truly enjoyed it.

The Selection starts off with the main character, America Singer, receiving a mail informing her that she is eligible to participate in The Selection, which is basically a bride-choosing process for the Prince of Illea. America is very reluctant because she is already in love with someone who her parents would disapprove of, Aspen. Due to the constant pressure of her mother and Aspen, she decides to send in her application. However, what America doesn't expect is to be actually chosen as one of the 35 girls to reach the finals.

America was a great main character according to me. She wasn't exactly the typical  kick-ass or head-strong like most heroines in dystopian novels, but instead she was someone very kind. Her general kindness, sweetness and selflessness was what made her a likable character, in my opinion. I honestly liked the fact that she was willing to actually ruin her life in order to help her family in distress out. Friendly and down-to-earth, America was a very loving character. Throughout The Selection, the reader gets to see the really protective and good-natured side of America when she stood up for others.
However, sometimes, America had difficulties making the right decision. It bothered me a little that she was that confused and I wanted her to make a choice. Overall though, I managed to neglect the confused side of America and actually like her because she was a really nice girl and no one is ever perfect.

When I first read the summary of the book, I was certain that Prince Maxon would be a jerky, rude, spoiled brat kind of guy, but the author completely took me by surprise with her portrayal of Maxon. He was, in fact, the complete opposite of what I was expecting him to be. He was a little awkward, inexperienced, naive and an actual gentleman. It was interesting to really see him waddle through The Selection with all his awkwardness. He was someone who had to bear a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders throughout the book and I really felt for the guy. His warm, supportive and welcoming personality makes him realistic and it's very easy to like his character and I can see why so many readers are Team Maxon.

The romance in the book between Maxon and America was very cute. The reason why I liked it has to be due to the fact that the two start off by being friends. Their friendship was heart-warming and seeing it blossom into something deeper was enjoyable. There was a love triangle in this book and it was pretty much the focus. Before America met Maxon, she was deeply in love with Aspen and he felt the same way towards her as well. However, he eventually breaks America's heart right before she leaves for The Selection. Initially, the reader had no insight on Aspen's personality, but later on in the book when America explains their love to Maxon, we get to see why America fell for him. He seemed like a sweet guy who would do anything for his family. He was a hard-worker, who was even ready to abandon the girl he loved only so she could be happy and prosperous.
It's no secret that I hate love triangles. They have become somewhat overused in YA books. For some reason,though, the love triangle in The Selection actually pleased me and I didn't feel my usual fury towards it. That's most probably because both male character had redeeming qualities and they were a lot similar.  Right now, I don't know with certainty which guy I'm rooting for, but I am leaning towards Aspen.

As for the secondary characters, they were all very well-developed. Each of the 35 girls at The Selection had different personalities and the rivalry that existed between them was quite realistic. I especially liked America's interaction with all the girls. America was also very close with her sibling and although their relationship was only described in the first few pages, I found myself enjoying it.

There is basically no plot in The Selection. It was mostly a description of the whole process and the blossoming relationships between the character. Although it was very lacking in the action department, I really enjoyed the book because it was highly entertaining. My one complaint with this book is the actual world that they are living in. I like to know what the conditions are in dystopian societies, but the world-building in The Selection was low. There were only a few explanations of the caste system, but nothing was really described in depth. This made it quite difficult for me to visualize the society.

Kiera Cass has managed to create a highly original story, in my view. I liked the fact that this book was different in the dystopian section. Her writing was easy to follow and her characters were well-developed.

Overall, The Selection was an entertaining read that had memorable characters, a  sweet romance with a dash of drama. I can't wait to see what the author has in store for us in the second book!

Rating

Cover : 5/5

Plot : 3/5

Characters : 4/5

Writing : 3/5

Big Thanks To HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of this book.