Review: 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.

Review:

From everything I've read about The Selection, people either hated it or loved it as a guilty pleasure. I can definitely say that I fall into one of these categories.

I'm not entirely sure what it is about The Selection that makes it my guilty pleasure. Maybe it's the really simple writing style, the characters that I neither like nor hate, or the fact that by the end I was starting to maybe like Maxon even a little bit.

The Selection was everything simple. A simple world, simple story line, simple characters. And I think that's what I enjoyed the most about it. Although there are many books I can skim read, there aren't many books that I can read every word and still feel like I'm not really reading. I like the mysterious where I puzzle over things, but there are definitely times when I just need that 'food for no thought' novel and it just so happens to be The Selection.

And despite the simple and easy-going nature of The Selection, there was one thing I really disliked about it. Aspen. I honestly think the song "Hot and Cold" by Katy Perry must have been playing in the background when Cass wrote this, because this guy is an idiot. And America would be an idiot to try and have another relationship with him.

There was also one thing I noticed The Selection had that many dystopians don't... Some background information on the world. To be honest, I didn't have much care for the world, but the fact that I know how it came to be the way it is is a plus in my books. There are too many dystopians that don't offer up explanation and that really frustrates me.

All in all, I enjoyed this. As I've said again and again, it was simple and easy. And sometimes, those can be the books that I enjoy the most.

 

Review: 4 stars
Date Published: April 24th 2012
Publisher: HarperTEEN
Source: Bought
Format: paperback
Date Read: June 2012
Page Count: 327
Series/Stand Alone: The Selection #1