Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection by: Kiera Cass

Goodreads Synopsis:

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.

Review:

Before reading the synopsis, what really drew me to this book was the amazingbeautifulwonderful cover! I mean, it’s super gorgeous. But after reading the synopsis, I knew it would be a book I would adore.

In the country of Illea, America unwillingly enters The Selection, a competition with 34 other girls, to become Prince Maxon’s new wife and to rule the country. She is prodded my her mother to enter in order for America and their family to experience a better life in a higher caste. America must turn away from her love from home, Aspen, who lives in a caste below her, her family, who she loves dearly, and her life she never wanted to leave. In spite of all she has lost, can she find happiness while competing in the Selection?

America is a really nice girl. Unlike pretty much every girl in Illea, she does not aspire to be Maxon’s wife or to even participate in the Selection in the first place. She is content in her lower caste and loves the idea of one day marrying Aspen, despite his lower caste. She is fiery, and she has no qualms about kicking Princes in the groin, which I found absolutely refreshing. She is definitely unlike any other girl I have read about, and I can see why the whole country of Illea is smitten with her, along with Maxon.

Maxon is my love! He is kind, considerate, soft-spoken, and a total gentleman. America hated the thought of Maxon before she got to know him, but he surpassed and exceeded any preconceived notions American and I had of him. I could tell that he was shy about the whole Selection process, but he did the best he could with what he had to work with. He was super nice to all the girls, and I loved him from the beginning!

Aspen was a different story…I didn’t like him. At first I did, but he was one of those annoying guys that had too big of an ego to let himself be taken care of a bit. He hated whenever America would attempt to give him food or money out of the kindness of her heart! Such a butt. I loved America’s dad; he only wanted what America wanted for herself. America’s mom was the total opposite. She had no concern for what America wanted and bypassed all of her wishes in order to get what she thought was best. MEAN! My favorite character might be May, her sister. She was happy-go-lucky all the time and was a total sweetheart. I could tell how much she looked up to her sister. I have mixed feelings about the girls participating with America in the Selection. Some were totally catty and bitchy, but some were sweet and kind. There’s a good mix of both.

The plot was not very fast-paced or as exciting in the sense of a ton of action scenes but it totally worked with what Cass was writing about. The Selection girls aren’t gonna beat the crap out of each other or the like, but there were some scenes with the rebel army’s that made my blood run cold…creepy. Whatever Cass did, it totally worked. The writing was nice, but the romance stole my heart. It is definitely unconventional, but I loved the development of America and Maxon’s relationship. It started out as a wonderful friendship but them blossomed to more. I didn’t ship America and Aspen at all though. I think that he’s her past but that Maxon is her future. But I still have no idea who she’ll end up with! TEAM MAXON!

The wait for The Elite was killing me, until I was lucky enough to have received an ARC. It was even better than this book, but I can’t say much more! I’ll post a review when the release date gets closer!

Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: With his hand holding my face toward his, Maxon lowered his lips to mine and gave me the faintest whisper of a kiss. Something about the tentativeness of it made me feel beautiful. Without a word, I could understand how excited he was to have the moment, but then afraid at the same time. And deeper than any of that, I sensed that he adored me. So this was what it felt like to be a lady.

Rating: 4.5/5 Tar Heels!