Origin and release year: United States (2012 – The Selection)
Author: Kiera Cass
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 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. (Kiera Cass Official)
About The Author
The Selection, the first book of The Selection series, author Kiera Cass is an American writer who specializes in YA (Young Adult) fiction.
Check out our other The Selection series articles here: The Elite Book Review
The Selection Book Review
Honestly, this book is not this writer’s usual pick for a read but it got so much hype on literally every social media network that I just bought the whole series because, “Why not?”
It was not a disappointment, The Selection is indeed the page turner that booktok made it out to be. It’s even better to read if you don’t expect too much from it. There’s the caste system, a rebellion, a survival game of sorts (think less Hunger Games and more The Bachelor), and an unrealistic love triangle (no offense to Aspen but why would she choose him over a literal prince, Maxon, after everything he put her though). It had all the cliches of a classic YA fantasy novel and an equivalent amount of thrill.
The fun part of this book is navigating the segregated caste system and the juxtaposing worlds of all of the characters, along with all of the dynamics that ensue due to those differences. We have uppity royals and nobles versus struggling and hanging-onto-hope civilians on the lower caste and then a popularity contest, aka The Bachelor meets Hunger Games, that throws those two worlds together. Not to mention a protagonist who comes from nothing trying to make the best and gain sense of the glitz and glam of royalty.
America is a breath of fresh air as a character. She tends to get trapped in her own pity parties but aside from that she’s stubborn with a strong set of beliefs which draws other characters to her but also makes other characters hate her.
It seems like a lot of people had beef with Aspen’s character existing… Personally, same. If you’re going to write a love triangle then I think it’s important to make us feel conflicted between two likeable characters who we equally want to get the girl – which, in turn, makes the love triangle fun. However, Aspen set himself up as a good for nothing guy when he dumped America because she bruised his ego trying to take care of him. He’s got a fragile ego, he thinks he’s a catch when America is clearly out of his league, and yet you’re going to spend all this ink on having him compete for America’s heart when there is literally an almost perfect prince on the other corner of the triangle? Make it make sense.
Other than the less-than-stellar love triangle and America’s messed up family dynamic the first book of this series is quite good. The Selection was indeed a page turner, it’s an easy read and not very complicated story so it’s quite a quick read, too. There’s nothing overtly complicated about it.
If we have one gripe… Granted that it’s a series but it ends in quite a vague cliffhanger wherein you’re literally forced to read the next book. Which we suppose is the point, but in that case it should at least be satisfactory…
What did you think of The Selection by Kiera Cass? Let us know in the comments!