Congratulations and welcome to the Selection!
You have been randomly selected as the representative of your province to vie for the love and affection of our Prince Maxon, in the hopes of becoming his wife, the future queen of Illéa. You will join the other 34 selected young women, ages 16-20, and will reside in the royal castle in Angeles, until the time that you are either dismissed or chosen to be the One.
America Singer has been chosen as the representative of Carolina. Her mother is ecstatic. America only agreed to enter her name in the hopes of providing a better future for her family. Each week she remains in the castle, her family receives compensation. America wants to stay only to help them and for the wonderful royal dinners, of course.
What she didn’t expect was Prince Maxon. He is a kind, generous young man. America is upfront with him, explaining that she isn’t in the competition for the crown and that she can’t possibly love him. Her heart belongs to someone else; someone who ultimately broke it. America and Maxon form a friendship. She is brutally honest with him, which Maxon appreciates. Maxon says he will keep America in the competition for as long as possible.
Who will Maxon select? Could America really be the One?
Why I picked up the book: I love the cover. It is also a 2014-2015 Soaring Eagle nominee.
Why I finished it: I couldn’t put it down. I love a good romance, as well as some junkie reality tv, so this is a perfect combination. I want to know who Maxon will choose.
Some of the girls in our book club would have preferred that this book be longer and span the whole Selection process, rather than being dragged out into a trilogy.
The book was billed by publishers as the Hunger Games meets the Bachelor and most of us didn’t really see that. So it was very interesting and insightful to read an interview with the author where she explains her thought process and being inspired by Esther (of the Bible) and Cinderella.
Readalikes: Readers who want to continue the story will want to read The Elite, The One, and The Heir. Cass has also written short stories in the same world: The Prince & The Guard, as well as the upcoming Happily Ever After: Companion to the Selection Stories [The Queen & The Favorite].
Fans might also enjoy Delirium (series) by Lauren Oliver, The Hunger Games (series) by Suzanne Collins, Legend (series) by Marie Lu, Divergent (series) by Veronica Roth. It also reminds me of The Princess Diaries (series) by Meg Cabot.
Want to read it? Click here to place the book on hold!
Review by Jenn, YA Librarian
******EXTRA, EXTRA******
Check out these fun videos from Epic Reads and Kiera Cass related to the Selection
http://youtu.be/bWZoh6OCveI