The Selection

The Selection
By Kiera Cass
Reviewed by Amiya



16-year-old America lived in Illea where life was great. She and her family lived as artist and musicians ranked as 5. America secretly dated Aspen who was ranked a 6 even though her mother stressed her to marry a man of higher rank like her sister. At the end of every week, Aspen would meet America in her tree house in her backyard and talk about their week, when one day America surprised Aspen with a dinner she made using money she had saved up. Aspen got upset once he realized that he wouldn’t be able to care for and treat America the way she deserved so he broke up with her and encouraged her to enter The Selection which is a group of women 16-20 years old competing for Prince Maxon of Illea and the role of the princess.

 Even though mostly all the women in Illea enter to compete only 35 women will be drafted. As a surprise to America and her family, she is drafted. After a week of preparation for the palace went by America gathered at the town hall so that her town could wish her luck while there America spots Aspen holding another girl. Infuriated, America stormed off and got into the limo taking her to the palace when Aspen tried to stop her but he was too late. On the way to the palace, America meets friends like Marlee and Alice and automatic enemies like Celeste.

Once they arrived the competition began all the selected were getting makeovers manicures and pedicures and dyeing their hair and getting fitted for their dresses. When America's turn came she refused to let them cut or dye her natural red hair, put on any nail polish on and only agreed to lite mascara. Later that night America had a panic attack and ran to the royal garden when two guards stopped her until Prince Maxon demanded that the guards let her out from that moment on Maxon and America had a friendship. After hearing America's story Maxon agreed to let her stay until the last possible moment before he had to pick a princess so that her family will continue to get paid compensation. Maxon often picked America up from her room and took her on dates to discuss the other girls and their story to see if they are unfit and should be sent home or just to get to know her better.

 Over time Maxon began to gain feelings for America and one night while hanging out in America’s room he kissed her making her feel special until hearing gossip that he had kissed other girls as well, which made their friendship rocky. Once America finally feels like she has everything under control she finds out that Aspen her ex-boyfriend is a guard at the palace. Afraid to tell Maxon because of the threat he made to punish whoever hurt America she keeps his identity a secret. Not knowing the history between the two Maxon assigns Aspen to guard America’s door at night. A day later Aspen woke America up in the middle of the night and kissed her. Torn between Maxon and Aspen America must decide on who to chose and if she should leave the competition and be with her first love or stay and be with her new love to find out who America chooses read the book.

Strengths of this book are you never get tired of reading it because there's new drama luring you in. And it plays with your emotions making you hate certain characters but fall in love with other ones. I didn’t really feel like there was a weakness to this book but one may be the fact that there a lot of pages in the book and it’s the first book in a three book series and all the books have lots of pages.

In conclusion I think The Selection is a really good book and if you like romantic books or not you should read this book.