What's up?
I hope you had a nice week so far!
Today, I'm back with a new review (who would have guessed?) - enjoy!
Basics
Title:
The SelectionSeries: The Selection series #1
Release Date: April 24th 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
ISBN: 0062059939
Number
of Pages: 336
Genre: dystopian, young adult
What's special? 35 girls are fighting for a prince's heart.
Who will win?
Genre: dystopian, young adult
What's special? 35 girls are fighting for a prince's heart.
Who will win?
Summary
After
a lot of terrible events the state of Illéa was formed.
Illéa's princesses are married off to different royal families abroad but if there's a crown prince 'The Selection' will take place.
35 girls from all castes(if I'm correct) are chosen to live in the palace and fight for Prince Maxon's heart – while all people can watch them on screen.
Every girl would kill for a opportunity to improve their social status – except America Singer.
She loves her life as a Five with her family, her music and her boyfriend Aspen – a Six.
Also, the palace is attacked by rebels quite often.
America decides she has to participate anyway in order to support her family. She just hopes that if she's mean to the Prince, he will sent her home as soon as possible.
Illéa's princesses are married off to different royal families abroad but if there's a crown prince 'The Selection' will take place.
35 girls from all castes(if I'm correct) are chosen to live in the palace and fight for Prince Maxon's heart – while all people can watch them on screen.
Every girl would kill for a opportunity to improve their social status – except America Singer.
She loves her life as a Five with her family, her music and her boyfriend Aspen – a Six.
Also, the palace is attacked by rebels quite often.
America decides she has to participate anyway in order to support her family. She just hopes that if she's mean to the Prince, he will sent her home as soon as possible.
But
then she meets Maxon and starts falling for him. Will she be able to
forget the boy who broke her heart and be with her Prince or does
Aspen showing up make her turn away from her newfound lover?
My Opinion
Well,
well, the agony of choice.
While reading this book, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Why did I rate it 3 stars then, you ask?
I've read this book about two months ago (I know this review is laaate) and between then and now I've read a whole bunch of other amazing books which made me question my 4 star rating, which I gave 'The Selection' before.
The enthusiasm about this book decreased considerably. Still, I will read The Elite because I got it for Christmas and I don't want my parents to spend money for nothing.
Another reason why I reduced the rating was that the author was really mean onTwitter to the Goodreader Wendy.
I actually wanted to read this since it came out.
The cover is so appealing and the summary sounded quite good, too.
I don't know why I haven't picked it up until November last year.
While reading this book, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Why did I rate it 3 stars then, you ask?
I've read this book about two months ago (I know this review is laaate) and between then and now I've read a whole bunch of other amazing books which made me question my 4 star rating, which I gave 'The Selection' before.
The enthusiasm about this book decreased considerably. Still, I will read The Elite because I got it for Christmas and I don't want my parents to spend money for nothing.
Another reason why I reduced the rating was that the author was really mean onTwitter to the Goodreader Wendy.
I actually wanted to read this since it came out.
The cover is so appealing and the summary sounded quite good, too.
I don't know why I haven't picked it up until November last year.
What
I disliked most about this book was the main character.
America is just such a Mary Sue. All the girls around her just took part in the Selection so they would be in a better caste, have more money or have beautiful Maxon as a husband but America, America's only there for the food. She doesn't care about his status at all. She says what she thinks and is – ugh, so much better. She's more grown-up, funnier, prettier, not so clingy, kinder, calmer in face of rebels, still passionate and, oh, she speaks three languages and plays a bunch of instruments. I thought she was poor?
She doesn't really have any flaws – except maybe deciding.
On one hand there's Maxon who cares about her opinion and tries to make her happy with privilegs or gifts.
On the other hand we have Aspen. He talks her into stuff she doesn't want to do and thinks she can't decide for herself what's best for her.
Such a hard choice.
And as far as I know it really is – for America. I'm not a big fan of love triangles. In the end everybody gets hurt.
I like books where it's just: I love you. You love me. Let's kiss.
But I have to admit there's one sentence by America I really loved:
“No, I’m not choosing him or you. I’m choosing me.”
There were only two scenes, I think, where I really thought 'You go, girl'. One was the upper one, the other one is this one:
'Good. Some help. Girls, you will immediately get to the water stores in the back and begin serving refreshments to the royal family and the ladies. Get going, now.' Silvia commanded.
'No.' I turned to Anne and gave her my first real order. 'Anne, please take some refreshments to the king, queen, and prince and then come join me.' I faced Silvia. 'The rest can fend for themselves. They chose to leave their maids alone, they can get their own damn water. Mine will be sitting with me. Come, ladies.'
America is just such a Mary Sue. All the girls around her just took part in the Selection so they would be in a better caste, have more money or have beautiful Maxon as a husband but America, America's only there for the food. She doesn't care about his status at all. She says what she thinks and is – ugh, so much better. She's more grown-up, funnier, prettier, not so clingy, kinder, calmer in face of rebels, still passionate and, oh, she speaks three languages and plays a bunch of instruments. I thought she was poor?
She doesn't really have any flaws – except maybe deciding.
On one hand there's Maxon who cares about her opinion and tries to make her happy with privilegs or gifts.
On the other hand we have Aspen. He talks her into stuff she doesn't want to do and thinks she can't decide for herself what's best for her.
Such a hard choice.
And as far as I know it really is – for America. I'm not a big fan of love triangles. In the end everybody gets hurt.
I like books where it's just: I love you. You love me. Let's kiss.
But I have to admit there's one sentence by America I really loved:
“No, I’m not choosing him or you. I’m choosing me.”
There were only two scenes, I think, where I really thought 'You go, girl'. One was the upper one, the other one is this one:
'Good. Some help. Girls, you will immediately get to the water stores in the back and begin serving refreshments to the royal family and the ladies. Get going, now.' Silvia commanded.
'No.' I turned to Anne and gave her my first real order. 'Anne, please take some refreshments to the king, queen, and prince and then come join me.' I faced Silvia. 'The rest can fend for themselves. They chose to leave their maids alone, they can get their own damn water. Mine will be sitting with me. Come, ladies.'
I'm
quite curious about these attackers, tho. Why do they attack that
often? Where are the effing guards of the palace? Why don't they do
at least a halfway decent job?
Then
there's Marlee and – at least I think so – it's quite obvious why
she acts so strange.
Why doesn't America coun't two and two together?
Why doesn't America coun't two and two together?
As
for the reality part of the book, there's not a lot in there. Like,
we have an interview and maybe two scenes with cameras but that's it.
I expected a lot more pressure and staged scenes!
Rating
3
out
of 5
stars
That's it for today!
What did you think of The Selection?
Tell me in the comments!
See you soon,
Franzi
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