BOOK REVIEW
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this series but I was very sweetly surprised!!
The minute I picked it up I was soo intrigued I couldn’t put it down.
The best way I could describe it is like the Hunger games crossed with the Bachelor!!
The Series is set in the future in a world where society is sanctioned by castes (a hierarchy system that dictate the type of jobs & levels in society). In the midst of uprise between the castes, The King announces the annual Selection, where all young women can enter for a chance to marry his son, the Prince.
In a whirlwind of a glitz and glamour, America is whisked away from the small town comforts she called home. Vying for attention of the Prince, which she never wanted to begin with. A love triangle between Aspen & Prince Maxon ensures with all the angst, drama and hysterics an episode of the bachelor would ensue.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in the series. They were young, fresh and inspiring. I found the writing style a little juvenile at times, if I had to describe it, I’d say it’s incredibly similar to All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Which I’m sure my high school self would have completely fawned over! But reading it now, felt a little tedious at times.
I will say all the girls names in the contest where hard to keep up with, it felt like I was just reading name after name at the beginning and they still confuse me slightly, as the story goes on.
I was impressed how despite there being a only a small element of danger/battle how well there was intrigue in the story, the whole three books is centered in the one place vying for one man’s attention and yet it didn’t feel unnatural.
It was surprisingly not boring or dragged out, despite that fact it being story set over a matter of months yet takes three whole books to reach the end. I was on the edge of my seat, most of the time, dying to know what would happen next!
That brings me to America and Maxon!! Watching Maxon falling for America - as America denies it, the ping pong game with my heart was real. I found the dynamic between them realistic in the onslaught of miscommunication and mixed signals.
The angst and power play between Maxon & America was agonising at times!! I loved it, I love a good painful love story. I’m not sure If I’m the only one like that! But there is something about being along the ride for the ups and downs of their relationship that has my heart wrenching along with them.
Then we have Aspen, this was one of those love triangles (I don’t know how often I can say this) that I honestly wouldn’t have minded if she picked either one. I adored Maxon and loved their story. But Aspen was just as admirable and wholistic as a character and their relationship soo intrinsic that I would not have minded at all if he was our lucky guy at the end.
<<<<SPOILERS AHEAD>>>>>
When Maxon found out about Aspen by heart literally cracked, I could almost hear it!! After finally getting the declaration we all wanted, to have the whole thing thrown to pieces, this is only part of the rollercoaster ride that this series is. One minute something amazing and awe inspiring will happen and then within a few chapters it’s back to the pain and agonising distance again, it’s a turn table of emotions that never ends!
The ending, I loved it but was also completely shocked! Celeste, I can understand that sacrifice and story arch but just as I started to like her!! I only wish Maxon’s mother had lived, it seemed just a shame she didn’t get to finish her story or properly embrace America but at least she is saved from a long/painful death from her illness.
That brings me to Happily Ever After and the collection of Novellas. To be completely honest, I kinda hated these!!
I LOVED the extended epilogue to The One and the extra Maxon & America scenes.
Also Marlee & Carters story was soo beautiful, getting the rings from America I honestly nearly cried with sheer joy.
However the rest was literally a retelling, I didn’t need. There was no relevant or interesting information added to the story at all. Aspen’s would have been soo much better if it was the full love story of him and Lucy, instead it follows his journey through the palace longing over America, which we knew and didn’t need to be reminded of, it just felt like a waste.
Plus the little random Girls from The Selection's life story at the end, its great they got their happy ever after, but I felt would have been better left to the imagination, hearing how Kriss struggled to get over Maxon didn’t add any value to the beauty of the story, it was just annoying to read in all honesty.
If your after a fun, lighthearted albeit heart breaking at times read, I highly recommend the series. If you after a more dramatic, fantasy character exploration, there may be other books better suited than this series. I enjoyed reading the series as a break from some the long, heavy book world’s I usually delve into!
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