The Selection

by Kiera Cass
PRMS hardcover 327
genre: YA dystopian fiction

Since a LOT of my students are reading this series right now, I thought I'd better check it out. Glad I did, but of course now I need to read book two . . . Basic plot - 35 girls from the 35 different regions are picked by "lottery" (not really) to go to the palace and get to know the prince so he can choose one to be his bride. Rebel attacks make things interesting (I hope we learn more about the rebels in the next book), but it's pretty much a bunch of girls trying to make the prince like them best. There's a little "survivor" element in that the girls don't want to get sent home early. America is the only one not fawning over Prince Maxom, because she's already in love with Aspen, who's unfortunately in a lower caste than her.

Liked:

• getting drawn into the story
• characters -mostly America's spunk
• caste system and how it's determined
• futuristic version (post WW4) of North America, China, etc.
• it's already flying off my shelves, but now I can booktalk it better
• very reminiscent of Hunger Games without the teens killing each other off

Disliked:

• illogic - don't think too hard if you read this and just want to enjoy it
• love triangle flip-flopping / Aspen made his choice and America needs to move on. Maxon deserves better.
• staying up until 11:30 p.m. to finish it! And now I have to read the next book . . .  

I actually marked page 76. This paragraph was distressing! "It was meant to be sweet, but it wasn't what I needed to hear. I wished she could have said that I was already something special to her, like I was to my father. But I guessed she would never stop wanting more for me, more from me. Maybe that's what mothers did." This comes after her parents are saying goodbye. Her dad is so sweet - unconditional love. Her mom's goodbye is less heartfelt.