Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - A Seleção

* Beware of minor spoilers

2.5 - ⭐⭐💫

The first installment in The Selection series. Young Adult Dystopian novel with a The Bachelor-like concept and featuring the "he falls in love first", "fake dating", "forced proximity", and "love triangle" tropes.

The Selection was blissfully mediocre. I don't know what happened or when but up until 75% I was really enjoying it. Enjoying it so much that it was on the road to a strong 4 stars but then it somehow just fell apart.

"I hope you find someone you can't live without. I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them."

America Singer comes from a lower-class family, so when she gets picked to compete alongside 34 other girls for Prince Maxon's heart you think she'd be thrilled. You'd be wrong. Nursing a broken heart, the last thing on America's mind is impressing some boy, but the longer she stays there and the more dangerous the rebel attacks become, the more America starts to wonder if a future with Maxon would really be that bad . . .

"True love is usually the most inconvenient kind."

First and foremost, I think that America is quite annoying. She just has such "pick me" and "I'm not like other girls" energy that she's difficult to root for and I know that was very much the stuff that 2014 female main characters thrived on and I also realize that it is very likely a product of her age, but it's still tough to swallow. Maxon's a cutie though and I would for sure marry him if he asked. Then there are the rebel attacks (seriously though, name 1 dystopian novel that doesn't have some sort of rebel group) which could have been cool but were wholly underutilized. I'm assuming Cass is going to elaborate on them in the coming books but as for now, it was just a plot device to make Maxon and America forgive each other for losing their tempers without needing an actual apology.

"It's always the fear of looking stupid that stops you from being awesome."

Some points I enjoyed: I like that Maxon and America were real. They acted their age, in the sense that they were prone to impulsive emotional outbursts, but they are also mature enough to acknowledge that and apologize when they were in the wrong. Their relationship development also felt very natural. America mentioned how she couldn't just get over her relationship of 2 years simply because she was developing feelings for Maxon which is not something a lot of writers remember or care to admit. Maxon was also just so charming and cute and inexperienced in a way that made him endearing, but he was also emotionally intelligent and compassionate. He really is the perfect guy.

"No, I’m not choosing him or you. I’m choosing me."

Overall there was nothing really creative about the plot (I said this during every update but it is LITERALLY just The Bachelor with the worldbuilding of The Hunger Games. Seriously, everything from the concept to the girls getting jealous and the speed dating is exactly what happens every season on the show . . .) and the writing was average at best but I'd be damned if I said I wasn't entertained for the most part. This is not a book I will be jumping to reread by any means, but I wouldn't consider it a waste of time and I am happy to finally know what all the hype was about.

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brittcorcoran's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

It’s like the bachelor but it’s teenaged girls in a dystopian world being trapped in a palace and trying to impress the prince so they can access more of society’s benefits by moving up castes??? Basically?

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merveille's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

I picked up this book out of curiosity since it was very popular during the 2010s. I was about 9 when it came out so obviously I wasn't there for the hype, so seeing it in my school's bookstore now as a 19-year-old, I figured it might a fun and lighthearted read to get me out of a slump. To start on a good note, that's exactly what it did! I had a lot of fun reading The Selection, and it definitely held my interest the entire time. I love books with royalty aspects in them, especially when the main character is joining a royal family or is already in one, so this automatically had a nice atmosphere for me. I also think that the "romance" between the main character, America, and Prince Maxon was very enjoyable. I love the dynamic between them and how natural the two of them get along.

Now here's where my issue comes in. I absolutely cannot get behind the relationship between Aspen and America because...there is none. The book starts off with us knowing that they had been "together" for about two years prior to this, and we meet them quite literally at the end of that relationship. I don't know how the author expected me to feel something for her and Aspen as a couple when I literally know nothing about them or their dynamic outside of the small things mentioned here and there. It got to be especially annoying when watching her and Maxon's friendship blossom and grow into something I can root for because the whole time she is stuck harping on someone I (as the reader) never got to know. I can feel bad for her because she was hurt by their situation but hello!! You're getting to know and like this wonderful person right there in front of you!

So imagine how irritated I was to see Aspen is now working at the palace as a guard. And now knowing that the rest of the series is going to be America going back and forth between the two is really unappealing for me, as someone who doesn't care for love triangles.

Anyways, I gave the book 3.5 stars because I did enjoy the book as a whole, and even though America is kind of a typical white main character, I did like her character decently enough. I love her and Maxon's friendship and I think I will continue the series to see how it develops even more.

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sudatot's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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elderflower's review against another edition

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1.25

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ishouldbereading's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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