Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Selection by Kiera Cass



The Skinny: Poor plot/character development.

When I first read the synopsis for The Selection, I was intrigued. A bunch of girls fighting it out to marry a prince? Sounds like the best kind of gladiator game to me. Unfortunately, my imagination was far more exciting than this book.

America Singer hails from a “poor” family and enters a competition to be the bride of a dashing prince. America is reluctant to enter, because she is in love with the local stud muffin. [Insert a bunch of ridiculous drama here.] America is shipped off to the palace.

Every aspect of this story is absurd. Apart from the main idea of a competition to marry a prince, I am unable to think of a single redeeming quality. The dystopian society is poorly developed, and we are never given a complete picture of the world in which the story takes place. Additionally, America’s family is described as poor but they have access to many luxuries. Having plenty of food, clothes, and television is the definition of poverty? I guess Oprah Winfry has no right to be on the Forbes World's Billionaires list.

When America – what a ridiculous name, by the way – arrives at the castle, she learns from the prince that there are mysterious rebels who break into the palace and are looking for something. The prince has no idea what it is or why he thinks this way, but he is convinced. As the future leader of the vague country, he is doing a poor job of doling out ideas. Do some research, gather facts, and create a solid argument, Prince Maxon. In other words, wait until your voice breaks before you try to sit at the adult table.

The romance in this book is so awkward that it almost put me off dating for life. The prince likes America, but he is hesitant to be with her. In his words, he has to be careful and be smart about his decisions. I don’t know about America, but nothing gets me going like a talk about hedging one’s bets.

The writing is bad, the pace is bad, the voice is bad, everything about this book is bad. The story doesn’t even have an ending.

I highly suggest that you pass on reading this book.

3 comments:

  1. This book has been sitting on my to-read book for a while now, simply because I have seen so many mixed reviews. It seems like people either love it or absolutely hate it. However, from what you are saying I don't know if this sounds like my thing. If for nothing else than there is a love triangle, and I am kind of sick of love triangles. Thanks for the honest review.

    Teresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives

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  2. I couldn't even read until the part where America arrives at the castle (I think I stopped at the part where she agrees to sign up). She just rubs me in the wrong way. It wasn't really clear how 'poor' her family was at that stage but she was so willing to dump everything the first chance she gets so she can be with the guy.

    Not everything about the book is bad though. It has a pretty cover! :P

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  3. A poor family.. hmm, my definitely from poor is definitely different from the one she portrayed there! I wasn't planning on reading after I saw the whole trouble surrounding this after. Then I decided I wanted to read it, because of the mixed reviews.. But now I read more negative things about it and it becomes less and less attractive. Perhaps I'd go to the library for it, just so I can see how bad it is.

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