I was introduced to this young adult series by one of my students (thank you, Anik!). I absolutely love that my students are becoming self-admitted readers, recommending and asking for recommendations for their next great book read.
This first installment of The Selection series comprised by
The Selection, The One, and The Crown reminded me of a nice version of
The Hunger Games meets
The Bachelor. In a post-World War IV u/dys/topia, Prince Maxon must select his bride from among the 35 eligible young ladies nominated to
compete for his affections. Each of the young ladies is given an "equal shot" at winning as they are elevated from their castes to a caste worthy of the Prince--the future King--and their eventual role as Queen.
America Singer enters the competition in the hopes of improving her family's lives, hot on the heels of being dumped by her long-time boyfriend Aspen. She finds herself caught between her developing feelings for Prince Maxon and her loyalties to Aspen. The story largely chronicles America's indecision and vacillation between the two young men's attentions while also depicting the interactions between the other princesses vying for the hand of the Prince. Interestingly, the chaos one might expect does not truly develop as there are rules against the princesses sabotaging one another.
Surprisingly, I liked
The Selection: I didn't expect to, truth be told. I think I liked it because I was reading it from the perspective of a mom wanting a somewhat wholesome story where girls were not throwing themselves at the guy (although some of the girls did) or compromising their morals (although some of the girls apparently did that, too). I also really enjoyed the devolving utopia to dystopia theme and appreciated the need for the Royal family to control their media image in the way they did. Even the mean-spirited, hurtful King, Maxon's father, was not simply mean for the sake of being mean, but grasping at the deteriorating control while not knowing what to do as his kingdom begins to show signs of cracking.
On the other hand, America's constant vacillation became frustrating in this book; I was so relieved when she finally admitted to herself and to Maxon that she was developing feelings for him.
The book is a quick read; in fact, all the books in the series are quick reads, as I finished all three in this series and the two in the tangential series within about nine days. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would, and I have recommended it to my students who like
The Hunger Games and romantic stories. I gave this story four stars out of five because I enjoyed the tension created by the competition among the girls and the indecision America wrestles with.
