Series Review Saturday

A Series Review

The Selection Series

Titles: The Selection, The Elite, (The Prince, The Guard), The One

Author: Kiera Cass

Release date of last book: May 06, 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

Synopsis:

For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself—and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.

First Sentence (First book): When we got the letter in the post my mother was ecstatic.

First Sentence (Last book): This time we're in the Great Room enduring another etiquette lesson when bricks came flying through the window.

My thoughts:

(This is a spoiler-free review)

I want to start this series review with a fun fact about myself : I'm a sucker for royal love stories, books, movies, real life and all. I didn't have fairy tale books to read when I was a kid, no but I became fascinated by the idea of royalties when I watched those childish Disney movies. And it didn't end there. I'm still in love with the idea of it. Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses and castles and crowns. Isn't it nice to think about them? Do you even wonder how it must have felt like to be a princess? Wearing a crown on your head and ruling people and all of them addressing you, “Your grace/Your highness/Your majesty”? I think I might have spent thinking half a lifetime about this. I'm pretty sure it's beyond amazing but there are lot of consequences on everything you want to do or need to do and you bear a certain weight on your shoulders for the people.

As I've said I am fond of royal tales so I pick The Selection up to read it. You don't possibly wonder now why I just got the book and paid and run (I mean ride) home to go and devour it immediately. Look at those pretty covers. Anyway let's get to the story: This isn't your ordinary fairy tale or royal love story. It's a dystopian young-adult book actually. It's setting is actually a hundred years from now and that the whole US had been turned into a monarchy. It's not so far from reality it could happen, and the world would be plunged back into the age of kings in the past. This is the mood reading you'll get reading this series. United states now had become the kingdom of Illea. But the difference in all the kingdoms we know to Illea is that it has Castes like in India. Society is ranked from 1 to 8. One being the highest and Eight being the lowest. The Ones are the royal family and the Eights are the beggars.

If you've ever went to Sunday School you've probably heard of Queen Esther's story. This series is actually based from it Kiera had said. Every time the Prince of Illea is of the right age there is a royal competition held for all the ladies which come from different castes of the kingdom to win the Prince's heart.

America Singer or simply Mer is a Five so she's pretty much a middle class we can say, she's a singer and a talented musician. She was chosen to be a part of the Selection. The thing about her is that she's not the graceful princess here in the story but a strong-willed undettered character that does whatever she thinks is right even if it's going against her parents, the citizens of Illea or even the King himself. But the thing about America that I sometimes did not appreciate is her decisions when it comes to love, she always frets that she'd hurt anyone of the guys (The Prince and The Guard) not thinking that she's using both of them in the process. It took her 3 books to finally make her choice. She just couldn't let go of her past and can't deal with the responsibilities with the present. But still America proved in the last book that she can make her decisions well and that she can handle the responsibilities of being a queen.

Prince Maxon Calix Schreave is a One, the firstborn of the king and queen, is the one choosing from these 16 girls his Princess. He is a true prince outwardly and inwardly. The king expects a lot from him, but little did the king know that he's not like him but rather more like his mother. The king pressures him to be more like him but he can never do it. Maxon is a better version of him. Maxon is everything the king is not. He's the overall perfect picture of a prince. Charming, sweet, kind, handsome, careful, gentle and royal. Everything about him is just the prince all girls are dreaming of . You can't find any bad or not perfect thing about him (You just can't) If you ever have one, tell me. Yes, he might not give all the girls the words they want to hear but he treats them right and equally and he respects them all. He's not like some of the YA guys who takes chances on girls. (He didn't even do that even if he could, even if the girl permits him to.) That's how gentleman he is. He waits for the right time for everything.

All his words would just make you fall in love with him a bit deeper than the last thing he said. He'll make you swoon and and make you just melt into a goo with everything he does. To those guys out there you should totally read this book and study Maxonology 101 : How to make girls swoon, What to give to girls to adore you, etc. He has a hard work choosing from all these beautiful girls in beautiful gowns, how can he? But deep inside we know even from the first book who he loves and adores. He may flirt with other girls but he has his heart in the hands of only one girl. And the thing I adore most about him is that even though a lot of girls had literally handed them his heart, he never broke any but gave it back carefully and sincerely. He has everything but is not boastful of what he has but he's rather humble. And the way he loves just make me sigh and think that the world is unfair for not making him a real person.

“Oh I know. I don't intend on giving you things. Well, I do intend on giving you things but that's not what I mean. I'm going to love you more than any man has ever loved a woman, more than you ever dreamed you could be loved. I promise you that.” - Prince Maxon (The One)

How can you cope with these kind of words? And these:

“Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway. I'll love you to my very last breath. Every beat of my heart is yours. I don't want to die without you knowing that...” Prince Maxon (The One)

OH ALL THE FEELINGS HE JUST GIVES ME. ALL THE FEELINGS.

I remember myself when I read the first book saying “I'll marry Maxon, anytime of day.” And I still do. If I spot a guy like him, I'll marry the guy immediately. No second thoughts. My love for Prince Maxon knows no boundaries. I love him so much it pains me to think that he's not real because he should be.

The character development in the series is easy yet unpredictable. There's Marlee, Celeste, Kriss, Elise, Lucy and Aspen. I never did like Aspen all throughout the series. I'm sorry to those Aspen fans there. How could I, if he's that aggressive and selfish? No, thank you, I'll pass. Death is also inevitable in every book you read. So don't get surprised if some die in the last book. I'm warning you now. Don't get attached to anyone in the last book. A particular death in there hurt me and I'm still recovering from it. The conclusion is enthralling. You'll be at the edge of your sits yet you will beg for more. (I don't know about you but I think the Epilogue is quite a cliffhanger). Petition for a sequel novella!

All the books are fast-paced. I've read each of them in less than a day. I've read each book in just one sitting. It's that easy and light to read. If you're a fast reader you can probably read the series less than two days, tops. These series is suited for all ages, it's beautiful and romantic and sweet. Well, someday I'd make my daughter (if i'll ever have one who I'll name Liraz) read this series or I can use it as a bedtime story to her, the thought makes me smile. I will not in a lifetime forget that I've read a story so royally beautiful as this.

Favorite book in the Series: The One

3 Books. 3 Sentences. 3 Words.

Fall for Maxon. Fight for America. Swoon for Maxerica.

Rate: 5.10/5 stars

PS: *Puts hand on the page and pretends Kiera Cass is giving me a high hive*

Thank you for sharing your wonderful story Kiera! Waiting for another book of yours to read again. The Queen (A Selection Prequel Novella) will be out soon so it's not over yet Selectioners!

Add The Queen on your to read here : link