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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
original rating when i read it in 2014: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
new rating in 2025: ⭐️⭐️
america is annoying. that’s it. that’s the review.
the book would’ve been WAAAYYY better had aspen and america NOT BROKEN UP in the beginning.
their reunion would’ve been WAY MORE IMPACTFUL had they been separated bc of the circumstances instead of bc aspen was being an insecure incel.
i mean imagine???
that’d make sense that america would be torn between maxon and aspen bc she was STILL dating aspen and they hadn’t even broken up. they were still deeply in love. and then they met in the palace???
we, as the readers, would be torn too!!! just like america!!!
as it is tho, it’s simply dumb that she’s still hung up on aspen.
i wanted to give it 1 star but i’m giving it 2 stars bc of sentimental value. i read this book for the first time in middle school. and it reminded me of how much i loved it back then. how low my standards were.
i listened to the audiobook version on 2x speed for my keadlyn fic research material.
i’m getting exactly what i wanted tho. now i know the selection process way deeper and the map of the castle is way clearer in my head now.
time to listen to the elites!
new rating in 2025: ⭐️⭐️
america is annoying. that’s it. that’s the review.
the book would’ve been WAAAYYY better had aspen and america NOT BROKEN UP in the beginning.
their reunion would’ve been WAY MORE IMPACTFUL had they been separated bc of the circumstances instead of bc aspen was being an insecure incel.
i mean imagine???
that’d make sense that america would be torn between maxon and aspen bc she was STILL dating aspen and they hadn’t even broken up. they were still deeply in love. and then they met in the palace???
we, as the readers, would be torn too!!! just like america!!!
as it is tho, it’s simply dumb that she’s still hung up on aspen.
i wanted to give it 1 star but i’m giving it 2 stars bc of sentimental value. i read this book for the first time in middle school. and it reminded me of how much i loved it back then. how low my standards were.
i listened to the audiobook version on 2x speed for my keadlyn fic research material.
i’m getting exactly what i wanted tho. now i know the selection process way deeper and the map of the castle is way clearer in my head now.
time to listen to the elites!
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Awesome book! It takes a while to understand but really good! I stayed up all night to finish it the day i got it!!!
I read this book for the first time in sixth grade. Upon first reading, I became obsessed. I loved the whole series, and my friends and I bonded over our mutual investment in the story. Is thought this was the greatest book ever written. In hindsight, this book is not a masterpiece. Not even close. But despite that, I will always appreciate these books for what they gave me. A newfound desire to read, and great friends. Both of which, I have carried with me through college. This book does not get 5 stars because of the writing, the plot, or the characters. This book gets five stars because of what it reinvigorated. A lifelong love of books.
i got bored on the train to liverpool and decided to reread this…
this series was one of the first ones to get me back into reading and it will ALWAYS be so so so good.
the beginning of america and maxon’s story is just so beautiful…it gets me every single time
this series was one of the first ones to get me back into reading and it will ALWAYS be so so so good.
the beginning of america and maxon’s story is just so beautiful…it gets me every single time
The pick-me energy pissed me off. I’m definitely not the target audience for this.
But why is this so addicting? I think I wanna finish this series just to see justice served to Celeste.
But why is this so addicting? I think I wanna finish this series just to see justice served to Celeste.
lighthearted
fast-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
I liked this book more then I thought I would. I don’t typically like romance books but this had enough other plot besides romance to make it more interesting.
Some of my favorite quotes were:
Some of my favorite quotes were:
”Aspen would not have the satisfaction of breaking my heart anymore. He put me here, and I would just have to take advantage of it.” -America
“Yes, and they all seemed to like it.”
“That is the exact reason I don’t.”
-Maxon and America
“And while he wasn’t anything close to the person I did love, he was worthy of having someone to love in his life.” -America
“Maxon look like he was on the verge of doing a backflip.” -America
I Love the book and I’ll finish the series and possibly reread it another time
Content Warnings
Moderate: War
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy
Review originally posted at Books to Brighten your Mood
The Selection surprised me! This story truly took me by surprise and quite pleasantly that is. Should I have to describe it in just one word, that would be refreshing! Yeah, that's how much I enjoyed reading it.
First of all, I have to say that I picked this book having no expectations whatsoever. None. With everything that happened so early before the publication date (you all remember that reviewer vs author or editor or whatever drama that exploded a couple of months before, and if you don't, well, that's even better for you!), I kind of asked this book for review more from curiosity than anything else. And I'm glad to say that I really enjoyed it. I won't make any further mentions on that said drama, I just wanted to justify why I didn't have any expectations from this book, either high or low and also to thank a friend who urged me to read it because otherwise I might have never pick it up, which would be my loss...!
So, back on track! The Selection, isn't your typical dystopian story. To be frank, I couldn't really see many classic dystopian elements. Apart from the whole story being set in the future, were everything is changed, I just couldn't see any other dystopian elements. Surely, people are underfed and everything is altered but there was no real darkness, no real violence, and for me, The Selection isn't really classified in my mind as dystopian. It is more of a fairytale more than anything else. A fairytale set in the future. And because I read it as such, I think that I enjoyed it so much.
In the beginning, I felt like I was reading The Hunger Games. The resemblances in the tone were there. The structure of the society, the Selection, the competition, just everything screamed Hunger Games for me. But while in Hunger Games teenagers are fighting for their very life, in The Selection teenage girls are "fighting" to win the heart of a prince and a better future for them and their families. So, one can assume that at first, I wasn't really thrilled with the setting. Maybe because I could not put out of my mind one of the best books for me of the decade. Maybe because the comparison completely threw me off. But I have to admit that the beginning was a bit rough...
But, and here is the big deal with The Selection, soon after, I got so into the story, I warmed up to everything that Kiera Cass woven into her story, that I forgot everything. Cass writes in a refreshing way that doesn't allow you to put down her book. Her futuristic fairytale just grabbed my attention and I devoured it!
Her world is intriguing, the structure, how everyone is in essence just a number and how that number can affect and define a person and his/her life. Maybe the idea isn't really a novelty, but Cass used it in a very interesting way.
All in all, The Selection is a charming fairytale that, in my opinion, should be read keeping in mind that it's not your typical dystopian story. It's far from that and more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it despite the drama that evolved around it.
The Selection surprised me! This story truly took me by surprise and quite pleasantly that is. Should I have to describe it in just one word, that would be refreshing! Yeah, that's how much I enjoyed reading it.
First of all, I have to say that I picked this book having no expectations whatsoever. None. With everything that happened so early before the publication date (you all remember that reviewer vs author or editor or whatever drama that exploded a couple of months before, and if you don't, well, that's even better for you!), I kind of asked this book for review more from curiosity than anything else. And I'm glad to say that I really enjoyed it. I won't make any further mentions on that said drama, I just wanted to justify why I didn't have any expectations from this book, either high or low and also to thank a friend who urged me to read it because otherwise I might have never pick it up, which would be my loss...!
So, back on track! The Selection, isn't your typical dystopian story. To be frank, I couldn't really see many classic dystopian elements. Apart from the whole story being set in the future, were everything is changed, I just couldn't see any other dystopian elements. Surely, people are underfed and everything is altered but there was no real darkness, no real violence, and for me, The Selection isn't really classified in my mind as dystopian. It is more of a fairytale more than anything else. A fairytale set in the future. And because I read it as such, I think that I enjoyed it so much.
In the beginning, I felt like I was reading The Hunger Games. The resemblances in the tone were there. The structure of the society, the Selection, the competition, just everything screamed Hunger Games for me. But while in Hunger Games teenagers are fighting for their very life, in The Selection teenage girls are "fighting" to win the heart of a prince and a better future for them and their families. So, one can assume that at first, I wasn't really thrilled with the setting. Maybe because I could not put out of my mind one of the best books for me of the decade. Maybe because the comparison completely threw me off. But I have to admit that the beginning was a bit rough...
But, and here is the big deal with The Selection, soon after, I got so into the story, I warmed up to everything that Kiera Cass woven into her story, that I forgot everything. Cass writes in a refreshing way that doesn't allow you to put down her book. Her futuristic fairytale just grabbed my attention and I devoured it!
Her world is intriguing, the structure, how everyone is in essence just a number and how that number can affect and define a person and his/her life. Maybe the idea isn't really a novelty, but Cass used it in a very interesting way.
All in all, The Selection is a charming fairytale that, in my opinion, should be read keeping in mind that it's not your typical dystopian story. It's far from that and more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it despite the drama that evolved around it.