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sannerebecca 's review for:
The Selection
by Kiera Cass
This is an old favourite of mine, and it was time for a proper reread. I was wondering why I liked it so much and if I still would. After all, I am no longer a teenager like the protagonist is. Romance does please me still, but would I still like how it was portrayed in this book? With the love triangle and a The Bachelor-style romance game? Well...
First thing I noticed was the easy writing style. This was a book that I read for the first time when I hadn't read that much English before, so it makes sense that the writing is easy. It was still very readable and I raced through the pages.
Secondly, the patriarchy is strong in this book. Aspen, main character's boyfriend, breaks up with her because he can't provide for her, and she is providing for him instead. Boyyy. Come on. Safe to say I endorsed this breakup wholeheartedly. Even though I quite liked Aspen when I was younger. MC was dreamy about him and I was reading her perspective, so I was dreamy about him as well. But his character is mostly his green eyes and breaking up for a stupid reason.. So...
Thirdly, the "I'm not like other girls" vibe, wow... Not loving it, but not judging it either. I know I went through this phase as well, just as many other girls that looked at the image society fed them about girlhood and found they couldn't fit in the stereotype, which led them to conclude that they were not like other girls. For me, I didn't like chocolate, but all women love chocolate, right? Never liked shopping either, but don't all girls love to go shopping? What kind of girl am I then? Not like other girls apparently...
I actually think the "not like other girls" trope contributed to the succes of The Selection because it was a familiar feeling for teenage girls at that time. Don't have any proof tho.
There is some girl on girl hate as well, but to be fair, sometimes you meet someone who just isn't your cup of tea. And sometimes such a person happens to be a women.
Four, I want to give an honourable mention to the dresses. Turns out, I am the kind of girl who does like to swoon at pretty dresses from time to time and this book is perfect for that.
Fifth! This shouldn't be this low on the list. The themes! Inequality. Poverty. Tyranny. Fighting for justice and fairness. Very nice to see how these themes give a little more backbone to a lighthearted romantic story.
Okay, since we're doing this by numbers now anyway, Six: worldbuilding. The caste system is bullshit. But it kinda works. And kudos for the history of the country. It is all quite simplistic but provides a nice and solid background for the story.
So yeah, still enjoyed it! Will read again, probably.
First thing I noticed was the easy writing style. This was a book that I read for the first time when I hadn't read that much English before, so it makes sense that the writing is easy. It was still very readable and I raced through the pages.
Secondly, the patriarchy is strong in this book. Aspen, main character's boyfriend, breaks up with her because he can't provide for her, and she is providing for him instead. Boyyy. Come on. Safe to say I endorsed this breakup wholeheartedly. Even though I quite liked Aspen when I was younger. MC was dreamy about him and I was reading her perspective, so I was dreamy about him as well. But his character is mostly his green eyes and breaking up for a stupid reason.. So...
Thirdly, the "I'm not like other girls" vibe, wow... Not loving it, but not judging it either. I know I went through this phase as well, just as many other girls that looked at the image society fed them about girlhood and found they couldn't fit in the stereotype, which led them to conclude that they were not like other girls. For me, I didn't like chocolate, but all women love chocolate, right? Never liked shopping either, but don't all girls love to go shopping? What kind of girl am I then? Not like other girls apparently...
I actually think the "not like other girls" trope contributed to the succes of The Selection because it was a familiar feeling for teenage girls at that time. Don't have any proof tho.
There is some girl on girl hate as well, but to be fair, sometimes you meet someone who just isn't your cup of tea. And sometimes such a person happens to be a women.
Four, I want to give an honourable mention to the dresses. Turns out, I am the kind of girl who does like to swoon at pretty dresses from time to time and this book is perfect for that.
Fifth! This shouldn't be this low on the list. The themes! Inequality. Poverty. Tyranny. Fighting for justice and fairness. Very nice to see how these themes give a little more backbone to a lighthearted romantic story.
Okay, since we're doing this by numbers now anyway, Six: worldbuilding. The caste system is bullshit. But it kinda works. And kudos for the history of the country. It is all quite simplistic but provides a nice and solid background for the story.
So yeah, still enjoyed it! Will read again, probably.