Selection by Kiera Cass

Goodreads Excerpt

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

This is a dystopian fiction and the story is set around post – Fourth world war America renamed as kingdom of Illea. The caste system and the build up to the selection reminded me of Hunger Games. The similarities do not end there and throughout the book you will be comparing the two stories. I chose this book because I was bored of all the high school romances aka Young adult books that I’ve been reading lately.. I had expected this book to be different. But the only difference here is the era. Even after hundreds of years, there exists the love triangle, the mean girl, the best friend and a truly ever after.

And the fact there’s the horrible casteism even in that futuristic world seems a bit of a minus to me. Oh well it’s dystopian! I got confused whether they were in the future or in 17th century.. Holding swayamvars and curtsying, were a little too much 😐

America’s mother (why did the author choose this name for the female protagonist 😕) is the exact copy of Elizabeth Bennet’s mother. I felt betrayed when Mer falls again for Aspen 😏. But the Prince was kind of dumb too. That he doesn’t know anything outside the castle wall was a little hard to digest.
Okay, the good points.. Ummm… I’m racking my brain as to what were the good ones.. Well, I laughed here n there.. And I’ll admit I was hooked to the story and had to finish in a single day. Although there isn’t much speculation about who will win and be crowned the princess, the author decided to continue that in the next three books. And I’ve already started with book 2 – Elite 😝 I’m shameless like that!!

And I loved the cover.. Donno why I was reminded of the ice queen from Narnia 😁