The Selection

Amazing start to the series. I really enjoyed the different characters and learning about them. America is definitely a strong main character and I loved reading about her relationships with different characters in the book, especially Marlee and Maxon.

ik moet dit boek even goed late bezinken. ik weet niet zo goed wat ik ervan moet vinden.

Originally read May 6,2012.


I read all the negative comments after I purchased this book, so I didn't think I was that excited to read it anymore. I thought I had just wasted my money. However, I loved this book! I don't exactly know what drew me in so much but when I picked it up on Saturday night I couldn't stop reading. more to come...
Originally read May 6,2012.
Second reading: May 2013

Before I explain my rating, I must admit, I am not the target audience for this book. I would say teen girls would probably enjoy this story just fine, but as a writer, I feel that even if a subject is juvenile, it will last far longer when written well. This, unfortunately, is not. The story itself is not horrible, in fact, if I could give half-stars, this would be 2 1/2, because it has the seed of something interesting, or I would never have been able to finish it. I will not be picking up the Elite, however. One book was more than enough to tell me this is not the world for me.

The main character is somewhat interesting, as is the world, but I fell that a good editor would have helped both (and in doing so, the plot) in being far more interesting to the reader. She's a typical teenager (even though she shouldn't be, given the caste system she supposedly has lived under her whole life) who wants only to be with her (secret) boyfriend, even though she knows why she shouldn't. It's not atypical, and works well enough for the character, but I feel that it would fit far better in a modern-day story, rather than the futuristic dystopia that Cass is trying to shoot for here.

Her family and neighbors are little more than stock characters–mother and father taken almost directly from Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice but for their names. Her siblings are little more than a token to show that she's from a lower-class family. Even their names seem too obvious and not at all thought out, particularly their surname, Singer. Are all families in this world named for what their ancestor was known for? If not, it feels overly pointed, and quite unnecessary. Far more interesting to make their name something more unique or drawn from today's pop artists. Lennon. Shelton. Spears. Something more than Singer. The neighbors are barely mentioned at all, aside from her boyfriend, and his family is only mentioned in connection to him. There's no depth at all to these characters. They don't exist without her notice, and so are nothing to the reader, even though we know she must have known them her whole life.

The Selection itself is like a castrated Hunger Games. The girls all leave wealthy and better-off, if not happy, and one of them will become the next Queen. She tries to give it a bit of bite by adding the love triangle, but really all it does is make you shake your head at the teenageness of it all.

She simply does not act right for someone of her class, and the excuses the author gives for her actions do not ring true. And there are other moments. The maid's fright when it comes to the Rebel attacks on the castle seem far overblown for what she experienced, which granted, ended up being quite bad when she finally explained it, but the way it was initially explained gave far too much background that was unnecessary before we got the truth of why she was so scared. There are secrets being kept all through the novel, and yet much of the time, the author seems unable (or possibly unwilling) to share them in a way that seems to help the story along. Instead, she focuses on the banal love triangle, and never gives us the true impetus to care about these secrets. Perhaps the sequel will do so, but I for one won't find out.

I would not recommend this to anyone over about the age of 20.

Yes yes yes!!!! SO GOOD! SO FRICKEN GOOD! I loved it.

This was a great book that was an interesting and quick read. I love when a book is compelling enough to make you lose track of time, which is certainly what happened here.

Short Review: this book is marketed as a cross between Hunger Games and the Bachelor. It is dystopian-lite. It is not a bad book. I got it on audiobook from the library and I will probably listen to the next one when it is my turn from the library. But it is missing the social commentary and critique of traditional dystopian books. It is intended for (and probably better suited) for teens. But while the writing isn't bad, I thought there would be more to it.

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/the-selection/

This book has a real undertone of The Hunger Games about it - future society changed by war in which the society has been segregated. A young girl is selected from her village to compete in a competition which could end her family's struggle for food and survival.

Sounding familiar but the similarities didn't end there, girl is in love with a boy from her village but is whisked away by a team who make her over in preparation for the competition. This competition however is not a fight to the death but one to decide whom the Prince of the Kingdom will marry and 37 girls need to vie for his hand.

I really loved this book probably because it had all the strong plot lines that made me love The Hunger Games so much. I liked America the lead character and loved the whole love triangle between America, her first love Aspen and Prince Maxon. I'm going Team Maxon!!

A set of 3 books in the series will see the story to it's conclusion, with book 2 ‘The Elite' being available now and 3 still to be published. I cannot wait for more but at £1.99 I felt this book was worth it but I'm not sure the 2nd is worth its current price tag of £4.98 - I will be waiting a while to see if it drops just a little

Let me start off by saying, this is not a good book. It is NOT original, imaginative, surprising, or thought provoking.

However, I was really entertained. I was interested and am reading the second book, which is a pretty good indicator that I enjoyed it. This book IS a quick, fun, light read and if you are looking for that, read this book.

I really enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would! This book is a better version of watching the Bachelor/Bachelorette, and I can't wait to read the next book!!

Resenha do blog Sincerando.com, escrita por Sarah Sindorf

Terminei a leitura de “A Seleção” durante a madrugada simplesmente porque não conseguia parar de ler. Comecei o livro durante a tarde, estava sem nada para fazer e fazia um tempo este livro estava separado, por ter achado a sinopse interessante.

O livro começa de um modo um pouco enfadonho, com a descrição dos personagens e da situação vivida por eles, mas superando essa parte, o livro é engraçado e intrigante. Ficaram faltando informações que eu gostaria de obter sobre algumas coisas na história, e me deixou mais ansiosa ainda saber que a sequência “A Elite”, só sairá em abril de 2013 nos EUA, segundo o site da autora.

O livro conta a história de America, uma menina que mora em Ilhéa, um país jovem , num cenário pós Quarta Guerra Mundial, onde o mundo ainda vive com muitas guerras e o país é atacado por movimentos rebeldes contra o Governo. O país é dividido em oito castas. A casta número um é a da realeza. America pertence a casta Cinco, uma casta pobre que sobrevive através de arte, tanto através de música quanto da pintura, escultura, e etc. O príncipe herdeiro, Maxon está em idade de se casar, e no país existe a tradição de um concurso, chamado “A Seleção” em que 35 garotas, entre 16 e 20 anos e de qualquer casta, podem se inscrever para participar, sendo uma de cada província, e a ganhadora fica com o cargo de esposa de Maxon e rainha de Ilhéa.

Considero um livro de leitura rápida, inclusive pelo interesse de saber o que será da personagem e do final do concurso, mas também porque a linguagem não é rebuscada, achei bem simples. O livro diverte, e traz ansiedade em algumas partes, e a história instiga de alguma maneira. A única coisa que me incomodou um pouco foi alguns clichês e o sentimento de que já sei aonde a história vai dar, mas espero que o próximo livro me surpreenda. Recomendado!

Link da resenha: http://www.sincerando.com/2013/01/a-selecao.html

I love this book!! I absolutely cannot wait for the second one!

I'm not sure I like America Singer, she was sort of blah. Here's three words for you that describe her: Insecure, immature, icing. Yes, you read that right. America Singer is a mixture of sugar and butter.)

Will I read the sequel? I just might. It's like The Bachelor, you know you hate it but you'll end up watching it anyway.