Burgs Sunday book review

The Selection by Kiera Cass, HarperCollins, 2012.

Reviewed by Linda Spivey of Pilot. Linda is the adult program coordinator at Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library.

Would you enter a contest to win the affection of a prince if you were already in love with someone else? What if the love of your life is considered beneath you? What if that contest would be a way to provide food for your family?

America Singer is faced with this decision. She has the opportunity to be chosen as Princess of Illea through an event called “the selection.” A letter is sent from the royal family inviting young ladies between the ages of 16 and 20 to enter a lottery. Then one girl from each of the 35 provinces will move to the palace in an attempt to win the heart of Prince Maxon. America is not interested in the contest because she is in love with Aspen. Their love is already being tested by the fate of their castes. To her family, it is not an option to marry someone in a lower caste than her own. Her family encourages America to participate because of the benefits they could receive. Not only are contestants compensated financially, it could change their caste position. Not making the decision lightly and with little thought to winning, America enters the lottery.

When America is one of the chosen and begins life at the palace, you would think she begins living in a fairytale. Unfortunately even though the 35 girls are groomed, fitted for new wardrobes, and given fantastic food to eat, some of the contestants are ruthless. Expecting to be voted out each day, America strives to remain the same girl she was when she entered the palace. Then a chance meeting with Prince Maxon leaves her thinking that she might want to be selected. Further complications arise when she realizes that Aspen has become a palace guard and has been assigned to protect her after the last rebel attack on the palace.

Book one ends as America decides to see where the selection process will take her.

“The Selection” is truly a fairy tale with a modern twist as the princess hopeful has two princes to choose from. I can’t wait to see if they get to live happily ever after. I enjoyed reading “The Selection” and would recommend it to teens and adults who want to step back to Once Upon a Time and step away from fights to the death.

I’ve read a lot of reviews and listened to people at library programs say how much they love the cover art of this book. I have to admit that the beautiful aqua/teal dresses caught my eye. I can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy and to see the book cover.

“The Selection” is being made into a pilot for the CW network. If chosen the release date would be summer of 2013. Book two is set to come out around that same time. You can follow the progress and read Kiera’s blog at www.kieracass.com.

Cass’ first book, “The Siren,” is the story of Kahlen who must serve the sea for 100 years as a siren. Her life changes when she meets Akinli, a human she is not willing to give up. Her short story, “In the Clearing,” is also featured in “Brave New Love: 13 Dystopian Tales of Desire.”

Cass started writing as a way of coping with the 2007 tragedy at Virginia Tech. She put her problems into the hands of her characters and watched to see how they would work them out. This turned out to be great therapy as well as a new career. She lives in Blacksburg with her husband and son and is expecting a baby soon.

-If you would like to be a guest reviewer, e-mail palston@mfrl.org.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply