The Selection by Keira Cass

Title: The Selection (The Selection #1)
Author: Keira Cass
Published: June 7, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollinsCholdren'sBooks
ISBN: 78-0007466696
Genre: Dystopian/Sci Fi

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. 

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Solid 3 stars. 

I'll be honest, America is one of those character's that I'm never going to like. "Oh no, don't make me up in pretty dresses and send me off to a beautiful palace to be pampered and adored all so I can have the chance of being the future queen and, you know, actually having a chance to help change the debilitating caste system of our society which sees the majority of our country living in abject poverty and thus help raise everyone I love out of poverty. Oh, woe is me."

Seriously?

This idea that by forcing people to wear pretty clothes and make up and act like a "lady" somehow means that they're going to lose "who they are as a person." As if the clothes and make up and their appearance defines them? Yeah, not a great message to be throwing out there in a young adult novel.

If I wanted to be told that my appearance is the most important thing about me, I'd go pick up a fashion magazine.

But anyway, on to the actual book.

Fun read. 

It was engaging and I read it in one day. The writing is of a high quality and the pacing is excellent. One thing I absolutely loved was the slow-burn of America's developing feelings. We get to the end of the book and she's still trying to come to terms with what her feelings actually are. This is realistic, not only for a one-month time frame, but, also, for a seventeen year old girl. It's a nice touch.

Over-descriptive. I don't need to know that her favourite jammies are "cute" or that they consist of "brown shorts and fitted white tee." Unnecessary embellishment makes it read like a 13 year old's first attempt at writing. But, that is few and far between and overall, as I have said, good quality writing.

Aspen? As we're only at the end of the first book and we still have another two to go, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt here and hope there's still room for Cass to turn him into a lesson about how not to let men treat you instead of a valid love interest. 

The naming conventions are ... embarrassing. I mean, America Singer? Really? And the caste's merely being numbers? Really? Cass couldn't think of anything better? 

This book could have been a fantastic allegory for the way women are looked upon and demeaned in society, if Cass had actually moved past her complete hang-up on appearances. There is so much potential in a book like this if you're willing to take it forward and not just leave it at face value. I feel like, as a female reader, I've been done out of something potentially brilliant.

At the end of the day, there is a lot of things inherently wrong with this book but I couldn't, in good faith, give less than three stars to a book which kept me so entranced.

Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.