A royal, dystopian rendition of popular television show The Bachelor, Kiera Cass’s The Selection is a surprisingly addictive novel despite the somewhat shallow plotline.
In a caste system categorizing Ones as royalty and Tens as servants, teenager America Singer is happy being a Five. So when she is chosen to compete in The Selection—a competition where 25 lucky girls have the opportunity to win not only the prince’s heart, but also the crown—she is the only one among them who isn’t pleased. Leaving her family and secret boyfriend, Aspen, behind, America must learn to navigate the palace, the other girls, and most importantly, the royal family. Soon America strikes a deal with Prince Maxon, and while she doesn’t mean to include her heart in the bargain, no one anticipates where her journey will take her—least of all America herself.
Although I didn’t have high expectations for this novel, I found myself drawn in by the romance and was pleasantly surprised by certain plot elements. Undoubtedly the epitome of a dystopian young adult romance novel, The Selection delivers on all things cheesy, swoon-worthy, and whimsical. It showcases more depth in terms of plot and character than I had originally anticipated, and I ultimately enjoyed the novel and would categorize it in the guilty pleasure genre. With a fiery main character and a simple yet engaging plot, The Selection is perfect for readers who love all things romance and royalty.
