The One

For the series:

This is a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s your pretty standard YA dystopia romance, but I don’t know what it is about this series in particular that I just absolutely love!

After the Fourth World War, North America became the country of Illéa and its people divided into a caste system. America Singer is a Five, but she is in love with the boy next door and is preparing to marry a caste below her and enter a life of menial labour. All of her plans are thrown out the window, however, when Prince Maxon announces he will be holding a Selection to find his bride — and America is one of the Selected. She soon finds herself living in the palace, participating in a Bachelor-style competition for the hand of a prince she never show more wanted in the first place, trying to decide where her heart truly lies.

The first three books of the series follow America and Maxon’s love story, while the last two books jump forward 20 years when their daughter has her own Selection. I didn’t love the second part as much as the first, but the books are all incredibly binge-able! I flew through them the first time I read them, and when I re-read them just now I finished them each in less than a day — while working full-time! show less

I first read The Selection shortly after it was published and loved it. America is refreshing, not quite as capable as Katniss or Tris but still powerful and independent in her own right. Plus, the way she speaks her mind and is not caught up in the trappings of the palace makes her a special type of heroine. The love triangle of the first book is mostly concluded by the end of it, and I was really looking forward to finding out what happens to Maxon and America.

A funny thing happens after the first book though. The story devolves into a “he loves me/he hates me/I love him/I hate him” carousel that never really ends. What I thought was decided towards the end of the first book does not really achieve resolution until the end of The show more One. Frankly, the back-and-forth relationship angst gets old very, very quickly. It gets so bad that I ended up skimming most of The Elite and good chunks of The One as well. I wanted to knock the various characters’ heads together in an effort for them to see the light and just end the unnecessary drama.

As irritated as I was through almost the entirety of books two and three, I could not stop myself from racing through them. I wanted to make sure America got the happily ever after that she deserves, and the romantic in me wanted to see it all unfold. Maxon is so darn cute in his awkward romance that I adored almost every one of his scenes. America’s inability to make a decision was annoying, but I never stopped rooting for her.

The other element of the series that was done really well was explaining how the USA became the Kingdom of Illea. Given our own debts to China and other national powers, it is all too easy to imagine how something like this could happen. The true motives behind Gregory Illea are equally chilling and also way too easy to envision given our current President-Elect. Ms. Cass has obviously given her world careful thought, and it shows in the little details interspersed throughout the narrative. Hers is one of the few dystopian series that gives a very clear history that connects the dots between current and fictional worlds.

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed The Selection Series and am trying to hold off on diving into the last two novels. There is something about the commoner becoming a princess that never grows old, and Ms. Cass capitalizes on that fantasy with America, who lives out every little girl’s dream but stays true to herself in spite of the maids and luxury that surround her upon stepping foot in the palace. Her growing relationship with Maxon is fraught with tension but built not from lust but genuine friendship and mutual admiration. It is a realistic fairy tale that entertains and engages the imagination while soothing the romantic’s heart. show less

Okay, let's be clear here, this is like that "show that shall not be named" [from my review of The Selection] meets Cinderella. It's a modern day fairy tale, and there's nothing wrong with it, if you know that's what you are getting. There are a lot of the "rule of thumb" rules for life in all these books, for example, here are a few:

-be yourself (or to thine own self be true)
-trust your gut
-be honest with those you love
-think outside of the box
-and tell the people that you love, that you love them as much and as often as you can.

There are many more, but you get the drift, and thank God Ms Cass didn't do the "sit back and wait for the one" to save you, love you or whatever. Geez, she might be waiting till she's in her fifties!

The show more story wrapped up nicely, even though I felt like I was in a plane landing with the storm turbulence. There were so many ups and downs emotionally speaking, but then I kept forgetting that America is 16 and Maxon is 19-- yep, the miscommunication and angst that goes with being a teenager happens to royalty as well as the commoner. And still, it was a fun ride. show less

I really wanted so much more out of this book that I got. For Maxon, Aspen and America. I felt this was a child-ending, without any of the complications or growth required. Especially with how fast everything in the last two-three chapters neatly resolved itself like it was waiting for someone to pull on ribbons and yell "Ta-Da!" And instead of it look victorious and amazing, it was stilted and juvenile.

The only part of this book I really remember loving was the growth of the politics plot. That was well done. With people from earlier projects and current ones. I really liked how they were dovetailed in from book one and two, and handled correctly and with deep, realistic complication.

THE ONE???? I LOVE IT!!!!
TEAM MAXON all the way!!!

OMG THE COVER! IT'S GORGEOUS! THAT DRESS!

Review:

I wanted everything from him and everything for him, because I wanted every piece of him.

Happy and sad tears were in my eyes by the time I finished the book. Sad because bringing down the Southern rebels didn't come without a price and something happened during that, that made my heart stop. Happy because that something was remedied and because I attended the royal wedding. It might have been through America's point of view, but it still counts. I won't say if America was the bride or just a wedding guest since almost all the selection was present (I am telling you that so you won't rule it out and say that America was the bride).

I kept show more getting angry at America because she never took the opportunities that were presented to her to tell Maxon about Aspen and him being in the palace. She should have said something instead of keeping it secret and risking Maxon finding it out. I liked America more than I disliked her though. It wasn't only because she knew from the beginning who she wanted and didn't annoy me with thoughts about who she should choose. She fought to be with the man she loves. And his identity was clear from the first page.

America fights for what she believes is right, is fair to the others, she is kind to them and she is kind. Maxon is his usual charming self and if I can forget how he acted after the bomb that was dropped the day of the final choosing (I know that he was hurt, but I still didn't like it) I can say that he was the best prince I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He is the only prince I have ever wanted. Aspen was surprisingly not annoying in the book and I actually liked him. Now I can read his novella without being prejudiced.

Celeste became a favorite character in the trilogy, despite all the things she had done. I know she regretted them. I am the only one who was sad after the way her story ended? I don't think so. What I think though is the fact that she author made her have a change of heart to make us feel worse in the end. It would have been better if I hated her. Speaking of hate I would vote in the category most hated character Maxon's father aka the king. His only goal was to make America look back or her life a little worse. August and G. were two pleasant additions to the story and I wouldn't mind seeing them more in their own book (hint, hint).

Every time I will see a photo of women smiling while they drink tea I will think of America and her two lady friends talking about money and guns.

Maxon's plan about the castes is brilliant and the only thing that is acceptable to be done. He is going to be the best king Illea has ever seen. With the right queen, of course.

To be honest, I felt a little overwhelmed when I got to the last page. I didn't want to let the story go. The One was a great end to an amazing trilogy that will always be one of my favorites. I plan to re-read the whole trilogy one day. show less

This series is the mental equivalent of eating marshmallows until you get nauseous. Why would you do it? What benefit is there? It tastes good going down, but have you really gained anything?

I think I've read enough of this series. I can't take anymore of America's exaggerated to a fault personality of the stubborn outcast rebel and Maxon just ignoring all these red flags like a doormat that he is.

And it's unfortunate because there were parts to this story that got me tearing up - America giving away her jewelry at the Contriving - Maxon giving her the picture frame of the house her family stays at. Because there is something keeping me attached to these characters and this world. But then it's all just shot to shit with these show more exaggerated personalities and these instant reconciliations with characters (Celeste is a good person now, what?) that it just doesn't make sense. Why were America and Georgia like hugging it out like bffs the second time they met? Why is everyone so trusting of one another? Why did Aspen and America meet up for a "date" the day after a girl and a guard were like whipped publicly for doing the same exact thing? (I know that's in the second book but I didn't get a chance to review it I was so eager to get this series done with.) Where has Aspen's personality gone? Why does it seem like the entire and third book was America just stringing these poor guys along and crying? WHY IS THE BOOK ENTITLED "THE ONE" WHEN I'M NOT GETTING ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT SITUATION ALMOST THE ENTIRE BOOK?

So many questions. So much time wasted thinking about them. show less

I kept thinking that I must have written a review already, but when I double checked I just realised I ranted and raved in the status update whilst reading the book but didn't really put something cohesive. Here's the reason why:

This book sucked.

This series sucked.

I don't know why I finished the series, except that I must be some kind of sadist/masochist rolled into one, or that my curiosity in seeing the end of this train wreck overshadowed my sensibilities. And even that was stretched thin, as I found myself skimming through Maxon's inane letters at the end (with a lot of eye rolling).

To be sure, more actually happened in this last book than the first or second combined, but not much which made sense. After finishing the book, I kept show more thinking of ways that this series (which had quite an interesting idea, but horrible execution) could have been made to improve - and there are many. I would refrain from expounding on them, as I have only just managed to calm down from flinging the book to the ground in disgust. Others have written at length at how terrible the book/series was and why and I ask that discerning readers go read them - it's quite entertaining (more than the book in most cases) and completely therapeutic (if you've had the misfortune of actually finishing the books).

Overall I can't help but think that this is another one of those examples where a series is written to create hype, with the hopes of catching the eye of some director, who would then get an actual decent writer to re-write and make into a movie. Which would then sell for millions, because have you seen the number of brainless 5 stars reviews?? show less