Sarah's Reviews > The Selection

Credit to my friend Nicki Chapelway for giving me permission to use her nickname for Aspen, Snake Tooth, because it’s just perfect.

The Hunger Games meets The Princess Diaries in Kiera Cass’ Selection.

Our story picks up several hundred years after the collapse of the United States—an event briefly discussed in this book that involved Russia, China, and lots of money that couldn’t be paid back. I remember that some reviewers made fun of this, but as far as end-of-America scenarios go, it’s pretty believable.

After a few failed governments in the interim, a very rich man named Gregory Illéa very nicely stepped in to single-handedly fix the economy. He was also related by marriage to some royal family in (one assumes) Europe. Thus the new nation on American soil was named Illéa, and a monarchy descended from the man was established. Gregory sounds like a shady character to me, and the history lesson scene smacks of propaganda. I hope that this is explored at least somewhat in the following volumes, although it’s clear that Cass herself isn’t that invested in her own world-building.

What is Cass invested in? Read on...

There’s a caste system in Illéa: Ones are the royals and nobility, Twos are lower nobility, Threes are really rich folks, Fours actually work but are paid well, Fives are artists and poor but not starving, Sixes are servants, Sevens are lower servants, and Eights are untouchables. Our heroine, America Singer, is a Five. She wants to marry her secret boyfriend Aspen Leger, a Six, though Aspen (hereafter referred to as Snake Tooth) is a terrible human being. If I were America, I would be happy to escape him.

America is sixteen years old and now eligible to be drafted in the Selection—a televised process by which the Prince of the realm chooses his bride. Like the Hunger Games, the contestants come from all over the country (which used to be the U.S. in both cases) and the whole proceedings are meant as a morale-boost to the nation. Unlike the Hunger Games, no one gets killed during a Selection, so it might actually work as a morale-boost.

If this sounds like a dystopian take on Cinderella’s ball to you, you are absolutely right.

America is selected for the Selection, much to her own displeasure. But her mother, who reminds me a bit of a more competent Mrs. Bennet, is thrilled, and Snake Tooth is happy about it too. Selected girls who don’t become princess are automatically Twos, and their families get taken care of for life. Snake Tooth is riding his girlfriend’s coattails in hopes of becoming rich. It has never occurred to him that the Prince, Maxon, might take a fancy to America himself.

At first America bristles against her fellow competitors and their restricted lives at the palace. She vows to forget Snake Tooth after seeing him with another girl (unfortunately it doesn’t work), she misses her parents and younger siblings, and she worries about the mysterious rebels who lurk on the edges of the capital city and occasionally break onto the palace grounds. There’s two groups of these, one that kills and another that prefers to kidnap, and the royals have no idea what exactly either faction wants.

But America finds a kindred soul in the other person there yearning for something a little deeper than this artificial palace existence—Prince Max himself. At first she vowed to hate him, but she’s not good at keeping promises to herself, and they quickly start falling for each other.

Cliques and conspiracies, Snake Tooth-induced melodrama, and occasional bursts of rebel violence ensue. The book doesn’t end so much as grind to a clearly temporary halt. Dare I hope that the other volumes will actually answer some relevant questions in between all the love-triangulating?

Content Advisory:
Violence: Very little is shown or described. The rebels menace the palace dwellers and force them to hide in the basement. One of America’s palace-assigned maids tells her that a coworker was almost raped by a rebel who broke into the palace; the man was killed by a guard and the girl was trapped for several minutes underneath the corpse. Celeste tears at America’s dress out of spite, scratching her arm in the process. America mistakenly thinks Maxon is making a pass and knees him in the groin.

Sex: There’s an unnecessarily steamy makeout scene between Aspen and America in Chapter Two, a briefer one in Chapter Three, and another one towards the end of the book. He likes to make her sing while he gives her hickeys. Snake Tooth, Erik the Opera Ghost just called and he said that even he thinks that’s weird. Max and America also kiss a few times, but those are chaste. The kingdom has a law on the books against non-marital sex and it’s surprisingly effective, so even the racy scenes don’t escalate. A palace official asks America to affirm that she’s a virgin before signing on, which humiliates her.

Language: Nada.

Substance Abuse: Nada.

Anything Else: The young serving-woman who was almost raped is understandably traumatized, and has crippling panic attacks whenever the rebels attempt a coup.

Conclusion
A fluffy read, perfectly appropriate for girls 14 and up, that made me smile and roll my eyes in almost equal measure. Snake Tooth is insufferable. America is good-hearted but maddeningly impulsive and none too bright. Maxon is a treasure, and I want to continue for his sake more than anything else

That, and it’s been so much fun making snarky status updates and chatting with you all about this one. Thank you, friends. Coming soon: The Elite .