After reading and reviewing The Selection and The Elite, by Kiera Cass, I just have a few thoughts to add about The One, which ends this trilogy. I admit, I enjoyed the series...more than I thought I would. It's odd because I'm not really into pageantry and I've never watched The Bachelor. I do, however, enjoy an occasional reality TV show (more along the lines of Survivor), and I do love to read dystopian young adult fiction. This series combines both, but to read more about that, start with my reviews above. (I was rather negative on The Selection, but as I read the other books, I was proven wrong about a few things, including the heroine's name.) Obviously, this review may SPOIL the earlier books of the series, so if interested, don't read on here.
In this third book, the Selection comes to a close. One girl, just a commoner, is chosen to be the prince's wife. It's almost like a fairy tale, except this one comes with the politics of a world dying for a change in leadership. You would think--I would think--it would be mostly fluff, but it doesn't come across that way.
(This paragraph definitely contains SPOILERS.) But I didn't give it five stars. As usual, I come to the end of a series and find something lacking. Actually, this time, I am pleased with the end. Some might find it too neat and happy, despite a few deaths, but I like the overall turnout. No, the end is not the problem, but getting there is a little bumpy. Throughout the three books, the main character, America, has been hiding a lingering love interest from the prince. At the end of the second book, she makes her decision between the two men in her life, but in the third book, the effects of hiding one from the other linger. The conflict comes to a head when the truth is revealed near the end in a close that feels both a bit rushed (multiple people die quickly and without much fallout) and a bit tacked together for the sake of added drama and angst. I would have preferred a more mature approach to the revelation at the end, both characters realizing the irony of the situation (the prince was allowed to date 35 girls at once, but America would have been in serious trouble if her one other love interest was discovered).
Other than that, I was mostly pleased with the book and, aside from the annoying love triangle, the series as a whole. Three stars.
Showing posts with label beauty pageants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beauty pageants. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Thursday, October 24, 2013
The Elite
I am almost embarrassed to say that I read The Elite, a young adult novel by Kiera Cass, in two days. It's the second installment of a series that began with The Selection, which I read and reviewed here. As you'll notice after reading that review and then this one, some of my impressions remain the same, though my overall impression seems to be improved. (I confess, re-reading that review, I seem to be a little harsher on the book than it deserves.)
But why embarrassed, exactly? The Elite has aptly been compared to reality TV. It's about young women vying for the attention of a prince as they compete toward the end goal of becoming his wife and, eventually, the queen of his country. It's like a beauty pageant meets Cinderella. And while this premise calls out to the little romantic girl in each of us (girls), it's a rather silly and shallow idea.
Granted, Cass adds depth to the story through the politics of the world she has created. Her heroine, named America (perhaps this is a callback to the freedoms of life as we know them here in the United States; the story takes place in a future world where the United States no longer exists), comes from a mid-level caste in a society where your caste is your world. America has been fortunate enough to change her caste simply by being selected for the opportunity to win the prince's hand, but questions are raised about those who are not so fortunate and what opportunities for change arise when one is in power, if one dares to take them. So, the story is not quite as much of a guilty pleasure as it initially appears on the surface.
I like the characters. They are developed and alive, even minor ones, and the major ones have concerns I can identify with. Perhaps I like the characters too much because, like America, I can't decide which boy she should end up with. And here's where the story gets annoying. Love triangles are entirely too common in young adult fiction. Maybe that's on purpose, to reflect the choices real teenagers are faced with. But in this case, the exciting possibilities of falling in love with a prince are overshadowed by America's lingering feelings regarding her former love, a guard who works at the palace. Both are great choices, even though one is poor. I like that the author makes it clear that one is just as good as the other as far as love goes, that being rich doesn't make one a better choice than the other. But the fact that there is a choice at all when America has willingly submitted to this process of trying to get the prince to love her, saps some of the excitement. It's dangerous, not fun, and though the book acknowledges this, I just couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness about it.
I'd hate to SPOIL anything, and I won't, but if you are at all worried, don't read the following line. America's dilemma ends up better than I expected it to at the end of this book. I'm not 100 percent happy with it, but I'm still interested in the story and anticipating Book 3. With my feelings on this book pulled every which way, it averages out to an enjoyable three-star read.
But why embarrassed, exactly? The Elite has aptly been compared to reality TV. It's about young women vying for the attention of a prince as they compete toward the end goal of becoming his wife and, eventually, the queen of his country. It's like a beauty pageant meets Cinderella. And while this premise calls out to the little romantic girl in each of us (girls), it's a rather silly and shallow idea.
Granted, Cass adds depth to the story through the politics of the world she has created. Her heroine, named America (perhaps this is a callback to the freedoms of life as we know them here in the United States; the story takes place in a future world where the United States no longer exists), comes from a mid-level caste in a society where your caste is your world. America has been fortunate enough to change her caste simply by being selected for the opportunity to win the prince's hand, but questions are raised about those who are not so fortunate and what opportunities for change arise when one is in power, if one dares to take them. So, the story is not quite as much of a guilty pleasure as it initially appears on the surface.
I like the characters. They are developed and alive, even minor ones, and the major ones have concerns I can identify with. Perhaps I like the characters too much because, like America, I can't decide which boy she should end up with. And here's where the story gets annoying. Love triangles are entirely too common in young adult fiction. Maybe that's on purpose, to reflect the choices real teenagers are faced with. But in this case, the exciting possibilities of falling in love with a prince are overshadowed by America's lingering feelings regarding her former love, a guard who works at the palace. Both are great choices, even though one is poor. I like that the author makes it clear that one is just as good as the other as far as love goes, that being rich doesn't make one a better choice than the other. But the fact that there is a choice at all when America has willingly submitted to this process of trying to get the prince to love her, saps some of the excitement. It's dangerous, not fun, and though the book acknowledges this, I just couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness about it.
I'd hate to SPOIL anything, and I won't, but if you are at all worried, don't read the following line. America's dilemma ends up better than I expected it to at the end of this book. I'm not 100 percent happy with it, but I'm still interested in the story and anticipating Book 3. With my feelings on this book pulled every which way, it averages out to an enjoyable three-star read.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Selection
There are probably several words that would be appropriate to describe The Selection, by Kiera Cass, but let me give you my top two. Immediate ending impression: Annoying. Overall reading impression: Intriguing. This was a book that was easy to read. Once I opened the cover, it went fast. There's something to be said for that. I've read a lot of books that aren't that compelling.
On the other hand, this book fell short in some important ways, not the least of which is the end. First of all, I felt like I was reading someone's cushy, G-rated, mom-approved version of The Hunger Games. There's no killing, but all the other pieces are there! It's a dystopian post-United-States world with some of the same technology we have today. There are castes, Twos living the good life and Eights barely surviving. Girls are selected to compete for the prince's heart, their families receiving compensation in the meantime. The heroine leaves a lover at home and falls in love with someone new during the course of the competition. There are rebels who keep attacking the palace. I think someone said, "What if we took The Hunger Games and made it a little less like ancient Rome and a little more like The Bachelor instead?" That's what this book feels like, unfortunately. Fans of The Hunger Games will see the similarities and scoff.
And to top it all off, someone thought it would be a good idea to make this a series (as all young adult novels are these day), but I think they were badly mistaken. Yes, I'm sure the author will find a way to draw this out into several books, but this could certainly have been a one-book story. Instead, the end is unsatisfying and might even turn readers off.
The main problem is that America (I didn't like the heroine's name, myself), the heroine, can't decide between her almost-fiance from home and the prince she's growing more attached to. Both are great guys, of course. Both are madly in love with her, of course. Oh, to be able to be so choosey! I mean, really, this sends a terrible message to girls: wait as long as you can because one day, you'll have more choices than you can handle and you want to be sure you pick right. Does that sound like reality to you?
(SPOILERS) And most annoying of all, the first guy America loved shows up and begins to ruin America's chances at the prince by helping her break the rules. Eventually, the prince will find out (not in this book!), and it will cause hysteria and confusion and avoidable pain. I absolutely hated that about this book. It's unnecessary conflict. Just let the story end! Happily!
If you love dystopian fiction, don't read this for that; there's not enough of it in here, though elements have potential. If you love beauty pageants, then this might be more up your alley.
I'd seen bad reviews for this book, but I wanted to give it a try anyway. Undoubtedly, my opinions were colored from the start by what I'd read about the book; I kept looking for flaws. Nonetheless, I was growing attached until the end ruined it. I give it three stars for potential and readability.
On the other hand, this book fell short in some important ways, not the least of which is the end. First of all, I felt like I was reading someone's cushy, G-rated, mom-approved version of The Hunger Games. There's no killing, but all the other pieces are there! It's a dystopian post-United-States world with some of the same technology we have today. There are castes, Twos living the good life and Eights barely surviving. Girls are selected to compete for the prince's heart, their families receiving compensation in the meantime. The heroine leaves a lover at home and falls in love with someone new during the course of the competition. There are rebels who keep attacking the palace. I think someone said, "What if we took The Hunger Games and made it a little less like ancient Rome and a little more like The Bachelor instead?" That's what this book feels like, unfortunately. Fans of The Hunger Games will see the similarities and scoff.
And to top it all off, someone thought it would be a good idea to make this a series (as all young adult novels are these day), but I think they were badly mistaken. Yes, I'm sure the author will find a way to draw this out into several books, but this could certainly have been a one-book story. Instead, the end is unsatisfying and might even turn readers off.
The main problem is that America (I didn't like the heroine's name, myself), the heroine, can't decide between her almost-fiance from home and the prince she's growing more attached to. Both are great guys, of course. Both are madly in love with her, of course. Oh, to be able to be so choosey! I mean, really, this sends a terrible message to girls: wait as long as you can because one day, you'll have more choices than you can handle and you want to be sure you pick right. Does that sound like reality to you?
(SPOILERS) And most annoying of all, the first guy America loved shows up and begins to ruin America's chances at the prince by helping her break the rules. Eventually, the prince will find out (not in this book!), and it will cause hysteria and confusion and avoidable pain. I absolutely hated that about this book. It's unnecessary conflict. Just let the story end! Happily!
If you love dystopian fiction, don't read this for that; there's not enough of it in here, though elements have potential. If you love beauty pageants, then this might be more up your alley.
I'd seen bad reviews for this book, but I wanted to give it a try anyway. Undoubtedly, my opinions were colored from the start by what I'd read about the book; I kept looking for flaws. Nonetheless, I was growing attached until the end ruined it. I give it three stars for potential and readability.
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