This book is very much like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Cinderella all rolled into one.
Some similarities:
Illea is very much like Panem.
The Selection is pretty much like the Reaping.
Hunger Games has the tesserae, where families of The Selected are also compensated.
Hunger Games has "tributes", Selection has the "selected".
Hunger Games has "career tributes", the Selection has the "elite". The Hunger Games was broadcast on national TV as the ultimate in reality TV, so is The Selection.
The castes aren't unlike the districts in the Hunger Games or the factions in Divergent. Each caste specializes in their own industry, if you will. As a Five, America is only three tiers away from rock bottom.
Each of the Selected will get to travel to the capitol...I mean...the castle to stay with the royal family. Not unlike Katniss' trip to the castle...dang...I mean capitol, she is fitted for dresses, all while being filmed by a reality TV crew.
The names of the characters were quite distracting. (Names like Tiny, Tuesday, Gerad, and Kamber.) I don't know how one pronounces "Maxon". At first, I made it sound like "Jackson", which was really distracting and detracted from the story. I think "Mason" rolls off the tongue much easier.
Of course, there is the requisite love triangle. But it isn't entirely convincing. Much like Peeta and Katniss, there really isn't any chemistry between Aspen and America. It almost makes you wonder what America is angsting over.
The Selection is an easy read and I did find myself saying "Just one more chapter" well after I should have gone to bed. But, be prepared to not have any questions answered in book one. Apparently, there is a rule that no stories involving a dystopian United States can be resolved unless there is a trilogy.
I lowered my rating to 2.5, because there should have been some sort of resolution. Instead, Cass leaves her readers hanging!
Some similarities:
Illea is very much like Panem.
The Selection is pretty much like the Reaping.
Hunger Games has the tesserae, where families of The Selected are also compensated.
Hunger Games has "tributes", Selection has the "selected".
Hunger Games has "career tributes", the Selection has the "elite". The Hunger Games was broadcast on national TV as the ultimate in reality TV, so is The Selection.
The castes aren't unlike the districts in the Hunger Games or the factions in Divergent. Each caste specializes in their own industry, if you will. As a Five, America is only three tiers away from rock bottom.
Each of the Selected will get to travel to the capitol...I mean...the castle to stay with the royal family. Not unlike Katniss' trip to the castle...dang...I mean capitol, she is fitted for dresses, all while being filmed by a reality TV crew.
The names of the characters were quite distracting. (Names like Tiny, Tuesday, Gerad, and Kamber.) I don't know how one pronounces "Maxon". At first, I made it sound like "Jackson", which was really distracting and detracted from the story. I think "Mason" rolls off the tongue much easier.
Of course, there is the requisite love triangle. But it isn't entirely convincing. Much like Peeta and Katniss, there really isn't any chemistry between Aspen and America. It almost makes you wonder what America is angsting over.
The Selection is an easy read and I did find myself saying "Just one more chapter" well after I should have gone to bed. But, be prepared to not have any questions answered in book one. Apparently, there is a rule that no stories involving a dystopian United States can be resolved unless there is a trilogy.
I lowered my rating to 2.5, because there should have been some sort of resolution. Instead, Cass leaves her readers hanging!
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
