To marry the prince in Illéa all you have to do is beat 35 other girls in a competition for his attention. A girl from each Province is randomly chosen from all the applicants, and she will compete for the prince's affections.
America Singer is one of the lucky girls ages 16-20 who can apply to be part of the selection. Unlike most girls her age, she does not want to enter to win Prince Maxon's affections. All she wants is to be with Aspen, the boy she loves. She doesn't care that he's in a caste below her, and lives the life of a servant. She's only a five, and while musician's and artists are slightly more regarded, her life hasn't been easy either. Saving money so they can be together is all that matters to her, not a stupid Prince who has never worked or worried a day in his life.
When her mother makes her an offer she can not refuse, America figures there is no hurt in entering the selection. What are the chances that her name is chose from all the eligible girls in her Province? After a fight with Aspen, it's the night of the selection and from the Province of Carolina America Singer is chosen to compete for the role of future Queen of Illéa.
For the first time in her life she is taken away from her family and home to life in the palace with the other girls. Desperate for fresh air she tries to run out of the palace the first night, and she catches the eye of Prince Maxon. Unsure of what she wants, she offers her friendship to the prince, in exchange for staying at the palace longer into the competition. However, her own feelings start to change as she gets closer to the prince, his world and the kingdom.
Described as part The Bachelor and part Hunger Games, The Selection is one of those books you will keep reading to figure out what happens next and what all the girls are wearing. More than just a beauty pageant, the selection really highlights which girls are made for royal life, and which girls are not quite ready. America is lucky to have caught Prince Maxon's eye early on, but her own confusion about Aspen keeps her from getting too close to him.
Part romance, part political and part fashion story, this is for anyone who loved the scenes with Cinna in the Hunger Games, or who watched last years Royal Wedding. Readers will be captivated by this tale of a teenage girl trying to make sense of the world around her, while moving up a rigid caste system.
I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading iBoy by Kevin Brooks)
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