The Elite by Kiera Cass (review by Nitya M. '15)

The Elite by Kiera Cass
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Only six of thirty-five girls remain in The Selection, the cutthroat competition to become the wife of Prince Maxon and princess of Illea. Yet America Singer holds the power in her hands to end the battle instantly by telling the prince that she can return the love he bestows upon her. Floundering in a sea of uncertainty, America is unable to decide between the dangerous romance and memories of Aspen, guard and longtime friend, and the breathtaking experiences that shape her relationship with Maxon. Each time she thinks she’s made up her mind, her world is brought crashing down. The Elite, the second book in Kiera Cass’s trilogy, continues the fast paced style of its prequel, but ultimately forsakes action for a love triangle that slows the story of The Selection to a crawl. While The Elite is still a page-turner, this second novel, like Suzanne Collins’ Catching Fire, loses its appeal to sappy romance. – Nitya M. ‘15

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The Selection by Kiera Cass (review by Nitya M. '15)

The Selection by Kiera Cass
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Selection is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, giving a handful of lucky girls the chance to escape their caste to rise up and become a One, the wife of Prince Maxon. For budding musician America Singer, however, the Selection is nothing more than a burden, forcing her to leave behind her secret boyfriend, Aspen, and loving, if poor, family for luxury, cut-throat competition, and danger she neither wished for nor accepts. But at the castle, America meets her potential husband, a man less like a prince, someone who she could love, and she is torn between her love back home and the willing prince who would give her anything if she said yes. Fast-paced and riveting, The Selection provides a detailed portrayal of characters in this dystopian world and provides a fresh take on the love triangle cliché. Yet, the book offers only a hazy view of the world these characters inhabit, and we are left at the end of the novel, only knowing the caste system that shapes society. Readers of romantic novels, as well as dystopian fiction like The Hunger Games will enjoy this first of a trilogy. - Nitya M. '15

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