MFB: The Selection (The Selection # 1)

“I hope you find someone you can't live without.I really do. And I hope you never have to know what it's like to have to try and live without them.” 


     I'd been meaning to read The Selection for quite a while but I always put it off for unbeknownst reasons. I remember that when I first saw the book, I was really wowed by the cover and as soon as I checked it out and saw that it fit my favorite genres, which are science fiction & dystopia, I couldn't be happier. But other books where more important to me at that time and this was indefinitely postponed.

     Last month, I finally got around to reading it and I'm very glad that I did. This was a very different book in my reading experience so far. Maybe because it was more of a romantic story with dystopian elements rather than a dystopian story with romantic elements, like other books that I've focused on more this year. The Selection may sound like a fairytale at first - 35 girls compete for a crown and the heart of young Prince Maxon. But do not be fooled, because this is not a fairytale! (Or is it? Pretty much.)

Here is the official description of the book:

"For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in a palace and compete for the heart of gorgeous Prince Maxon.
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself--and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined."

     America Singer is a teenage girl living in the fictional country of Illea. The dystopian society she lives in is divided into castes from One to Eight, with Ones being the royal family and the Eights being the homeless. America is a Five. For her, The Selection is her worst nightmare and she wants no part in it. Funnily enough, guess what? She takes part in it. 

     How, you ask? That's an easy answer to imagine if you read the first few pages of this book. America is in love with Aspen, who is a Six. It just so happens that their society has strict rules, which barely (or not at all) allow them to be together. So, as soon as Aspen realizes he's no good for America because of his lower caste, he breaks up with her. Devastated, she signs up for The Selection - and she's chosen. 

     What follows, as you can imagine, is a lot of competition between 35 girls who are fighting for the same goal - or at least that's how it should be. But it's not, because while some are fighting for the Prince's heart, others simply want the crown. America is not interested in the competition at all in the beginning - she tries to escape, she makes a deal with the Prince in return for his promise that he will keep her until the last possible moment without choosing her. 

     Things start to change, eventually, as America starts to question her motives. While she swears to stay true to her love for Aspen, the attraction that keeps growing between her and the Prince can't be ignored. The story sounds very much like a fairytale, with all the occasional action-packed subplots, and it all evolves into an interesting story about love and honor. This book quickly became one of my favorites and made me want to read the sequels as well. I gave it 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a love story!