published 4/23/13
323 pages
Synopsis from publisher -
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.
America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.
Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
My thoughts -
I am very impressed with this YA series. When I picked up the first book, I expected fun and froth escapism, and it was all there. But underneath the princess-y exterior, I noticed Cass begin to explore deeper issues - race and class, wealth and poverty, love and infatuation.
I was happy to note that she continued her exploration of these issues in the second novel in the series. America has a lot of complicated decisions to make, and Cass invites her readers to really think about the consequences of each choice, both good and bad. Nothing is as easy or as glittering as it seems, and America's struggles felt honest and true.
It is also, however, a lot of good fun. There is just enough suspense, just enough romance - I flew through the novel, and can't wait for the final installment. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA series, and I wouldn't be surprised if it found it's way into my permanent collection. Recommended.
Finished - 11/5/13
Source - South side library
MPAA rating - PG-13 for some violence and adult situations
My rating - 8/10
1 comment:
It's nice to see that there are books for teens that explore deeper issues in a fun way. This series sounds great!
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