The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen—and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.
I've always loved America's fire and impulsiveness. In the past these traits have driven a good deal of the story, and they continued to in The One. However America's character seems to have shrunk from a strong, beautiful, independent young woman into someone forever angsty and grouchy a good deal of the time. The very impulsiveness that made her lovable before, now paints her as naive and self-centered. She abuses Aspen and it felt like the majority of her interactions with Maxon ended with her yelling, refusing to communicate, blaming him for all her problems, and hiding in her room. It got frustrating. Luckily for her, Maxon wasn't much better. At one point they declare their everlasting love for each other despite their weaknesses and literally the next page over he calls everything off, refuses to communicate and runs away too hide, presumably in his room. I felt like their story had so much potential, only to fall flat and shallow. All that being said, I did enjoy America's interactions with her fellow elite. I thought they came out of their shells in a very realistic manner, and the relationships that bloom between them felt natural. In addition, Aspen's journey to moving on was well developed, and I appreciated how things turned out for him.
Characters: 2 Stars
The One twisted Apocalypse with The Bachelor in a high stakes game of choice. Beyond the issues I had with America, it was a fun easy read -- perfect for anyone looking for an easy chick flick book. Though the book did cursorily bush on some issues of depth, with the the king, the rebels, and the girls putting on the pressure for Maxon to choose which girl to make his, most of the plot centered around his relationship drama with America (90% of which seemed easy to resolve if she would just talk with Maxon.), but for those of you more adventure-inclined, there are a few gunfights. With political forces, seen and unseen, tugging and pulling, America has to make her own choice: how far she will go to get Maxon if it means she might lose herself in the process.
Plot: 3 Stars
Kiera Cass is a talented writer, and though America grated on me in this book, I enjoyed a glimpse into the future the world could have. I felt the drama was a bit much, but oh were the dresses gorgeous! Her descriptions held all the elegance and glamour of high palace life. If I went back, I probably wouldn't pick up this series, but as it was, the series has an interesting premise and is worth finishing.
Style: 3.7 Stars
Rating: 2.9 Stars
Source: Library
Genre: Romance
Length: 323 Pages
YA Fiction
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