Review: The Elite(The Selection #2) by Kiera Cass

The Elite by Kiera Cass

Publication Date: April 23rd, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 336
Series: The Selection
Source Purchased
Rating: 1/5
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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.

**Few things to start off. I originally posted this review on Goodreads last year well before I had a blog. I just decided to bring it over here as the last book comes out in about a week. And I will probably end up writing a review for it. So to me it just made logical sense. And I actually did enjoy The Selection. Gave it 3/5. Needless to say The Elite was a massive disappointment.**

Was America this annoying and useless in the first one? She was just awful! Cass can try and push that America is only in the Selection to help her family and make a difference(she's the "heroine" of this book you know) . But anyone who actually finished this book will tell you that's pure BS. She is a silly little girl. She's overly jealous, rash, stupid, indecisive and petty. And that's just a few adjectives at the top of my list.
Reading all her incoherent thoughts was worse then getting blood taken. Since I could not reach into the book and shake her in the hopes that something tangible would fall out her mouth, I was left to banging my head on the wall wondering why I was still reading this. Why?

In this sequel America has amazingly made it to the top 6. So that gives the reader the pleasure of reading forced and fake dialogue between the girls remaining. Unrealistic tasks being given to those top 6 girls from the Queen. Example; Two very important evenings need to be planned for some dignitaries arriving from Italy and Germany. Illea has a decent relationship with Italy but has not had any contact with Germany in years and desperately wants to form a strong relationship with them. So what does the Queen decide is a smart move you ask? Why charging these girls with the task of two separate and different evenings, that can not in any way offend these arriving people. Are you effing kidding me?! Never. NEVER would that be allowed. But don't worry, our incompetent "heroine" miraculously pulls off a spectacular evening for the Germans. Wining over everyone's hearts. *barfs* Of course there's lots more believable events throughout the book.

Let's have a look at this epic love triangle that just makes you want to shake Cass's hand for creating the worst love triangle in YA history(and I've read the Twilight saga peeps). Not only do we get to read about America changing her mind every other freakin' page ("I do want to stay here with Prince doubebag. But I could never be a princess." "I miss Aspen so much. But he broke my heart."). So remember how Aspen broke her heart and that's why she entered the Selection(I'm pretty sure that's how it went down)? Well Aspen is set on wining her heart back. He just loves her so much and will fight for her(I don't know who he's fighting against, since Prince douchebag doesn't even know he's alive!).
And than you have her other gold star choice in the cowardly lion. He literally has no redeeming qualities about him. He loves her(although he never actually said those three little words) and wants her just to say how much she wants him and wants to be there. Oh and America does, plenty of times. But because of her indecisive little mind she'll take it right back on the next page. Anyhow, the conversations between them take me back to my conversations with my 6th grade boyfriend. Needless to say they were pointless and never went anywhere.
Oh, and if you expect a big, hulking prince like our cowardly lion here to fight for you and be the first one to pull his sword when the rebels attack. Ha! He's the guy that just pushed you over to get into the nearest hidden room.

The only character I can stand is Celeste. She may be a manipulative biznatch. But at least she's being true to herself. She came into this game knowing what she wants and she doesn't care if she stabs everyone in the back to get it. She's awful, but she's the only true character in the book.

The Elite is also marketed as a dystopian but who are these random rebels that show up and attack the castle? Besides the cast system, what is this dystopian world like? Why are these rebels attacking? What are they fighting for? There is absolutely no sense to this world. No world building. And absolutely no answers as to what the fuck is going on outside of the selection. This book is just riddled with uselessness. Maybe we'll get a major info dump in the last book. But somehow I highly doubt it because that would have meant that Cass had to do some research and storytelling outside of watching The Bachelor and putting it in her own words in what some would call a "story". Ugh!

Just reading the inside cover and seeing the tagline for the last book is; "America must decide if she's truly "The One."" Haha good one! Like America would ever make a decision for herself(or if she does she'll change her mind on the next page).
Anyhow, hope you enjoy The Elite as much as I have!

Happy reading!

Brittany