A Quick Introduction
Title: The Selection
Author: Kiera Cass
Publishing Date: 24th April 2012
Publisher: Harper Teen
Number of Pages: 336 (hardcover)
The Synopsis (by Goodreads)
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.
The Review (more like The Rant)
 |
| Okay, so I didn't give this book 2 Vaporeons for no reason. If you think that you're going to strongly disagree with my beliefs, then you're free not to read this review. :) |
Here goes...
This book is the type of book that will gain your interest because of its cover. Surely, after reading the synopsis, you are going to expect a lot because wow 35 girls fighting for 1 crown. Let me tell you this, it is nothing like The Hunger Games, contrary to popular belief. I bought this book last year, and I didn't even make it halfway through because it bored the hell out of me. So, I gave it away. What made me buy it again and finish it? I don't even know myself. I just thought that I judged it too much without even knowing the whole story, and that made me feel guilty. Two days ago, I managed to finish it. Wow amazing I actually finished it!! was my initial response after doing so, and right now I just don't feel anything special towards it. Why?
First of all, the whole dystopian ruckus was just so... empty. The plot itself was sort of empty too. ((forgive me, this is the first time I've read a book this unimpressive, so I think I might be a bit too harsh))
By the way, I was reading some Goodreads reviews and OMG IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS THAT THIS BOOK WAS NOT GOOD
Changing courses, let's go to the list of my problems with this book.
Number 1: First and foremost, THE NAMES. Oh gods, the names were just so asdfghjkl. Ridiculous? America Singer. It might sound metaphoric and amazing at first, but what the hell. Okay, there's a story behind her name America, but the Singer part? I just don't get it. She's described as a good singer, but... okay I just can't find the right words to explain what I think about her name. The name Aspen Leger also gives me an OCD attack. I always think that something's wrong with his last name because of the word ledge. I'm so sorry, but I just cannot put into words the feelings I have for their names. It's like Harry Potter named these characters and labeled them as his children. ((lol))
Number 2: Second, THE REBELS. What the hell. Okay, so I get that the rebels are there for a reason but they just don't strike me as rebels. They're supposed to be brutal and reckless, and... well, rebels. Destroyers. War freaks. If they're really that desperate to get what they want from the palace, they should be more rebel-y. They're too easy to subdue, and gods they can't even inflict large damage upon the palace. Another issue with the rebels is why are they only attacking the palace? If they really want to get the palace's attention, then they should attack the people under the level of Ones. I mean, if they attack the Fours, then they'd definitely get the King/Queen/Maxon's attention, and the King/Queen/Maxon would talk (maybe) to them and ask why they did that, and would bargain with them to stop terrorizing their people and their land and everything. I didn't even feel that there were rebels, it's like they're just there to make the chapters longer, and to make the story have some sort of mysterious aura to it, to make people think oh my gods what do they want but in reality, I think they're just there to add something to the horrible love triangle between America, Maxon, and Aspen.
Number 3: Celeste. She's too annoying. Too annoying for an antagonist. Okay, she might not be the main antagonist of the story, and that's also one of my problems. I can't seem to determine who the main antagonist of the story is. Okay, stories are supposed to have protagonists and antagonists, right? Next, she's too attention-seeking! She might not be a major problem, but just reading the lines with her drama just makes me want to vomit.
Number 4: THE CHARACTERS IN GENERAL. They are just soooooo boring and they lack depth. Seriously, if the characters were swimming pools, I can stand on them. They're shallow like that. The characters are also uninteresting??? They're just so cliche, like okay you have the bitch, the devoted maids, the sweet and charming best friend (or is Marlee even America's bestfriend??), the amazingly handsome rich guy who makes the main character question her feelings for the other handsome and almost perfect guy who supposedly cheated on the main character. The characters are also inconsistent?? I mean at first okay Maxon was talking to America and he was being all shy and awkward because he's not good with girls and then some chapters after that, he goes around and calls everyone "dear" or some fluffy endearment. Well, if that's supposed to be what they call "character development," Maxon did a really crappy job of developing. Another problem with Maxon is that he doesn't really know what's happening outside the castle. He pretends that he does, but did you notice that a few chapters after America tells him that the castes below Twos are suffering from hunger, poof, a magical feeding program appeared! What if America didn't tell him that? Will he even bother to know what's happening to the people-- his people? He also has this playboy aura in him because why would you even marry a girl that you've just met, well not really like just met but ugh I'm not making any sense, am I? I just can't put. into. words. all. these. annoying. things. im. feeling. Next, America Singer is just so random. I mean what what what what what what kind of attitude is that and what what what why are your maids there and then wow omg okay i dont even know anymore *floats away*
Number 5: THE DIALOGUES ARE SO BORING
Number 6: INCONSISTENCY???? Aren't Fives supposed to be poor?? Why does America have a treehouse????????? a TV???? their own bedrooms???? wallpapers????? a nice house?????
Number 7: HORRIBLE ROMANCE IN GENERAL OH GODS OF OLYMPUS
Number 8: America is so stupid IF SHE DIDN'T WANT TO JOIN THE SELECTION, THEN SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE. JUST BECAUSE ASPEN BROKE UP WITH HER, SHE SAYS SHE SUDDENLY WANTS TO JOIN BECAUSE ASPEN SAYS THAT SHE SHOULD JOIN OMG NO YOU DON'T LET THE BOYS ORDER YOU AROUND
Number 9: Hello Miss Kiera Cass, I appreciate you trying your best to make an interesting novel but I'm so sorry, you just didn't meet my standards. I hope that I'm going to like The Elite though.
oh and Number 10: I didn't like the fact that girls aren't allowed to do it before marriage ((or let's say before Prince Maxon meets them because oh my god yes girls should reserve their virginities for the prince, and not for the guy they really loved))
And that's basically it. I'm just giving this book 2 Vaporeons instead of 1 (or zero) because I sort of laughed at the Aspen part at the end because I think that it was... ((um how do I say the Tagalog word pilit in English??))
I have never felt so disappointed in my life.
I'm so sorry, I just needed to lash out my feels for this book somewhere. Yes it did give me a lot of feels, just... not the feels that most of you guys had.
If you're still reading this, then wow you made it through my review RANT. Thank you. ^_^
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have a nice day!
No comments:
Post a Comment