The second book in Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series, The Elite is a must-read for fans of fairy tales, The Bachelor, and dystopian YA fiction. This sequel to The Selection delivers even more glamour, intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance, and will captivate readers who loved Veronica Roth’s Divergent, Ally Condie’s Matched, and Lauren Oliver’s Delirium.
Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection, and to win Prince Maxon’s heart. Now six girls remain, and the competition is fiercer than ever. But America Singer’s heart is torn. Is it Prince Maxon—and life as the queen—that she wants? Or is it still Aspen, her first love?
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 1/5
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Language - 0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 0/5
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Summary
Reviewer Name: mkircher In The Elite, the sequel to Kiera Cass's The Selection, America Singer is still halfheartedly vying for the hand of her country's next leader, the handsome and debonair Prince Maxon Schreave. But unlike Selection, Elite delves a bit deeper into all of the catfights, tangled emotions, and tenuously formed friendships that go on behind the scenes of this nationally televised contest. It's easier for readers to connect with the characters and plot in this book than it was in the first. The dialogue flows better and the love triangle really starts to suck you in. There were a couple of points where I found myself anxiously wondering which guy America would pick, Prince Maxon or Aspen, her first love. There are plenty of questions about who is really a good guy and who might have ulterior motives. I do find it somewhat hard to like America at times and wish that she had a bit more pluck when making decisions. She goes back and forth an awful lot! The odd thing about this series is that it's also supposed to be about a group of rebels versus the kingdom of Illea, and there is a good deal of unrest about the caste system within the kingdom itself. You don't know yet if the rebels are upset about castes or something else entirely. The fighting scenes are vague and the reasons behind the conflict are still unclear by the end of this second book. It's a romance novel with utopia vs. dystopia underpinnings, but the two don't quite mesh together that well. Overall, Elite is an enjoyable novel to read. The writing is good and the love story is engaging. The key is to not take this book too seriously, even though the author tries to make serious comments about today's society (i.e. reality TV, media, status, government, and economic class). Grab it for a fun read on the beach and enjoy a nice YA romance, with a sneak peak into what it might really feel like to be a contestant on \"The Bachelor.\"