The Elite (The Selection, 2)

There is no doubt that this book is a page turner, it forces you to read on to see what happens. That is one thing I thoroughly enjoyed. However, compared to the first book, my lasting opinion on this is more mixed. As I say, the pace is good, and the writing engaging. Cass knows how to make you want to keep reading. Again, I read this book in a couple of hours, in one sitting, and that is a testament to her writing abilities. However, whilst I enjoyed the dreamy story-line and engaging characters of the first book, I found myself having a few issues with the characters and plot of this one. I loved America in the first book, and although I still like her character, her inability to make decisions really began to grate on me. I love her sense of justice and her ability to stand up for the things that matter, I just wish she would do it with more conviction and not be deterred by the obstacles in her way - people, or events. The Prince also jarred me a fair bit in this book. He claims to love America yet he's 100% playing the field with the other girls. I understand he's trying to hedge his bets, but these are women, not poker chips. There was some intriguing character development in this book, which is commendable; I particularly enjoyed Marlee's storyline, and I hope she will feature more prominently in the next book. Furthermore, the King's character took an interesting turn, which I enjoyed. In terms of Celeste, I really hope her character gets more development in future novels, and that there's more going on internally there than just her classic-bitch demeanor. Continuing on with things I enjoyed slightly less in this novel - I was really not a fan of the general tendency of this book to focus more on the catty and superficial aspects of the girls. It really now feels like a competition, and with so few candidates left, it's very close. I am at a loss for how the characters focus on petty details when the palace and its inhabitants are literally attacked every other day by rebels. By this point, I wanted this element to be expanded on a little more, and although we are fed tidbits, we are relatively in the dark. I am definitely praying the rebel-forces and ~book mystery~ will be illuminated more in the following books. I'm sure that it is being saved for a big reveal, but still. It is at times frustrating to read segments about the girls vying for the Prince's affections, cemented between more deep and complex passages about war, inequality, and justice. Overall, this is definitely an engaging read, and I have high hopes that the issues that stopped me from connecting as much with this book will be resolved in future installments.

The Elite starts off right where The Selection finished with the six remaining girls still all attempting win over Prince Maxon. America is torn between the man she’s falling in love with and the her first love. The girls are focused on winning the prince’s heart, while around them from both the north and the south attacking the palace, who are both pushing to end the selection before Maxon makes his choice. As the attacks get more violent the King pushes Maxon to make his choice. As the Selection progress America and the rest of the girls are tested in more ways the can imagine some harsher than others. I love America, she’s strong and stubborn, and can act rather rashly. Yet she follows her head and her heart, even when it may not always be the best choice. I enjoy reading about her time in the Selection and she goes from wanting to be there for her family to really wanting to be the one. The one thing that annoyed me about her is that she can’t decide between Maxon and Aspen, she’s always bouncing back and forth, I don’t really like love triangles in general. With this sequel I enjoyed learning more about the Caste system, there’s a lot more information about the world they live in, than in the book than the first book. The rebels are attacking more than ever. We also learn a bit more about the characters. All I can say about King Clarkson is that he is a piece of work. And now that we are down to the final six girls we get to know them a bit better. I loved Marlee and something really bad happens to her, and America is more upset by it than Marlee was. America blames it all on Maxon, when he actually had nothing to do with it. The Elite is a great continuation of America’s journey through The Selection process. The Elite is a fast paced story just like the first book and I managed to read over two days, just didn’t want to put it down. I’m dying to get my hands on the next book so I see how it’s all going to end.